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Aussie mare fancied to emulate Nature Strip at Ascot

Staff WritersPA
James McDonald and Chris Waller-trained Nature Strip won the King Charles III Stakes in 2002. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)
Camera IconJames McDonald and Chris Waller-trained Nature Strip won the King Charles III Stakes in 2002. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP

Australian speedball Joliestar is one of 23 sprinters still in contention for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes following the confirmation stage.

The five-year-old is a hot favourite to become the latest antipodean challenger to claim Royal Ascot glory, having won each of her three starts in her homeland so far this year.

Joliestar's trainer Chris Waller is bidding for a second victory on the Royal meeting, having saddled Nature Strip to win the King Charles III Stakes in 2022.

Overpass is a second potential Australian representative in the final day feature, but he must first come through the King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday (local time), while there are two Japanese contenders in the shape of last year's runner-up Satono Reve and Lugal.

Donnacha O'Brien's Comanche Brave is the sole Irish-trained runner, Andre Fabre's Sajir and Patrice Cottier's Stolen Kiss are set to travel from France and the Bent Olsen-trained Great Wish from Denmark completes the international party.

The home team includes Andrew Balding's Flora Of Bermuda, the William Haggas-trained Lake Forest, James Fanshawe's Kind Of Blue and Karl Burke's Night Raider, who like Overpass has the option of turning out again after Tuesday's Group One sprint.

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