Australia's premier racehorse trainer is plotting another ambitious assault on one of Royal Ascot's most prestigious sprint contests with his latest equine talent. Chris Waller, the mastermind behind legendary mare Winx and 2022 King's Stand Stakes victor Nature Strip, has confirmed plans to target the royal meeting with Group 1-winning mare Joliestar in the newly renamed King Charles III Stakes this June.
Australian Dominance in Royal Ascot Sprints
The Australian racing contingent has established a formidable record in this specific Royal Ascot championship event, with six horses from Down Under having captured the five-furlong Group 1 prize since its inception. The most recent Australian success came in 2024 when Henry Dwyer-trained mare Asfoora triumphed, continuing the nation's remarkable streak in this elite sprint contest.
Asfoora, who also secured victories in both the Nunthorpe Stakes and Prix de l'Abbaye during her European campaign last season, has remained in Newmarket throughout the winter months. She is being prepared for a third consecutive attempt at top-level honours, with the King Charles III Stakes likely featuring prominently in her racing schedule.
Multiple Australian Challengers Emerging
Waller isn't the only Australian trainer eyeing Royal Ascot glory this season. The renowned training partnership of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott has publicly declared their intention to bring sprinting mare Lady Of Camelot to Berkshire for the June racing extravaganza, potentially creating multiple Australian challengers for the crown jewel sprint event.
Waller's specific plans involve Joliestar, a three-time Group 1 winner who demonstrated her class by capturing the Newmarket Handicap down Flemington's famous straight track in March last year. The mare further proved her elite credentials by finishing a respectable fifth behind Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising, currently regarded as the world's premier sprinter, in October's prestigious Everest contest.
Strategic Campaign Leading to Royal Ascot
The champion trainer has outlined a carefully structured preparation for Joliestar's potential Royal Ascot campaign. "She'll head to the Canterbury Stakes and then the TJ (Smith) and all being well would then be aimed at Ascot," Waller revealed to News Corp, indicating a step-by-step approach to building her fitness and form.
Waller emphasized the support from Joliestar's owners in pursuing this international challenge, stating: "Her owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay (of Cambridge Stud) are very supportive of taking her over as it would be great for her resume." He added compelling reasons for the selection: "She's at the right age and is a proven Group 1 winner down the straight."
This planned campaign represents Waller's continued commitment to international competition following his breakthrough Royal Ascot success with Nature Strip in 2022. That victory marked his first winner at the world-renowned meeting and demonstrated Australian sprinters' ability to compete and triumph against global competition on racing's grandest stages.
