Prince Of Wales's Stakes Guide 2021

Love was always destined to be a smart horse and at juvenile level proved that when finishing third on her final two year old start in the Group One bet365 Fillies Mile, but this season she has transformed into a world beater.

She made her seasonal debut in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and beat a superb field of runners by over four lengths to solidify her credentials for the season.

From there O'Brien decided to step her up in trip for the Epsom Oaks and she revelled in the extra distance, beating a sound field by a devastating nine lengths.

The Yorkshire Oaks was another test for the three year old and again she passed with flying colours, not seeing a rival all the way round and going clear towards the end of the race.

All of these runs were in preparation for the Arc at ParisLongchamp but with the rain falling making the conditions extremely testing, she was withdrawn from the race and she has not been since.

If carrying on from where she left off last term she should win this event and although having been fit to race for sometime we just hope she is fully tuned up.

One of the most progressive horses on the the flat over the last few seasons has been the John Gosden trained runner who two seasons ago was running in Handicaps and over the last 18 months has stepped up to land fiercely contested Group Ones.

Consistency is something that this horse is known for, only finishing outside the top three twice in his last 10 events and recently showing his class in better races.

Last term Lord North was unbeaten on his first two runs landing the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Haydock and off the back of that took this Group One at the royal meeting.

He tried to step up again in the Juddmonte International but was outclassed by the whole field and also ran no sort of race in the British Champion Stakes when last of 10.

Having put some lesser runs together he got back to some sort of form when a close up fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf to end the season well.

Given some time off the track he returned in March at Meydan for the Group One Dubai Turf over 9f and in emphatic style he took the race by three lengths.

As a two year old the son of Galileo landed three races on the bounce including the Group Two Fututrity Stakes but when put into Group One company has struggled.

Last term the colt finished fourth in the Irish 2000 Guineas on debut and was fourth again when stepped up in trip for the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

He got back to winning ways at The Curragh over 1m2f in a Group Three event next time out, and over the same course and distance out ran his odds of 66/1 in the Irish Champion Stakes to finish third behind Ghaiyyath and Magical.

The colt was last seen in 2020 being sent down under for the Group One Cox Plate where he was narrowly second to ex stablemate Sir Dragonet.

He returned this term at Chester in the Group Two Huxley Stakes where he dominated late on to see off Sangarius with ease.

Armory is a very progressive animal that has proved he can be versatile on quick and slow ground and could be the value in the race if improving once more.

Audarya for James Fanshawe is very much an unknown entity this field to English punters having done her best work abroad.

The five year old last term reinvented herself by going from a decent horse to a specail horse when landing the Group One Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville.

Off the back of that she went to ParisLongchamp for the Group One Prix de l'Opera and finished a great third behind Tarnawa and Alpine Star, with the former franking the form.

Audarya also franked the form when last seen at Keeneland in November, staying on late in the day to take the Group One Filly & Mare Turf.

She has not been seen since then and is having her first start in one of the most competitive races of the week.

Might need the run.

The four year old colt remains low mileage and looks to be continuously improving, signified by his Group Three win at Newmarket on his seasonal debut, where he kept on well to the line. 

That race was his first run in six months and really showed the improvements made and the race sharpness possessed by the runner after a break.

He dropped to a mile for the Group One Lockinge and it did not work getting beaten very easily, but last time out he stepped back up to 9.5f for the Group One Prix d'Ispahan and finished a very close third only losing out in a photo-finish.

My Oberon will need to prove his natural speed against these top class opponents and overall needs a career best to go close.

The son of Kingman made his debut back in 2018, when winning a seven furlong Novice Stakes at Newmarket seeing off Bangkok and he then backed that up at Doncaster landing back to back races.

He then went into the Group One Dewhurst Stakes finishing fourth behind the likes of Too Darn Hot, Advertise and Anthony Van Dyck who have all gone on to land big Group One events throughout their careers.

Back for another season he finished third on his first three year old start in the Heron Stakes at Sandown behind two nice types and then when stepped up to 10f at Royal Ascot for the Group Three Hampton Court, he gave a career best performance to land the event.

He was then given a year off the track with a slight setback and was beaten convincingly on his return, only seeing off one horse in the five runner Brigadier Gerard Stakes won by Lord North.

Sangarius was then seen at Lingfield in December winning the Listed Quebec Stakes over 1m2f from Bangkok and again was given a little break.

Back for his five year old campaign he started off at Chester in the Group Two Huxley Stakes when being fairly beaten by Armory and then last time out he had to settle for the runners up place again when well beaten by Euchen Glen in the Brigardier Gerard.

Has it all to do stepping up to this Group One.

Desert Encounter has been a veteran in the sport for some time now and although putting in some fair performances of late, at the age of nine this contest looks beyond him.

David Simcock has pitched him in this race more on hope than his talent, but he may be looking for one last performance from the gelding before retirement.

In his prime Desert Encounter was a very smart horse winning Group One glory in Canada and although running well in Group Three and Listed events since then, this race looks beyond him having underperformed frequently in tough events.

Saying that he has been slightly back to form when chasing home Waldkonig on seasonal debut at Sandown and then second again behind Stormy Antarctic in a Listed event last time out.

But on the face it he is close to a stone behind the horses at the top of the market.