Toronado set to take Queen Anne Stakes by storm

The Queen Anne Stakes gets proceedings underway at Royal Ascot today (2.30), and Coral are offering and enhanced price of 2/1 about about Toronado landing the spoils.

The price is available from 8.15am on website and mobile only, for a limited time. It applies to singles only, up to maximum of £20, and once it’s gone it’s gone.

It’s a cracking offer about a horse whose form looks a cut above his rivals.

Toronado, who will be partnered by Richard Hughes, is having his first run since finishing a disappointing last of six to Declaration Of War in last year’s Juddmonte Stakes at York.

The son of High Chaparral was clearly amiss that day, and had previously gone down by just a short-head to Dawn Approach in the St James’s Palace before beating that rival by a neck in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

That form sets a very high standard, and Toronado is rated 5lb and upwards clear of his rivals.

His main rivals re the Aidan O’Brien trained Verrazano and South African raider Soft Falling Rain.

The former won six races in the USA last year when trained by Todd Pletcher, including two Grade 1 contests, and shaped with bags of promise on his first run for O’Brien when third behind Olympic Glory in the Lockinge at Newbury.

Like most O’Brien runners, the son of More Than Ready looks sure to improve significantly for the run and commands the utmost respect given that connections won the race 12 months ago with a similar type in Declaration Of War.

The Mike De Kock trained Soft Falling Rain has won eight of his 12 starts, and ran a solid race to finish runner-up to Variety Club in the Godolphin Mile at Meydan when last seen in action.

The five-year-old is reported to be in terrific shape, and is the closest to Toronado in the official ratings (120).