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St James’s Palace Stakes looks the highlight of brilliant card

The stallion-making St James’s Palace Stakes (Gr 1, 1m2f) (3:00pm GST, 12:00pm ACT) headlines a blockbuster final day at Royal Ascot - one of three Group 1s on the seven race card. The Coronation Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) will see top-class filly Quadrilateral (Frankel) attempt to bounce back from her third place finish in the 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) and Hello Youmzain (Kodiac) - whose ownership includes Cambridge Stud - will attempt to win the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1,6f) (3:35pm GMT, 12:35pm ACT). The juveniles will also on show in the Queen Mary Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) (1:15pm GMT, 10:15pm) and the Coventry Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) (1:50pm GMT, 10:35pm ACT). 

Arizona
3 c No Nay Never (USA)  - Lady Ederle (USA) by English Channel (USA)
Trainer: A P O'Brien
Jockey: Sean Levey
Owner: Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
Breeder: Stephen Sullivan
Sale: Tattersalls December Foal Sale V: Houghton Bloodstock P: Fairway Partners 65,000gns Sale: Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale V: Fairway Consignment P: MV Magnier, €260,000

Coming into the race off an unplaced run in the 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m), Arizona (No Nay Never) will be looking to land his second race at Royal Ascot having taken out the Coventry Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) last year. The colt is out of Lady Ederle (English Channel), making him a brother Grade 2 winner Nay Lady Nay. Lady Ederle is out of Group 1 winner Bright Generation (Rainbow Quest) and is therefore a half-sister to Group 3 winner Fathayer (Volponi) and the dam of dual Group 1 winner and now top-class sire Dabrism (Hat Trick).

Palace Pier
2 c Kingman (GB)  - Beach Frolic (GB)  by Nayef (USA)
Trainer: John Gosden
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Owner: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum
Breeder: Highclere Stud And Floors Farming
Sale: Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 1) V:Highclere Stud P: John Gosden Racing, 600,000gns

Unbeaten in three starts, but this is a massive step up in class for the son of Kingman (Invincible Spirit), who will be having his first go in stakes company. The colt is out of unraced Nayef (Gulch) mare Beach Frolic, who is herself a half-sister Group 2 winners Bonfire (Manduro) and Joviality (Cape Cross). Palace Pier will be out to emulate his sire Kingman, who won the race in 2014. 

Pinatubo
3 c Shamardal (USA)  - Lava Flow (IRE) by Dalakhani (IRE)
Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Jockey: William Buick
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin

One of the most exciting juveniles in the past years, in which he took out two Group 1s, but he surrendered his unbeaten record when beaten by Kameko (Kitten’s Joy) in the 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) earlier in the month. Pinatubo is out of Listed winner Lava Flow (Dalakhani), who is herself out of fellow Listed winner Mount Elbrus (Barathea). The colt’s fourth dam is Eljazzi (Artaius), who in turn produced Rafha (Kris), the dam of Group 1 winner and now top-class sire Invincible Spirit (Green Desert). The colt is by Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway), who landed the race in 2005 and he emulated his own sire Giant’s Causeway (Storm Cat) who the mile contest in 2000.
 

Positive
3 c Dutch Art (GB)  - Osipova (GB) by Makfi (GB)
Trainer: Clive Cox
Jockey: Adam Kirby
Owner: A D Spence
Breeder: Cheveley Park Stud Ltd
Sale: Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 2) V:Cheveley Park P: Clive Cox Racing 55,000gns

Winner of the Solario Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) as a two-year-old, Positive (Dutch Art) will be making his three-year-old reappearance having not been seen since finishing sixth behind Pinatubo (Shamardal) in the Dewhurst Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) in October. The three-year-old is a three-quarter brother to Clive Cox’s Group 3-winning Zonderland. The colt’s third dam is multiple Group 1 winner Russian Rhythm (Kingmambo), who is herself a grandam of Group 3 winner Marenko (Exceed And Excel).
 

Royal Dornoch
3 c Gleneagles (IRE)  - Bridal Dance (IRE) by Danehill Dancer (IRE)
Trainer: A P O'Brien
Jockey: Tom Marquand
Owner: Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier
Breeder: Barronstown Stud
Sale: Tattersalls December Yearling Sale: V: Barronstown Stud P: Amanda Skiffington, 240,00gns

The son of Gleneagles (Galileo) beat subsequent 2,000 Guineas winner Kameko in the Royal Lodge Stakes (Gr 2, 1m) at Newmarket in September, but was last seen running tenth behind the son of Kitten’s Joy (El Prado) in the Classic last month. The colt is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Hawksmoor (Azamour) and the dam of Listed winner Flaming Princess (Hot Streak). Meanwhile, his dam Bridal Dance (Danehill Dancer) is a half-brother Grade 3 winner Millennium Dragon (Mark of Esteem). The colt is looking to emulate his sire, who won the race in 2015. 

Threat
3 c Footstepsinthesand (GB)  - Flare Of Firelight (USA)  by Birdstone (USA)
Trainer: Richard Hannon
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Owner: Cheveley Park Stud
Breeder: La Lumiere Partnership
Sale: Tattersalls December Foals Sale: V: Ringfort Stud P: Capital Bloodstock, 100,000gns 

A dual Group 2 as a juvenile and he also finished second behind Arizona (No Nay Never) in the Coventry Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) last year. The colt is out Flare Of Firelight (Birdstone), who is herself a daughter of Group 1 winner Shiva (Hector Protector), who in turn produced Listed winner That Which Is Not (Elusive Quality). Further back this is the family of Group 1 winner Light Shift (Kingmambo) - the dam of elite level winner Ulysses (Galileo) and grandam of Main Sequence (Aldebaran) and Cloth Of Stars (Sea The Stars).

Wichita
3 c No Nay Never (USA)  - Lumiere Noire (FR) by Dashing Blade (GB)
Trainer: A P O'Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Owner: Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor
Breeder: W Maxwell Ervine
Sale: Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2 V: Mr Max Ervine from Keith Harte (Agent) P: Amanda Skiffington / MV Magnier, 140,000gns 

A Group 3 winner as a two-year-old, the son of former shuttler No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) comes into the race off the back of a second place finish in the 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) earlier in the month. Out of Listed winner Lumiere Noire (Dashing Blade), the colt is half-brother to three other winners. Lumiere Noire herself is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Desert Blanc (Desert Style) who won the Manhattan Handicap (Gr 1, 10f).