Duke to face dozen in Wales’s
Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old, winner of the Prix Ganay and the Tattersalls Gold Cup this season, will clash with Sir Michael Stoute’s Ask, the Henry Cecil-trained Phoenix Tower and former St Leger winner Sixties Icon.
Elie Lellouche will be represented by Loup Breton, ensuring some French interest in the 10-furlong feature, while Pressing will attempt to go one better than when second in Italy last month.
Last year’s Cambridgeshire winner Pipedreamer will run for John Gosden, who has chosen not to declare stablemate Lucarno.
Godolphin rely solely on Literato, who has disappointed in two starts since winning the Champion Stakes last year.
Hattan, Petara Bay, Red Rock Canyon, Regime and Stotsfold complete the line-up.
Pipedreamer has run two encouraging races this term, finishing a close third behind Phoenix Tower in the Earl Of Sefton before occupying the same position in the Brigadier Gerard.
He has yet to win at Pattern level but connections feel he should give another good account.
Chris Richardson, managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud, said: “It’ll be another tough ask for him but this is a special meeting and we tend to try to target the good ones at Royal Ascot.
“He’s in good form and I know John is happy with him so I suppose he has a decent each-way chance.
“He’s run two good races this year and he’s a very game horse.
“We saw that at Sandown last time where he wasn’t comfortable as he was racing on the wrong leg but he ran on gamely and enthusiastically late on.”
Paddy Power make Duke Of Marmalade their 13-8 favourite, while Phoenix Tower and Pressing are available at 5-1 and 7-1 respectively.
Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, Paddy Power bet
13-8 Duke Of Marmalade, 5-1 Phoenix Tower, 7-1 Pressing, 8-1 Ask, 10-1 Pipedreamer, Sixties Icon, 12-1 Literato, 14-1 Loup Breton, 33-1 Regime, 40-1 Red Rock Canyon, 50-1 Hattan, Stotsfold, 66-1 Petara Bay.
