Royal Ascot International Contenders Clash: Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes Highlights

Exciting Action at Royal Ascot as International Contenders Clash

Thursday, June 22, 2023 – The prestigious Royal Ascot meet promises another day of thrilling racing action, with a truly global field set to take center stage.

Headlining the day’s festivities is the highly anticipated Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, where the talented Australian raider Artorius will face off against 15 rivals. Trained by the formidable duo of Anthony and Sam Freedman, Artorius will be aiming to improve on his third-place finish in last year’s edition of the contest. The international flavor of the race is further enhanced by the presence of fellow Australians Cannonball and The Astrologist, as well as Hong Kong’s Wellington, American challenger Big Invasion, and France’s Coeur De Pierre.

The home team will be led by the in-form Highfield Princess, who finished runner-up in the King’s Stand Stakes earlier this week. Other top contenders include Sacred and Kinross, the latter being ridden by legendary jockey Frankie Dettori.

Elsewhere on the card, the Hardwicke Stakes promises an enthralling showdown as Hukum, fresh off a comeback victory over Desert Crown at Sandown, takes on a stellar cast that includes the likes of Deauville Legend, Pyledriver, and Free Wind.

The day’s opening event, the Chesham Stakes, will see Aidan O’Brien’s Navan winner Pearls And Rubies head a field of 17 two-year-olds, while the Jersey Stakes over the same distance has attracted a high-class field, including Clarehaven’s talented Juddmonte-owned colt Covey, Roger Varian’s Surrey Stakes scorer Olivia Maralda, and Aidan O’Brien’s Lacken Stakes winner The Antarctic.