Royal Ascot 2018: Who is Merchant Navy, what race is he running in, what are his odds and should I bet on him?
Don't miss our international runner profile on Merchant Navy who is set to tackle the Diamond Jubilee Stakes
PUNTERS will now have become used to the annual invasion of international runners at Royal Ascot.
Each year, horses from America, Australia and Asia travel to the UK to take part in the most famous Flat racing festival in the world - but who are they and are they worth a bet?
Australian sprinters have a brilliant record at Royal Ascot, with the likes of Choisir, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti and, of course, Black Caviar making their mark on the meeting in recent years.
This year, leading trainer Aidan O'Brien will be represented by a high-class Aussie recruit in the shape of Merchant Navy.
A Group 1 winner in his native country, the three-year-old colt was shipped to Ireland in the spring and warmed up for the Royal meeting with a victory in the Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh last month.
He won his first four starts down under, and after suffering a defeat in the Group 1 Golden Rose in Sydney he bounced back at Flemington in November to win the prestigious Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.
ROYAL ASCOT LIVE Don't miss out on all the latest tips, odds and news ahead of Ascot
His final start in Australia was a fine third in the Newmarket Handicap at the same track.
His former trainer, Ciaron Maher, said the son of Fastnet Rock was tricky as a younger horse but had matured this year.
Maher told Sunracing: “He was quite aggressive as a young horse, we had to teach him how to race, but he has always had a very good turn of foot.
“As a three-year-old he went the other way. He needed some focus so we put the shades (blinkers) on him and that’s when he really took off.
Merchant Navy - Career record and latest odds for Royal Ascot
Age: 3
Sex: Colt
Country: Australia / Ireland
Starts: 9
Wins: 6
Big-race wins: Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (2017), Group 2 Greenlands Stakes (2018), Group 3 McNeil Stakes (2017)
Ascot target: Diamond Jubilee Stakes
Latest odds: 4-1
"He was electric at Flemington in the Coolmore. It is one of the biggest races for three-year-old colts in Australia, Brazen Beau (second in the 2015 Diamond Jubilee) won it in 2014."
The Melbourne-based trainer also believes the horse will love the stiff six furlongs on the straight track at Ascot.
He said: “He has continued to develop the whole way, and he certainly wasn’t furnished fully when he left me to go to Aidan.
“He has got an amazing set of lungs on him. You never hear him blow after a race.
“I think this horse will thrive over the stiff six at Ascot.
"He has won over seven furlongs, I reckon the test at Ascot will be ideal for him.”
LATEST IN HORSE RACING
Merchant Navy is currently viewed as the main danger to Diamond Jubilee favourite Harry Angel (5-2) as the 4-1 second favourite.
He is improving all the time, and there is every chance he will take another step forward on Saturday week with his run in Ireland under his belt.