Foreign superstars ready for Royal Ascot raid

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The five-year-old has been a revelation in the Far-East this season and followed up his victory in the Hong Kong Sprint with another Group 1 success in the Centenary Sprint for trainer John Moore.

Now officials at the Berkshire track are hopeful that the gelding will join Hungarian superstar Overdose, South African dual Group 1 winner J J The Jet Plane, French Prix de l'Abbaye hero Marchand D'Or and Aussie sprinters Scenic Blast and Takeover Target for the two top sprints at the meeting, the five-furlong King's Stand Stakes and the Golden Jubilee Stakes over six furlongs.

Overdose, who finished first in the voided Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp in October — which was re-run and won by Marchand D'Or — took his unbeaten record to 12 in Budapest on Sunday and will have a prep run in the Temple Stakes at Haydock on 23 May before taking on Marchand D'Or in the King's Stand.

Nick Smith, Ascot's PR director, said: "Last year we had the first winner for Spain in Equiano. Maybe we will have a first for Hungry. It's quite exciting and the clash with Marchand D'Or is huge.

"This will be the first time they meet, so effectively we will have a showdown to see who the top sprinter in Europe really is. We are also hopeful that Inspiration may be given the green light."

Australian bragging rights are also up for grabs as Group 1 winners Takeover Target and Scenic Blast are set to meet for the first time in the Golden Jubilee.

Smith is hopeful that Niconero will be on the plane. He said: "He won the Australian equivalent of the King George, the Australian Cup, and there's a half-a-million bonus for winning that race and the Prince of Wales' Stakes. He runs in Sunday's QEII Cup in Hong Kong. Much will depend on how that goes."

Smith is also optimistic that ticket sales for the Royal meeting on 16-20 June will not be hit by the recession.

He said: "Advanced sales are down by 10 to 15 per cent, which we don't think it's too bad. If the racing that we are going to get doesn't put bums on seats, then we really have something to worry about."