Speed merchants: Andretti revs up to lead Aussie charge

Takeover Target narrowly failed to complete the double achieved by Choisir, when he won the King's Stand Stakes and was then third in the Golden Jubilee Stakes four days later.

Scroll down to read more:

He is here again alongside compatriots Bentley Biscuit, Magnus and Miss Andretti. All are intended runners in the King's Stand on Tuesday and are likely to compete in both races.

It was Miss Andretti who took the eye on the gallops as she powered off the surface of the Limekilns at Newmarket yesterday.

The six-year-old mare has won her last three races — all Group Ones — and is trained by Lee Freedman, who masterminded the career of Makybe Diva, the threetime Melbourne Cup winner.

Bookmakers took precautionary action by reducing her odds to as short as 4-1 for the King's Stand.

Freedman said: "There is always a risk travelling a mare but she is very adaptable and, once she settled into her surroundings, she was pretty happy. She is best round a bend but she has won down a straight and that won't worry her much.

"What I've learned is that Takeover Target is hard to see off. She'll sit off them and her final furlong is always very strong. Our jockey (Craig Newitt) understands about speed."

Joe Janiak, the ex-taxi driving trainer of Takeover Target, believes his gelding is better than ever at eight years old.

The chunky son of Celtic Swing won the 2006 Global Sprint Challenge despite being barred from running in Hong Kong because steroids were found in his system in the run up to the race.

Janiak, who claims the positives were the result of a misunderstanding of the local rules, said: "We can train on steroids in Australia.

"Takeover Target has had three runs now this year and his last win topped him off. He is a lot better this year."

Gai Waterhouse, trainer of Nash Rawiller-ridden Bentley Biscuit, who has also won his last three Group One races, spent her formative years as an actress in the UK, and appeared alongside Tom Baker in Dr Who in the 1970s.

She said: "We haven't come here just for the outfits and the breakfasts. I was pleased with the work that took place and we are all very competitive."

Jockey Damien Oliver has successfully deferred a nine-meeting ban for careless riding in Australia to ride Peter Moody-trained Magnus, who is rated inferior to the other Aussie runners.

The Ascot going is currently good to firm but up to an inch of rain is forecast to fall on the track by the end of the week.