CORONATION STAKES  (G1)  1600M  (12.45 AEST)  FRIDAY PREVIEW

1   AGAIN  (Unbridled’s Song – Cumbres by Kahyasi)
2   BALIYANA  (Dalakhani – Balanka by Alzao)
3   CHINTZ  (Danehill Dancer – Gold Dodger by Slew O´Gold)
4   ELUSIVE WAVE  (Elusive City – Multicolour Wave by Rainbow Quest)
5   GHANAATI  (Giant’s Causeway – Sarayir by Mr Prospector)
6   HEART SHAPED  (Storm Cat – Twenty Eight Carat by Alydar)
7   LAHALEEB  (Redbac – Flames by Blushing Flame)
8   NASHMIAH  (Elusive City – Frond by Alzao)
9   RAINBOW VIEW  (Dynaformer – No Matter What by Nureyev)
10 REGGANE  (Red Ransom – Reine Zao by Alzao)

Ghanaati will bid to become the third filly since 2003 to the complete the English 1000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes double on Friday at Royal Ascot.   But the Sheikh Hamdan owned star won’t have it all her own way with French 1000 Guineas winner Elusive Wave and Irish 1000 Guineas winner Again also engaged.

Ghanaati is from the same family as Nayef, Nashwan and Unfuwain.  “It’s going to take a lot of winning,” Shadwell Estates manager Angus Gold said.  “It’s too early to say which of the Guineas was the strongest.  Hopefully Ghanaati will take a bit of beating, but you can never be confident in a race of this quality.”

Elusive Wave, who was runner-up in the Prix Marcel Boussac (G1) last term, returned to win the Prix Imprudence (G3) at Maisons-Laffitte in April 10 before ousting stablemate Tamazirte (Danehill Dancer) at Longchamp on May 10.  That form was made to look even better when the runner-up filled the same spot in last Sunday’s Prix de Diane (G1) at Chantilly.

Completing the trio of Guineas winners is Coolmore filly Again, who scrambled to a neck success from at The Curragh in May.  She also won the Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) on soft ground but she has to prove she can act on Royal Ascot’s lively surface.

The Aga Khan has supplemented Baliyana who earned a Royal Ascot start with a game win in the Irish 1000 Guineas Trial (G3) at Leopardstown in May.  Trainer John Oxx won the Coronation with Ridgewood Pearl in 1995.

TIPS:   1 GHANAATI,   2 AGAIN,   3 ELUSIVE WAVE 

BETTING:  9/4 Ghanaati,  5/2 Elusive Wave,  7/1 Rainbow View,  8/1 Again,  9/1 Baliyana,  10/1 Reggane,  14/1 Heart Shaped,  16/1 Lahaleeb,  33/1 Nashmiah,  50/1 Chintz.