Regal Reality did pop up in this grade at Windsor last August and is capable on his day but is the senior runner in this by some margin. However, he is still preferred to Highland Avenue, who has been off the track for a while. The 2021 Derby and King George winner Adayar was only beaten half-a-length in this last year and was second again in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in the autumn. He gets 5lb from ANMAAT but Jim Crowley’s mount went from strength-to-strength last season and the way he battled back to land the Prix Dollar at Longchamp on very testing ground in October suggests he’ll handle conditions better than most today.
Anmaat (IRE) (9-2) won at ParisLongchamp 1m 2f Grp 2 sft in Oct beating Junko (8-12) by hd, 12 ran.
Adayar (IRE) 6-1 (9-7) Held up in mid-division, pushed along and headway over 2f out, soon joined leaders and led, ridden and headed over 1f out, ran on inside final furlong, 2nd of 9, 1/2l behind Bay Bridge (9-7) at Ascot 1m 2f Grp 1 stks (1) gs in Oct.
Highland Avenue (IRE) 14-1 (9-0) Never a factor, 9th of 14, 7 3/4l behind Alfareeq (9-0) at Meydan 1m 1f Grp 1 fst in Mar.
Regal Reality 9-1 (9-8) Chased leaders, pushed along over 2f out, kept on inside final furlong, 5th of 9, 6 3/4l behind Alflaila (9-4) at Newmarket 1m 1f Grp 3 stks (1) gd in Oct.
