King’s Stand Stakes betting with William Hill

The King’s Stand Stakes is a marquee 5f Group 1 sprint and one of the great spectacles on the opening day of Royal Ascot. It attracts the fastest horses in training and is open to three-year-olds and over.

It’s a race that has a truly international feel nowadays, with the prize regularly going to speedsters from France, USA, Australia or Hong Kong, so be sure to pay close attention to horses travelling from overseas when checking out William Hill’s King’s Stand Stakes odds.

The King's Stand Stakes became part of the Global Sprint Challenge in 2005, a move that sparked the increase in overseas interest, and it deservedly regained Group 1 status in 2008.

This great prize is traditionally one of the trickiest puzzles to solve on the Tuesday of Royal Ascot because it normally attracts double-figure field sizes that spread across the expansive Ascot straight track.

King’s Stand Stakes tips

The King’s Stand Stakes is contested by the classiest speedsters in training. Age is no barrier to success, with winners spread fairly evenly in recent years between the older horses and three-year-olds.

Fillies and mares also have a decent record, with Casandra Go, Miss Andretti and Lady Aurelia all winning for the fairer sex since the turn of the century.

International sprinters need to be closely scrutinised in the King’s Stand Stakes betting because they have become formidable opponents in recent years, notably the great Australian sprinter Choisir.

He won this race in 2003 before completing a famous Royal Ascot double by winning the Golden Jubilee Stakes just four days later.

Track bias can vary, and much depends on the size of the field. The runners tend to congregate towards the middle of the track, before fanning out as the hold-up horses make their move.

But, because Ascot is such an expansive straight, hard luck stories are few and far between.

Trainer’s noted for their association with sprinters have a good record in the race too. Two perfect examples are Robert Cowell and Clive Cox, who both have a tremendous record in the sprinting division and both have landed this huge prize.

King’s Stand Stakes betting trends

You need a horse blessed with explosive speed to win this race, but because Ascot’s straight track has an incline, it’s quite a stiff 5f. As a result, it arguably suits horses who are better suited by 6f, especially as they always go a blistering gallop.

Despite the fact that they tend to go hard, it’s not always easy to come from a long way off the pace. Arguably the perfect run-style for this race is the pace stalker, who travels strongly in behind the leader, so bear that in mind when studying William Hill’s King’s Stand Stakes betting list.

Winners have come from all sorts of draws across the track and getting into a position where you can track the pace is a much more important factor.

Favourites don’t tend to have a great record in the race, but big-priced winners are quite rare too.

Horses sent off a double-figure price don’t have a great record so try and focus on horses in the 3/1 to 8/1 bracket when checking out King’s Stand Stakes betting.

King’s Stand Stakes ante-post betting pointers

Because the top-level sprinting scene has such an international feel nowadays, many horses come direct to this race having previously contested a Group 1 contest overseas, like Blue Point did in 2018 and 2019.

Godolphin’s star sprinter proved disappointing in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin in April 2018, but bounced right back to his best a couple of months later, winning the King’s Stand Stakes by just under two lengths. He was successful in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan before running out a decisive winner of this on his next start.

The Palace House Stakes, a 5f Group 3 sprint run at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting in early June, is another domestic sprint that throws up a major player in King’s Stand Stakes betting lists.

Sole Power won that Rowley Mile contest in 2014 before going on to Royal Ascot glory the following month, but Marsha, the 2017 Palace House Stakes winner, wasn’t able to justify favouritism in the King’s Stand Stakes.

King’s Stand Stakes history and memorable winners

The King’s Stand Stakes has been won by some of the greatest ever sprinters. Legends like Dayjur, Lochsong (shortest ever priced winner of the race at 30/100), Pivotal and Choisir stand out on the roll call of victors, but very few horses have won the race more than once.

Therefore, Sole Power’s brace in 2013 and 2014 earns the Irish-trained sprinter a special place in the hearts of Royal Ascot racegoers. With that in mind, be wary of previous winners when checking out King’s Stand Stakes betting.

Choisir marked himself down as one of the greatest sprinters to come out of Australia when doing the King’s Stand Stakes and Golden Jubilee Stakes double in 2003.

The stand-out recent winner of the King’s Stand Stakes has to be Lady Aurelia, who posted a stunning performance in 2017, spread-eagling a strong field under Frankie Dettori and coming home three lengths clear of Profitable, who had won the previous edition of the race.

From a riding perspective, Lester Piggott’s seven King’s Stand Stakes victories is unlikely to be surpassed.

King’s Stand Stakes 2021

With no Blue Point this year, the stage looks set for Battaash to finally get that elusive Royal Ascot victory. One of the fastest horses we’ve seen in the UK for some time, the Charlie Hills-trained sprinter has finished runner-up in this race for the past two years.

He absolutely bolted up in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York later on in the season and although he was very disappointing at Lonchamp in the Prix de l’Abbaye, he looks to have a golden opportunity to go one better than the previous two years in 2021.

The victor in the aforementioned Prix de l’Abbaye was Glass Slippers and Kevin Ryan’s representative looks a worth advisory to Battaash.

He’s already won at Listed and Group 3 level and was a decisive winner of that race at Longchamp, so Ryan will be confident of notching up his first victory in the King’s Stand Stakes.

A’Ali was victorious in the Norfolk Stakes last year and he’ll be looking for a Royal Ascot double in this year’s King’s Stand Stakes. After that win he won Group 2s at both Deauville and Doncaster and could run another big race as he seeks a first Group 1 success.

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