Royal Ascot 2018: Who is Redkirk Warrior, what race is he running in, what are his odds and should I bet on him?
Don't miss our international runner profile on Redkirk Warrior 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.
Redkirk Warrior will attempt to add his name to that famous list for the training partnership of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, who operate under the banner of Lindsay Park Racing.
The gelding started his career in the UK in 2014 with William Haggas, winning his first two starts including a mile and a quarter handicap at Ascot.
He was then sold to Hong Kong and ran in the Hong Kong Derby, but his career was almost cut short by persistent foot problems.
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The seven-year-old was transferred to Australia and reinvented as a top-class sprinter by Lindsay Park.
He has won five races and over A$2,000,000 in prize money Down Under, including back-to-back victories in the historic Group 1 Newmarket Handicap.
In his second win in the Newmarket in March this year, he defied a huge weight and a track bias to beat, among others, fellow Diamond Jubilee contender Merchant Navy.
He has also been successful in Group 1 company over five furlongs in the Lightning Stakes.
Redkirk Warrior - Career record and latest odds for Royal Ascot
Age: 7
Sex: Gelding
Country: Australia
Starts: 17
Wins: 8
Big-race wins: Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (2017, 2018), Group 1 Lightning Stakes (2018), Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Handicap (2017)
Ascot target: Diamond Jubilee Stakes
Latest odds: 13-2
Co-trainer Ben Hayes said that the horse had taken the 36-hour journey to the UK in his stride.
Hayes told Sunracing: "He travelled over really well. He is a good traveller and has been on and off planes quite a bit.
"He came to us pretty much retired in Hong Kong because they couldn't get his feet right.
"Our farrier did a great job with him and he has been sound ever since."
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The speedball has made history in Australia, becoming the first horse since 1917 to win the Newmarket without a prep run in 2017, while he is also the first horse in 35 years to win back-to-back renewals.
Hayes continued: "What he has achieved hasn't been done for a long time.
"When he won his first Newmarket fresh, he was the first horse to win it first-up in 100 years.
"Then he was the first horse in 35 years to complete the Newmarket double, and he did it with top weight.
"He has also won a Lightning, and that is usually a good form line to Ascot.
"He has won at Ascot and has a fantastic record over a straight track winning three Group 1's and a Group 2.
"It would be huge to win an international Group 1, it's very hard to do.
"It would be huge for Lindsay Park and Tom and I especially, as we haven't won a Group 1 overseas."
Redkirk Warrior is currently third in the betting for the Diamond Jubilee.
He has already beaten Merchant Navy, while the favourite Harry Angel is yet to win at Ascot in four attempts.
The Aussie sprinter will be carrying my cash - and you can back him at an industry top-price of 13-2 with Sunbets .