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Former Aussie-trained geldings back in England chasing Royal Ascot success.
Royal Champion (yellow) finished second in last year’s Crystal Mile.
There are no more Australian-trained runners competing at the remainder of this year's Royal Ascot meeting, but it is not the end of names Aussie racing fans are familiar with bobbing up on the Racing And Sports form pages.
Two Northern Hemisphere-bred gallopers who spent time in Australian stables and raced Down Under this season will be in action, including one in Wednesday night's Day 2 feature.
Royal Champion will take on some of Europe's best middle-distance gallopers in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes.
It is the same Royal Champion who is raced by Without A Fight's owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum had three starts in Melbourne last spring for Anthony and Sam Freedman.
He finished second-last at his final Australian start, in the Group 1 Champions Stakes won by Via Sistina, but finished second the week prior in the Group 2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley.
Royal Champion, a seven-year-old son of Shamardal who started his career with Roger Varian, returned to England late last year and is now in the care of Karl Burke.
He won the Listed Quebec Stakes (2011m) and Group 3 Derby Stakes (2234m) at his first two starts for Burke before rounding out Royal Ascot preparations with a fourth placing in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes (2001m) at Sandown on April 25.
Royal Champion is a $61 chance in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes, favourite for which is the Aidan O'Brien-trained Los Angeles ($3.25) from Map Of Stars ($4.50) and Anmaat ($5).
The race after the feature, Galeron will step out in the 30-horse Royal Hunt Cup (1609m).
That son of Camacho made his Australian debut for Charlie Hills in the 2023 Golden Eagle before remaining in Australia with Annabel Archibald.
The last of his 11 winless starts for Archibald came in the Five Diamonds Prelude, when he failed to beat a runner home, after which he returned to Hills' yard in England.
Since returning home, two starts have realised a fifth placing over 1609m at Doncaster on March 29 before a second-last placing in the Soffolk Stakes (1810m) at Newmarket on May 3.
Galeron is a $61 chance in the Royal Hunt Cup, in which he will be ridden by Jason Watson.
