Trio of Royal Ascot Winners Set for Prix Morny
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Photo: Edward Whitaker/Racing Post
Arizona, winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot
The six-furlong Darley Prix Morny (G1) Aug. 18 at Deauville looks set to be a cracker as three Royal Ascot winners—A'Ali, Arizona, and Raffle Prize—clash with Glorious Goodwood victor Golden Horde and leading French hope Earthlight.
British-trained runners have won four of the past five runnings and are responsible for four of the eight contenders. Simon Crisford's Norfolk Stakes (G2) winner A'Ali, who followed up in the Darley Prix Robert Papin (G2) last time, is part of a challenge completed by Mark Johnston's Queen Mary Stakes (G2) heroine Raffle Prize, Clive Cox's Qatar Richmond Stakes (G2) winner Golden Horde, and the Brian Meehan-trained Aroha.
Aidan O'Brien's leading hope is Arizona, who justified favoritism in the Coventry Stakes (G2) at the royal meeting. He will be joined at Deauville by maiden Royal Dornoch as O'Brien seeks a first win in the race since Johannesburg in 2001.
The French have not won the prize since Dabirsim in 2011 but have a strong contender in Earthlight, who has won all three starts for Andre Fabre.
The Prix Morny winner will receive an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T).
TVG will televise the Darley Prix Morny Sunday at approximately 9:50 a.m. ET
The field from Racing Post.