Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Tips: Favourites To Dominate Ascot Group 1
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes tips for the 2023 renewal at Ascot on Saturday, as we preview the Group 1 showpiece that will see the star three-year-old pairing of Paddington and Tahiyra do battle on British Champions Day. Our man Steve Chambers takes a look at the 1m contest and picks out his best bet for what should be a stunning contest...
Aidan O'Brien has trained four winners of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes during his illustrious career with the likes of George Washington (2006), Rip Van Winkle (2009) and Minding (2016) all storming to victory in the Group 1 contest, and he will have a huge chance of making it a record-equalling five on Saturday with PADDINGTON, who is the current market leader. One of the stars of the season, Paddingtonhas racked up a host of notable Group 1 wins this season and he will be looking to end his stunning campaign with another victory at Ascot.
Having kicked off his run of Group 1 wins with a victory in the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh, the son of Siyouni then stormed to St James's Palace Stakes glory at Royal Ascot. Following that up with a dominant victory in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown he then made it four on the bounce with an authoritative victory in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Unable to land a significant blow over 1m 2f in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York, the Ballydoyle raider will return to one mile on Saturday and he looks the one to beat. He showed with his Sussex Stakes success that he can handle soft going, so with rain set to hit Ascot in the days leading up to the race then he should have no major issues on the ground and he could well prove to be a cut above all his rivals and bound to glory here.
Dermot Weld's Tahiyra has been the starlet of the three-year-old fillies this season and the Rosewell House inmate is ready to take on the boys to try and enhance her already lofty reputation. The daughter of Siyouni was second in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, but went one better in the Irish equivalent. A dominant one length winner of the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, Weld's charge was last seen beating Rogue Millennium in the Matron Stakes at the Curragh. She has winning form on soft going from her juvenile days, but she is all about that turn of pace and the rain-softened ground could well hinder her ability to quicken at the vital stage and she may just struggle to reel in Paddington, who will get rolling a long way from home.
Kevin Ryan's Triple Time is set to return to the scene of his biggest career victory on Saturday in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, as the shock Queen Anne Stakes winner aims to sparkle at the track once again. Sent off a whopping 33/1 outsider for the Royal Ascot curtain-raiser, Triple Time managed to fend off the hot favourite Inspiral to land that prize and the pair could do battle at the weekend. Inspiral was a fine winner of the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month, but wet conditions may force connections to avoid sending her to this event. Triple Time is very likely to take his place, but he failed to follow up next time out when fifth in the Prix Jacques Le Marois in France, so will need to bounce back here.
John & Thady Gosden's Nashwa has been a real model of consistency throughout her career and she showed her brilliance over a mile when winning the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket earlier in the season. She holds an entry in the Champion Stakes over 1m 2f, but is more likely to take her chance here. Third in the Irish Champion Stakes behind Auguste Rodin last time out, she will need to be more positively ridden in this event, but is a lively each-way player against the front two in the market.
Andrew Balding's impressive 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean has failed to kick on from his Newmarket Classic success and was beaten over three lengths by Paddington in the St James's Palace Stakes and it's hard to see him turn that form around, while the leading French contender is Big Rock, who will need to improve on a second placed finish in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin last time out.
A mouth-watering renewal will see some of the best milers from across the world do battle, but it's Paddington and Tahiyra that can dominate the contest with the former just being able to hold off his market rival in a thrilling finish.
