Palace Pier carries weight of unbeaten record in QE II

Palace Pier is being treated like Europe’s next star miler, and possibly for good reason. Five for five, a winner of consecutive Group 1s, Palace Pier is odds-on to win the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Saturday at Ascot.

The going at Ascot was called soft as of Thursday, but that is no problem for Palace Pier, who conquered a heavy course at Deauville on Aug. 16, winning the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois, his most recent race, by three-quarters of a length. The win margin from that race doesn’t do Palace Pier justice: A furlong and a half from the finish of the straight-course mile, Palace Pier, coming from last, overwhelmed his rivals, including the high-level filly Alpine Star, and took total control. Alpine Star cut into the margin only after the outcome had been decided.

John Gosden, who trains Palace Pier for Hamdan bin Mohammed al-Maktoum, often brings his most talented horses slowly into top-class competition and did exactly that with Palace Pier, a son of Kingman – whom Gosden trained – and Beach Frolic, by Nayef. Palace Pier raced twice at Sandown as a 2-year-old and started his 3-year-old campaign on the all-weather track at Newcastle

before leaping into Group 1 company at Royal Ascot, winning the St. James’s Palace, a one-turn mile, over good-tosoft going, defeating champion 2-year-old Pinatubo. Palace Pier even now remains a colt with upside, yet still gets a three-pound weight break from his older rivals Saturday. He breaks from post 5 under regular rider Frankie Dettori and will remain heavily favored to give Gosden his fifth QE II win.

The strong second choice, offered at a general 9-2 Thursday, is The Revenant, who has raced only once since finishing second in the 2019 QE II, which was contested over heavy going. The Revenant appears to enjoy plenty of cut in the ground, and racing on another heavy course comfortably won the Prix Daniel Wildenstein on Oct. 2, his first race in nearly a year and his prep for the QE II.

Circus Maximus proved no match for Palace Pier in the Marois and needs a misstep from his younger rival to have a chance Saturday. Gosden also starts the 4-year-old filly Nazeef, a two-time winner in Group 1s for females this season.

Fillies and Mares Stakes

The top two betting choices as of Thursday for the Group 1 Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes were a horse based in France and a horse based in England with a French name.

Wonderful Tonight, trained in France by David Menuisier, has moved to the forefront of this 1 1/2-mile race because of a rain-softened course, which she loves. Wonderful Tonight is cutting back in distance Saturday from the 1 3/4-mile Prix de Royallieu, which she won two weeks ago.

Dame Maillot, trained in England by Ed Vaughan, finished third last out in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille at Longchamp, and that race’s winner, Tarnawa, came right back to land the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera on Oct. 4.

Antonia de Vega, 2 for 2 this year, and Even So, winner of the Irish Oaks earlier this year, were the only other horses listed at less than 10-1 as of Thursday.

Long Distance Cup

Stradivarius made no impression Oct. 4 in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, finishing seventh, but will be favored to win his second British Champions Long Distance Cup, the first race on Saturday’s card at Ascot.

Stradivarius won this twomile race in 2018 after finishing third in 2017. In the 2019 renewal he was beaten a nose by Kew Gardens. His main rival this year, at least in terms of the betting markets, is Trueshan, a winner in six of his 10 starts but a horse yet to race farther than 1 3/4 miles.

Sprint Cup

Dream of Dreams held solid favoritism over 16 foes Thursday for the Group 1 Champions Sprint Cup over a straight six furlongs. After finishing 16th in this race last year, Dream of Dreams was gelded, and he has turned in strong races during a three-start 2020 campaign. Second in the Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot, Dream of Dreams went on to win the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes and the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock Park, the latter race over soft ground.

One Master, second in this race a year ago, exits a game Oct. 4 victory in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret over seven furlongs, and on Thursday was second choice with the English bookmakers over July Cup winner Oxted, a horse unproven over the course conditions he’ll encounter Saturday.