The Queen could have a moment to treasure when Royal Ascot comes under starter's orders on Tuesday.
King's Lynn is fancied to outrun his odds in the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes, the big sprint of the day. At the front of the market, Australian horse Nature Strip has been well-backed to see off America's Golden Pal.
"Last week it looked likely that Golden Pal would be sent off favourite for the King's Stand, following trainer Wesley Ward's bullish comments about his star, but since then the Aussie connections of Nature Strip have displayed equal confidence in their raider, to the point where we now can't split them at the head of the market," said Coral's David Stevens.
"We have a truly international clash to look forward to on Tuesday, with the only certainty being it's low odds the King's Stand prize is heading overseas."
Baaeed will be a very short price to give favourite backers an opening win in the Queen Anne Stakes, while Coroebus is another odds on shot on the Tuesday card.
With 35 contests spread across the five days, there is a host of big-race action that provides the opportunity for those looking to play at slightly bigger prices.
We've picked out five horses that can go well at each-way odds.*
King's Lynn (14-1) - King's Stand Stakes, Tuesday
King's Lynn could only manage seventh in the 2021 King's Stand Stakes but that doesn't tell the whole story because he ran into a wall of horses up the stands rail as the race was unfolding. Andrew Balding's charge lost valuable momentum at arguably the most important stage of the race. There is a decent chance that he would have hit the frame with a clear passage that day and the Queen's talented sprinter looks well worth another chance to show that he's capable of going close in a Group 1. The five-year-old comes into this race at the peak of his powers after landing the Group 2 Temple Stakes last month and this race will surely have long been the target. He looks a good each-way bet at double-figure odds.
Stowell (7-1) - Copper Horse Stakes, Tuesday
Stowell was a big eyecatcher when third in last year's Queen's Vase (held up in rear; steadily run race) and he looks ready to make amends this time around after a really encouraging fourth behind in a race full of Group horses at Ascot last time. John Gosden's charge was only beaten around four lengths by Al Aasy (who is second favourite for the Hardwicke Stakes) and just a neck behind Third Realm, a 10-1 chance for the Group 2 contest.
A strongly-run heat over a mile and six around Ascot are ideal conditions for Stowell who is by no means fully exposed after just six career starts and the four-year-old has attracted support since the final declaration stage. The Gosden team won this race last year and they can strike again.
Astro King (9-1) - Royal Hunt Cup, Wednesday
It's 22 years since Sir Michael Stoute's one and only previous Royal Hunt Cup win. Astro King has a huge opportunity to end that drought in this year's renewal. The selection remains lightly-raced and open to more progress as a miler, a year on from his bold effort in this. He came home in front of everything on the stands' side, while the winner raced on the other side of the track. Now 4lb higher, there was a great deal of encouragement to take from his reappearance in the Thirsk Hunt Cup, where he was denied a clear run at a crucial stage. Astro King brings rock-sold credentials to the table for Stoute, who recently celebrated victory in the Derby with a horse carrying the same Saeed Suhail colours, Desert Crown.
Life Of Dreams (6-1) - Ribblesdale Stakes, Thursday
Oaks runner-up Emily Upjohn is going to be all the rage for the Ribblesdale and she clearly sets the standard. Life Of Dreams however has a stack of potential after just two starts. There has to be a strong chance she can get closer to the favourite than she did in the Musidora – just her second racecourse start.
Life Is Dreams stuck to her task well enough from off the pace but could not get near Emily Upjohn, who was far too streetwise on the day. This daughter of Dubawi, who didn't see the track at two, has the chance to improve for that experience and connections have given her time to flourish.
Walbank (7-1) - Norfolk Stakes, Thursday
It's a big week for ownership group Amo Racing and Walbank looks one that has a real chance of getting them on the board. Connections were surprised that the Kodiac colt was beaten at the Berkshire track on debut but it's fair to say they were unfortunate to bump into Noble Style, who could easily turn out to be one of the best juveniles anywhere in 2022 (favourite for the Coventry Stakes).
Still, Walbank shaped with plenty of promise and he took a nice step forward when sluicing up by seven lengths in a York novice. He was clearly operating on a different level to those rivals and looks well worth his place in the Norfolk line-up. He's been described by his trainer as a "proper animal" and it may take a really good one to stop him going in again.
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