The same race as the Coronation Stakes but for colts, the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes will be contested on Day 5 of the Royal Ascot Carnival.
Canford Cliffs, Frankel, Dawn Approach and Gleneagles are but a few of the names that have reigned triumphant in the St James’s Palace Stakes in the last decade and one from a classy field of seven will join that list on Saturday night (AEST).
You can find my 2020 St James’s Palace Stakes tips below.
Suggested Bets
- 4 Units straight out #3 Pinatubo
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections below
He is already a two-time Group 1 winner and Pinatubo represents a live chance of winning the St James’s Palace Stakes as well.
The Charlie Appleby-trained colt won each of his first six race starts, each more impressive than the last and culminating in back-to-back victories in the Group 1 National Stakes and the Dewhurst Stakes.
He suffered his first career defeat when resuming this time, but will enjoy wholesale improvement for the effort and will take plenty of beating.
Simply put, Wichita doesn’t know how to run a bad race and is primed for another big effort in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
The No Nay Never colt is yet to miss a place in five career starts and won the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes most notably during his debut prep, finishing third behind Pinatubo in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at the conclusion of his campaign.
There was a lot to like about the way he worked home to finish second in the Group 1 2000 Guineas and he will only improve for that effort.
This is a rise in class for Palace Pier, but he puts an undefeated record on the line in the St James’s Palace Stakes and looks up to running a place.
The Kingman colt is three wins from as many starts and has beaten his rivals by a combined eleven and a half lengths.
His resuming performance at Newcastle was all class, but I just wonder if he’ll find the likes of Pinatubo and Wichita just a little too smart.
Arizona has mixed his form a little, but I think that he looks to be about the ‘best of the rest’ in the St James’s Palace Stakes field.
Arizona has had eight career starts so far for two wins and three placings and the advantage he might have over some of his rivals here is that he has travelled a lot which, as we’ve witnessed so many times in Australia previously, can really bring a horse on.
Otherwise, he has options from the rails draw and could prove a nice bit of overs at around the $15 mark.