CAN'T RESIST ASCOT.

International stars
can't resist Ascot

Former King's Stand winner Takeover Target will return to Ascot

ROYAL ASCOT'S international allure was evident on Wednesday after entries for the meeting's showpiece races contained overseas-based challengers in all seven Group 1 events.

The fixture's two sprint prizes were again the most attractive targets as the King's Stand Stakes, promoted to Group 1 status this year, attracted 18 horses trained outside Britain and the Golden Jubilee Stakes drew 22.

The races not only feature former King's Stand winner Takeover Target, but South Africa's former horse of the year "National Colour" and US sprinter Smart Enough are being prepared for the meeting.

Takeover Target takes on Magnus, third to Miss Andretti in last year's King's Stand, in this weekend's T J Smith Stakes in Australia after which he could head to Ascot for a third time.

They could be joined by exciting three-year old sprinter Universal Ruler, who is trained by Darren McAuliffe.

New Zealand could have its first runner courtesy of multiple Group 1 scorer Seachange, while Hong Kong, successful in the 2005 Golden Jubilee Stakes with Cape Of Good Hope, could be represented by Sacred Kingdom, the world's top rated sprinter.

"National Colour" has been off for over a year after chipping a bone in her knee but is already in the UK and is boarding at Geoff Wragg's stable in Newmarket.

Trainer Sean Tarry said: “I will be overseeing her preparation for the race when I come over next month. We have taken our time with her and we are hoping that she will be right for the King's Stand Stakes or, if not, the Coolmore Nunthorpe at York.
“She won her last start over five furlongs on turf, the Computaform Stakes, and I think she is brilliant over that trip. She does get six, but I would like to race her sparingly this season. Her ability is not going anywhere, but she needs four legs. Let's hope that she comes back to her best.”

Smart Enough, trained in Maryland by John Fisher, has won 10 of his 16 starts in the US, where he holds five track records. Fisher, who hopes John Velazquez will ride him, said: “We are leaning towards the five-furlong race but we don't want to preclude the fact that he might run very well and therefore take his chance four days later.

“He's a very good shipper, putting on weight in most cases, and he comes out of his races well. He likes travelling around and we will aim to bring him over four or five days before the race, but the plans have yet to be finalised.”

Last year's runner up Dandy Man, now trained by Saeed Bin Suroor, July Cup winner Sakhee's Secret, Prix de l'Abbaye scorer Benbaun, and Kingsgate Native, winner as a two-year-old of last season's Nunthorpe Stakes head the British challenge. The Golden Jubilee features the last two winners of the race Les Arcs and Soldier's Tale.

Dubai Sheema Classic winner "Sun Classique" is on target to make her European debut in the Prince of Wales's Stakes but there are no entries from Japan, Daiwa Scarlett having been ruled out of the trip by asetback, though Ascot hopes to lure her and other potential challengers from the Far East to the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.

"Smart Enough, trained in Maryland by John Fisher, has won 10 of his 16 starts in the US, where he holds five track records. "

Smart Enough is a son of Horse Chestnut.