Shamal Wind to blow hot in King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot

Now is the time to take the 10/1 about Shamal Wind continuing the recent Australian dominance of the King's Stand Stakes, the five-furlong Group One sprint that is set to be one of the highlights of a belting first day of action at Royal Ascot.

Later this week, Newmarket hosts the annual press conference at which some of the interested racing media (and a surprising number couldn't appear to give a monkey's) will get to meet the connections of the foreign raiders set to line up at the big meeting next week.

However, the big news that has materially affected Shamal Wind's prospects in the King's Stand has already come out in the last 72 hours - specifically the confirmation that Ryan Moore will ride, coupled with an update from the trainer of compatriot Brazen Beau that connections are currently favouring running in the Diamond Jubilee rather than on the opening day, or chancing their arm in both contests.

With Brazen Beau having very obvious claims in whichever race he turns up, his absence considerably opens up the King's Stand for Shamal Wind.

The first thing to be clear about is that Shamal Wind is no world-beater in her homeland, and that it even took a bit of persuasion from her owners for her trainer to pitch her into Group One company again on her latest start in the Oakleigh Plate, given that she had come up short in the grade in every previous start at that level (without ever being beaten too far).

But it's not as if she has so many miles on the clock that it would make the prospect of her finding improvement as a five-year-old completely unexpected, and it's very hard to crab either the visual impression of that victory or the way that connections have deliberately freshened her up since for this given the fact that she does appear to go best after a break.

At the time of writing, this You Tube clip of Shamal Wind's success has had just 555 views, but you can expect those views to stack up in the next seven days - and taking the 10/1 available now would be a pretty sure sign that you have beaten the rush, because when she lines up on the day it's hard to imagine that price will still be available. Watch it now: She travels nicely, accelerates enthusiastically and finds plenty for pressure - an unusual extra asset for a mare with such a decent cruising speed.

Of course, there are the twin uncertainties of the weather and the draw to weigh up as counterbalance, but the forecast doesn't appear to suggest there's much hope of the soft ground that would clearly count against her chances.

Indeed, by far the biggest obstacle Shamal Wind faces in the King's Stand is the opposition from the Europeans, because the likes of Sole Power, Muthmir, Mecca's Angel and G Force set a very decent standard to aim at.

Sole Power can certainly be forgiven his latest effort in unsuitable conditions, while Muthmir won nicely in France last time and is evidently a much better horse than it looked on his reappearance in the Duke Of York.

Mecca's Angel is potentially even more interesting than those two, having taken some good scalps and the course record at Longchamp last month. We simply don't know how good she might be. However, she does require some give in the ground and may well not even make the line-up unless the weather comes in her favour, so it's impossible to recommend an ante-post bet at this stage.

Is Shamal Wind the next Choisir or Miss Andretti? Probably not. Indeed, rather than try and poach further big prizes in Europe, the plan is to get her covered by a good European stallion soon after Ascot and send her home to spend the rest of her days as a doting mum. But that's not to say she doesn't have a very good chance of finishing her racing career on a high note next week. A better chance than the odds suggest.

Selection: 2pts win Shamal Wind at 10/1 to win the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot