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Brother Bear tops 18 in Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot

De Bruyne Horse on the way to winning the Investec Woodcote Stakes from Cardsharp
Image: Coventry contender De Bruyne Horse on the way to winning the Investec Woodcote Stakes from Cardsharp.

Brother Bear is one of 18 classy juveniles declared for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.

Jessica Harrington's colt heads the market for the prestigious Group Two prize after winning each of his two starts to date, most recently impressing in the Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh.

Aidan O'Brien has saddled a record eight previous winners. Declarationofpeace was his biggest hope according to ante-post lists, but he has instead been declared for the Windsor Castle Stakes on the same afternoon.

In his absence, the Ballydoyle handler relies on Tipperary winner Murillo and U S Navy Flag, who was third behind Brother Bear last month but remains a maiden after three attempts.

American trainer Wesley Ward sends runaway Belmont scorer Arawak into battle. John Velazquez takes the ride, with Frankie Dettori partnering Richard Hannon's Denaar for his employers Al Shaqab Racing.

Denaar is one of two Hannon representatives along with Woodcote Stakes winner De Bruyne Horse, who carries the colours of Middleham Park Racing.

"He always was a nice horse. At the sales it took us about five seconds to decide we were going to purchase him," Middleham Park's Tom Palin told Betfred TV.

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"He's by Showcasing, who can do no wrong as a stallion. I think everyone who has seen De Bruyne Horse has commented what a striking horse is.

"There have been offers for the horse, as you would imagine. As yet I don't think anything has reached the value the syndicate have put on the horse."

Other contenders include the Charlie Hills-trained Nebo, Richard Spencer's Rajasinghe and Romanised from Irish trainer Ken Condon's stable.

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