Horse Racing: Australians Bullish As Bentley Biscuit and Co Bear Down on Ascot

When an immense bull of a horse called Choisir arrived in Britain from Australia four years ago to run at Royal Ascot, he was viewed as a novelty and little more, a plucky antipodean whose connections deserved full marks for effort but had next to no chance against the best sprinters in Europe.

Two victories in the space of five days, including the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes in course record time, meant that his novelty value did not survive for long and an Australian challenge for the Royal meeting's sprints is already becoming something of an Ascot tradition. Takeover Target, who took the King's Stand Stakes 12 months ago, will be back in Berkshire next week to attempt to do so again - and this time, he's brought some friends too.

In all, there are four leading sprinters from Australia stabled in Newmarket, where Takeover Target has Miss Andretti, Bentley Biscuit and Magnus to remind him of home, and all four were winners at Group One level last time out. They appear to have settled in well since arriving in Britain and there is not one among them who is here merely to ease its owner's passage into the Royal enclosure.

Their names could seem very familiar in 10 days' time and their trainers too are likely to appeal to the punting public. Joe Janiak, the former taxi driver who trains Takeover Target, sticks in the memory from last year, but Gai Waterhouse (Bentley Biscuit) and Lee Freedman (Miss Andretti) are major forces in Australian Flat racing who could teach some leading British trainers a great deal about media relations.

Waterhouse, in particular, is highly quotable. "Bet the Biscuit" was her advice to a press conference in Newmarket yesterday when asked which of the visitors was the one to back and the six-year-old's form - Group One wins on his last three starts, including a defeat of Takeover Target last time - appears to give him every chance.

Bentley Biscuit certainly looked fresh and well when he galloped on the July course in Newmarket yesterday, with Nash Rawiller, who will ride him next week, in the saddle.

"He's a very competitive animal," Waterhouse said. "He's big, muscular and athletic and he's a gelding, so he has no other idea than shooting the breeze and being a racehorse. He loves to win and he has a superb turn of foot."

Bentley Biscuit races over six furlongs at home rather than the five of the King's Stand but Waterhouse believes the stiff track and the absence of the bend which is a regular feature of Australian sprints, will work in his favor.

"Six furlongs is definitely his trip," Waterhouse said, "but the tracks are very different here to Australia, where everything is flat. If he pulls up well on Tuesday then we will be back again [for the Golden Jubilee over six furlongs] on Saturday, but if he's stressed and he's not going to be competitive, then he won't run. I don't want to go there just for the sake of it."

Bentley Biscuit is currently 10-1 in the betting for the King's Stand Stakes with Coral but it is Miss Andretti, a 5-1 chance with Stan James, who heads the market along with Takeover Target.

"I think she's traveled well, but it's always harder to travel with a mare," Freedman said yesterday. "She's very good and she goes well fresh, she always wins first time up. I don't think the straight course will worry her too much but she does like to kick off a bend."

Takeover Target and Magnus, who finished second to Miss Andretti in a Group One at Moonee Valley in February and beat Bentley Biscuit in a Group One last time out, also exercised in Newmarket yesterday. Janiak believes Takeover Target is "better this year than last", while Peter Moody, the trainer of Magnus, suggested that it is the European challengers that concern him the most as he prepares his 16-1 chance for the King's Stand.

"He's won under all conditions, so the track and going will be fine for him," Moody said. "I respect all the Australian horses but, with all the traveling I've done, I know it is hard to beat horses on their own territory."