Ascot Racecourse Gears Up for Royal Ascot 2023: Highfield Princess Aims for Second Shot at Glory

Trainer John Quinn is eager to “roll the dice” and give his stable star Highfield Princess another chance at Royal Ascot glory this week in the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on Saturday. The six-year-old mare enjoyed a stellar 2022 campaign, securing three Group One victories, and despite a narrow defeat on her seasonal reappearance at York, she was the hot favorite for Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes.

Highfield Princess Falls Short, but Quinn Remains Undeterred

Although Highfield Princess ultimately came up short in a closely contested battle with Bradsell, with the stewards’ inquiry deeming that the interference she encountered did not affect the final result, Quinn remains undeterred. Several horses have successfully contested both of Royal Ascot’s marquee sprint races in the past, with Blue Point’s double triumph in 2019 serving as a testament to the feasibility of such a feat.

“We left her down (at Ascot) all week and looked at her on Thursday morning and she seems fine, so we’re quite happy to roll the dice,” explained the Malton-based trainer. “Plenty of horses have run well in both races, so it’s doable. She seems bright and she’s no travelling to do, which is important.”

Favorites Emerge for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes

Highfield Princess finished sixth in last year’s edition of the six-furlong contest, three places behind the Australian challenger Artorius, who currently heads the betting for this year’s renewal. However, the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained speedster has already claimed a Group One prize in his homeland this season, and the younger Freedman sibling expressed a more relaxed approach this time around.

“I am a bit more relaxed than last year and not under as much pressure,” said Sam Freedman. “He is a lot shorter in the market and there is a bit more expectation, but last year it was the unknown and whether he was going to measure up – this year we know he is good enough.”

Richard Gibson’s Hong Kong representative Wellington is another major player from overseas, while the home team includes the William Haggas-trained Sacred and Kinross from Ralph Beckett’s yard. Connections of Sacred admit the mare may be more effective over a furlong further, but they are nevertheless eager to see her line up in a race where she finished just a length behind the winner last year.

Kinross, who enjoyed a fantastic 2022 campaign that included Group One triumphs in the Prix de la Foret and the British Champions Sprint, is also a leading contender in the hands of the legendary Frankie Dettori. Though his team acknowledges the six-furlong distance may be a touch sharp, they remain confident in the horse’s chances.

Thrilling Showdown Awaits at Royal Ascot

With a star-studded lineup set to take center stage at Ascot this weekend, the stage is set for another thrilling installment of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, as the world’s finest sprinters battle for supremacy on the hallowed turf.

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