King Charles III and Queen Camilla are both expected at Royal Ascot this week, and they could have a winner on their hands with four of their horses in action
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are set to have four horses running at Royal Ascot 2024.
The Royal couple are expected to be present at the Berkshire racecourse to cheer on their equine competitors this week. They will be two of tens of thousands of spectators who will decent on the iconic racecourse for five days of thrilling horse racing.
Last year, King Charles was visibly moved when Desert Hero, a horse bred by his late mother Queen Elizabeth II, clinched victory in the King George V Stakes.
Desert Hero is set to return to Royal Ascot this year, alongside three other horses owned by the Royal family. Mirror Sport take a closer look at the horses that King Charles and Queen Camilla will be rooting for this week.
Desert Hero
Last year’s King George V stakes winner, who triumphed at odds of 18/1, will be aiming for a repeat performance in the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes on Saturday. Currently, the four-year-old is joint third favourite with odds of 10/1 to win.
Trained by William Haggas, he finished second in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes in his seasonal opener, before placing a disappointing fifth as favourite in the Aston Park Stakes at Newbury. He’ll be hoping to bounce back from this setback when he returns to the scene of his victory last year, reports the Express.
Hard to Resist
Hard to Resist is scheduled to race on Friday in the Sandringham Stakes, a handicap contest. The race is slated for 5:05pm and will mark the filly’s first appearance of the season.
The three-year-old hasn’t been seen since a disappointing fourth-place finish at Chantilly in the Prix Miesque last October. He is currently 14/1 to win at the royal meeting.
Gilded Water
Gilded Water, another horse trained by William Haggas, is currently entered for two races, but it’s unlikely the three-year-old will participate in both. In his debut season, Gilded Water has already run three times, tasting victory for the first time at Chepstow last month after stepping up to 1m 2f.
He is currently listed for two races at Royal Ascot; the King George V Stakes at 3:05 on Thursday and the Golden Gates Stakes at 5:40 on Saturday. His odds are currently around 12/1 for both races, although prices can fluctuate.
Treasure
Treasure, who was initially entered into two races at Royal Ascot, will now only compete in the penultimate contest of the meeting; the Golden Gates Stakes at 5:40 on Saturday. She is ranked at 16/1 to run out as winner.
The three-year-old made an impressive debut win at Nottingham in October 2023 and was subsequently put away for the winter. However, she hasn’t been able to replicate that form this term, falling short in an Oaks trial and the Oaks itself at Epsom.
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