Highfield Princess is the queen of European sprinting and her popularity will soar to fresh levels if she can repeat what she did in such style last year and win Friday’s (25 August) Nunthorpe Stakes, York’s celebrated 1000m Group 1 dash.

The John Quinn-trained Jason Hart-ridden six-year-old icon is set to encounter 15 other speedsters – only one of whom  – Khaadem – is older than her and none of  whom have had nearly as many encounters or brilliant victories.

Most serious rivals look to be the Hollie Doyle-ridden three-year-old Bradsell who had Highfield Princess a length behind him in Royal Ascot’s G1 King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) in June – and Big Evs – a superfast front-running youngster who will attempt to become the first two-year-old to outspeed his elders in the last 16 years of Nunthorpe history.

Hart has ridden Big Evs in all his three starts – latterly with victory in the Goodwood G3 Molecomb Stakes (1000m) but needless to say stays loyal to Highfield Princess who has made such a huge impact on the rider’s career.  Andrea Atzeni – shortly to take up his HKJC contract – takes over on Michael Appleby-trained Big Evs, supplemented for £40,000 into this £500,000 contest.

Perhaps Hart best sums up the extraordinary progress that Highfield Princess has made from being beaten off a humble mark of 57 on her handicap debut about three years ago.

“Back then I’d never in a million years think that she was going to do what she has done,” says the proud rider of a mare who is as dependable as she is fast and who won three Group 1s in the space of an incredible five weeks last year, thriving over all sprint distances and surfaces alike.

Whilst the powerful winning performance of Highfield Princess in the G2 King George Stakes (1000m) at Goodwood earlier this month makes another potent argument for her Nunthorpe chances, Bradsell’s in-form trainer Archie Watson is clearly thinking back to Royal Ascot: “Our horse won fair and square that day. We are a few pounds worse of at the weights with Highfield Princess but I really think that Bradsell should be very close in the betting with her.”

At the other end of the distance scale is the G2 Lonsdale Cup (3261m) where a collection of Europe’s top stayers are in action. They include the G1 Ascot Gold Cup (3991m)  first and second Courage Mon Ami (Frankie Dettori) and Coltrane (Oisin Murphy) as well as Quickthorn (Tom Marquand) who has a habit of stealing races from the front as he did with a 14L victory (from Coltrane) in this stamina test last year.

Emotions will be high for the opening 3yo+ Handicap (2381m) when popular former British dual champion jockey Paul Hanagan has the final ride of his career, partnering multiple winner Wootton’sun for trainer Richard Fahey, his former boss.

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