Coolangatta & Cannonball in King’s Stand Stakes

Coolangatta will have to do something that has been achieved just twice in the past decade if she is to win the King’s Stand Stakes following the allocation of starting positions for the 1006-metre Group 1.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly will start from barrier two in the field of 19 for the race that will be run in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Australian time.

Blue Point started from gate one – which is closest the far rail – in the second of his two wins, in 2019, and Goldream barrier three in 2015 but all other winners in the past decade have started from barrier eight or nearer the outside rail.

James Mcdonald will be reunited with Coolangatta for the first time since last year’s Golden Slipper in the King’s Stand Stakes, for which the daughter of Written Tycoon is second favourite behind Highfield Princess (barrier 10).

Barrier 10 has provided three of the past five winners of the King’s Stand Stakes, including Nature Strip last year.

Australia’s other King’s Stand Stakes representative, Cannonball, has drawn barrier 15.

Brett Prebble will take the ride on the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained son of Capitalist.

Cannonball sits on the fifth line of betting, immediately behind Frankie Dettori’s mount Manaccan, who has drawn barrier nine, and local filly Dramatised, who will start from gate 18.