Karaka graduates So You Think (NZ), Joy and Fun (NZ) and Little Bridge (NZ) are set to take on the world’s best during the five day Royal Ascot meeting in England this week.

Opening day features the G1 King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) which is the fourth leg of the Global Sprint Challenge.

Hong Kong based Joy and Fun (Cullen) goes into the King’s Stand in career best form after winning the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin and finishing third to Ortensia in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1000m) in Dubai.

He was a $15,000 purchase for trainer Derek Cruz from Java Lodge at NZ Bloodstock’s 2004 Weanling and Broodmare Sale.

Joy and Fun won the 2010 Al Quoz Sprint before travelling to England to contest the G1 Golden Jubilee Stakes (1200m).   His owner Johnny Wong Chun Nam will be hoping for better luck in England this year as he suffered a serious injury last time which saw him sidelined for six months.

Little Bridge (Faltaat) has developed into a first class sprinter in Hong Kong and will also contest the King’s Stand Stakes.  He won the G3 Challenge Cup last year and has added the G3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy (1000m) and G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) this term.

Little Bridge was purchased by Margaret Harkema from Wentwood Grange for just $9,000 at NZ Bloodstock’s 2007 National Weanling Sale and he has already earned over $1.80 million in stakes.

New Zealand bred Karaka graduate So You Think (High Chaparral) will be aiming for a 10th Group 1 victory in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (2000m) on the second day of the meeting.

A two-time Cox Plate winner, So You Think has a point to prove after being run down by Rewilding (Tiger Hill) in last year’s edition of the Prince of Wales.  He was a scintillating last start winner of the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup (2100m) at the Curragh.

So You Think was purchased by DGR Thoroughbreds from Windsor Park at NZ Bloodstock’s 2008 Karaka Premier Sale for $110,000.  He has won 13 races and netted just shy of $10 million in prizemoney.