ASCOT, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND — Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) and Japanese Derby (G1) winner Shahryar (JPN), Coral Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G3) winner Bay Bridge (GB), and Prix Ganay (G1) winner State of Rest (IRE) lead Wednesday’s 1 ¼-mile Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot. The winner of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes will earn an automatic berth into this year’s US$4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 82 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, which will be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 4-5.
Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.’s Shahryar, a 4-year-old son of Deep Impact (JPN) out of 2011 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) winner Dubai Majesty by Essence of Dubai, has won four of seven starts for trainer Hideaki Fujiwara. His biggest win came in March at Meydan, where he defeated reigning Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf and Eclipse Award winner Yibir (GB) by a neck in the 1 ½ mile-Longines Dubai Sheema Classic. Under a patient ride from jockey Christian Demuro, Shahryar saved ground along the rail behind Authority (JPN) before edging out in the straight for the win. The victory came in his first start since finishing third in the Japan Cup (G1) last November. Shahryar won his first Group 1 race in May 2021, when he captured the 1 ½-mile Tokyo Yushun (G1) (Japanese Derby). Demuro has the mount again on Shahryar.
While James Wigan and Ballylinch Stud’s 4-year-old Bay Bridge is running in his first Group 1 race, his recent 5-length win in the 1 ¼-mile Brigadier Gerard at Sandown on May 26 has vaulted the son of New Bay (GB) into the favorite’s role. Trained by Sir Michael Stoute and ridden by Ryan Moore, the Brigadier Gerard was Bay Bridge’s 2022 debut. He won all four of his races last year, culminating with a half-length triumph in the listed 1 1/4-mile James Seymour Stakes at Newmarket on Oct. 30.
Stoute has won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes four times and most recently registered back-to-back triumphs with Poet’s Word (IRE) in 2018 and Crystal Ocean (GB) in 2019. Stoute has also won the Breeders’ Cup Turf four times with Pilsudski (IRE) in 1996, Kalanisi (IRE) in 2000, and Conduit (IRE) in 2008 and 2009.
State of Rest (IRE), owned by the State of Rest Partnership, had won three consecutive Grade or Group 1 races on three different continents before finishing third in the 1 5/16-mile Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) at The Curragh on May 22. Trained by Joseph O’Brien, State of Rest began his winning streak last year in the U.S., when he captured the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1) in August. He started next on Oct. 23 in Australia at Moonee Valley and edged out Anamoe (AUS) by a short head to win the Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1) on Oct. 23. A 4-year-old son of Starspangledbanner (AUS), State of Rest started his 2022 campaign in France on May 1, scoring a three-quarter length victory in the 1 5/16-mile Prix Ganay (G1) at ParisLongchamp. Shane Crosse has the mount aboard State of Rest.
HH Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing’s 6-year-old gelding Lord North (IRE) is a three-time Group 1 winner, which includes a 3 ¾-length victory in the 2020 Prince of Wales’s Stakes. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Lord North earned his eighth career win in March when he successfully defended his title in the 1 1/8-mile Dubai Turf sponsored by DP World (G1) at Meydan. He started next in the 1 5/16-mile Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) at The Curragh on May 22, and was in contention through the final furlong, but finished fourth, a half-length behind State of Rest. Frankie Dettori, a four-time Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner, will ride Lord North.
Haras De Hus’s 6-year-old mare Grand Glory (GB) is the fourth Group 1 winner in the field. Trained by Gianluca Bietolini, Grand Glory has run in top international form since last July, winning four of her last six starts. After taking the Grand Prix de Vichy (G3) in France on July 21, she won her first Group 1 race, capturing the Aug. 22 Darley Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville by a short head over 2020 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Audarya (FR). Grand Glory finished just a nose behind Rougir (FR) in the Prix de l’Opera Longines (G1) at ParisLongchamp and closed out the year with a fifth-place finish in the Japan Cup (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse.
A daughter of Olympic Glory (IRE) out of Madonna Lily (IRE) by 1999 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Daylami (IRE), Grand Glory won her first two races this year at ParisLongchamp, taking the listed Prix Zarkava – Fonds Europeen de l’Elevage on April 10 and the 1 ¼-mile Prix Allez France Longines (G3) on May 1. Mickael Barzalona will ride Grand Glory.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner to start in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, which will be run at 1 ½ miles at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the Championships’ pre-entry deadline of October 24 to receive the rewards.
Breeders’ Cup Press Release
Photo: Dubai Racing Club
