The only horse anywhere near Australian star sprinter Nature Strip at the finish of the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday at Royal Ascot had no jockey on his back. And even that one, riderless Khaadem, Nature Strip beat home despite carrying 133 pounds more across the finish. The official second-place finisher, Twilight Calls, was a distant 4 1/2 lengths behind Nature Strip, who crushed his rivals in the five-furlong, straight-course King’s Stand after shipping halfway around the world. American star Golden Pal, however, suffered a crushing defeat, coming awkwardly out of the gate – totally unlike his typically fantastic breaks – and rushing from last into early contention before beginning a fade to the back of the field after just a quarter-mile. All but eased, Golden Pal was the last horse home among 16 finishers. Khaadem left the gate without jockey Jamie Spencer, while Mondammej refused to load and was scratched. Nature Strip now is a 21-time winner from 38 career starts, his star undimmed even at age 8. Racing outside Australia for the first time, Nature Strip won his ninth Group 1 race – and it wasn’t even close. Breaking alertly under James McDonald, Nature Strip took an early position near the lead while racing in the center of the course, coming through, while under no pressure at all, to hit the front with about 2 1/2 furlongs remaining. McDonald hadn’t asked his mount for anything as Nature Strip began drawing clear and the King’s Stand was all over with a furlong to run. :: Royal Ascot 2022: Get PPs, previews, analysis, recaps, and more Acklam Express finished a head behind runner-up Twilight Calls with Mooneista fourth. Winning time over the good-to-firm course was a snappy 58.25. Nature Strip paid $6.20 in the U.S. Trainer Chris Waller did not rule out a second Royal Ascot start in Saturday’s six-furlong Platinum Jubilee Stakes. “I guess he is in the twilight of his career, but he has learned to be a racehorse,” Waller said. “Nature Strip was tricky early on in his career, but he has got better with age, and it is an honor to train a horse like him.” The King’s Stand was a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Win and You’re In race offering connections of the winner automatic fees paid entry into the BC Turf Sprint and travel expenses to Keeneland this fall. Australian horses rarely run in America and there are plenty of rich sprint stakes back home for Nature Strip. Waller trains Nature Strip, a son of Nicconi and the Desert Sun mare, Strikeline, for owners R.A.E. Lyons, P.D. Harrison and others. Coroebus ekes out St. James’s Palace victory Coroebus followed up his win last month in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket with a tougher score Tuesday in the Group 1 St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Both races were contested over one mile, but the Guineas is run down a straight course, the St. James’s Palace around one turn, and Coroebus raced too eagerly while tracking a sluggish pace Tuesday. Breaking well from post 2, Coroebus slotted into a favorable spot along the inside and behind Aikhal, who had pacesetting Lusail just to his outside. The field bunched as the leaders slowed things down, and Coroebus, an odds-on favorite, raced more eagerly than would be ideal. :: Bet Royal Ascot racing on DRF Bets “I had a good draw, but a good draw can turn into a bad draw very quickly,” said jockey William Buick. “Coroebus travels extremely strongly, and you just want him to drop his head.” Coroebus relaxed more around the turn, but then began the hunt for somewhere to make a run. Buick’s chance came when Aikhal dropped away with a little less than a quarter-mile to run, opening a spot along the rail, which Coroebus quickly occupied. Coroebus worked hard to edge clear of Lusail as a wall of horses descended on the outside, five of them hitting the line within a neck of one another. Coreobeus prevailed but only by a desperate head over Lusail. My Prospero was a nose back in third, a head in front of Maljoom, the St. James’s real tough luck story after being shuffled back to nearly last when stuck behind Aikhal in the homestretch, finishing fastest and nearly getting up between horses. Coroebus paid $3.70 in the U.S. and clocked a modest 1:39.42 for the mile over good-to-firm going. Now a winner in four of his five starts, Coroebus is by Dubawi out of First Victory, by Teofilo. Charlie Appleby trains the colt for his breeder, Godolphin, and Appleby said Coroebus could be on track for a clash with leading older miler Baaeed in the Sussex Stakes on July 27 at Goodwood. Three-year-old colts get eight pounds from their older rivals in the one-mile Sussex – and racing fans would get some great drama with this leading 3-year-old facing one of the best horses in the world.