Houtzen Continues Royal Ascot Build-Up

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Connections of Australian sprinter say they have not travelled to England to make up the numbers and are upbeat about her chances.

The four-year-old continued her build-up to next week's King's Stand Stakes with a rousing 800-metre gallop alongside travelling companion on Wednesday.

Jamie warmed the saddle for , who will ride her in the Group One sprint, and trainer ' son and foreman, , said the four-year-old worked strongly.

“It looked like she went super to us,” Trent Edmonds told Sky Sports Radio.

“We've been here for nearly 11 weeks now so she's spot-on.

“We couldn't have her going any better. She's strong, she's well within herself.”

Houtzen was competitive at Group One level during the including a luckless fifth to Viddora in the at Moonee Valley in September.

She is rated a $26 chance for the King's Stand Stakes but Edmonds believes the mare is over the odds.

“If she'd had any luck in the spring we'd have come over here a Group One winner and her price in the market is probably half what it is now, maybe less,” Edmonds said.

“We're obviously an underdog, she's about 25-1, but if she produces her best I think she can be somewhere thereabouts.

“We're not here to make the numbers up. We're coming here fully expecting she races to her best.”

The Charlie -trained Battaash is $3 favourite for the Royal Ascot feature after scoring a strong first-up win at Haydock , just ahead of last year's winner Blue Point who is at $4 to land back-to-back wins.

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