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20 Jun 2017

Royal Ascot 2017: Lady Aurelia to win the King's Stand Stakes


Royal Ascot is a time to bet on top quality horse racing and we are pleased to say the Ascot betting offers have started to come out

Wesley Ward is a trainer who you can pretty much guarantee will hit the winner's enclosure at this prestigious meeting. The ex-champion jockey, better known in the UK for his training exploits, first captured the attention of race fans back in 2009 when 33-1 shot Strike The Tiger won the Windsor Castle Stakes. 

If that wasn't startling enough, the next day Ward sent out another two-year-old winner named Jealous Again taking the Queen Mary Stakes Group 2 by five lengths. From that day, this North American trainer held the respect of punters and pundits alike. 

Fast forward to Royal Ascot 2017. 

What can we expect this year? Especially his star filly Lady Aurelia who won last year's Queen Mary Stakes Group 2 before heading to France to win the Prix Morny. 

Lady Aurelia delighted Wesley Ward after galloping at Keeneland Racecourse on Tuesday morning in preparation for Royal Ascot. After storming to victory in last year's Queen Mary Stakes, this class filly raced over 5f with stablemate Bound For Nowhere. Lady Aurelia is earmarked for the King's Stand Stakes at the Royal meeting, while Bound For Nowhere is likely to head for the Commonwealth Cup.

"She had a great work," Ward said of Lady Aurelia. "We put her in front like she usually does in her races, and she just kind of cruised around there." 

Ward said Lady Aurelia will have an "easy breeze" at Keeneland next Monday before she departs for England a day later. 

Undrafted also worked at Keeneland on Tuesday morning and is set to make a third appearance at Royal Ascot. The seven-year-old chestnut won the Diamond Jubilee Stakes two years ago and finished sixth in the same race last season. He is under consideration for the Wokingham Stakes at the big meeting in June. 

Ward is sending a number of smart two-year-olds to the Royal meeting including Fairyland, who won easily when making her debut at Keeneland in April, and McErin, who won impressively on debut at Keeneland over four and a half furlongs then a narrow loser when third at Churchill Downs. 

Both worked in together at Keeneland, with Fairyland pencilled in for the Albany Stakes. McErin is set to take his chance in the Norfolk Stakes. 

The unraced daughter of Distorted Humour, Happy Like A Fool, is entered for the Queen Mary Stakes Group 2 while yet to be race Nootka Sound, a bay daughter of Lonhro is set for the Windsor Castle Stakes. Both enjoyed a four-furlong workout.