Lady Aurelia set to race on at four after Nunthorpe Battaash clash

While Battaash has been making plenty of headlines over the last month, King's Stand winner Lady Aurelia continues to please trainer Wesley Ward in advance of the pair's eagerly awaited clash in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at the end of the month.

While Ward was at Deauville on Saturday to supervise Bound For Nowhere's final breeze before the Prix Maurice de Gheest, thoughts soon turned to Lady Aurelia, who is general 6-4 favourite for the Nunthorpe, in front of Friday's King George Stakes winner Battaash at 9-4.

Ward said: "She's doing fantastic. She had a good rest when she got to her home box and has done some great work. She's a once-in-a-lifetime filly to train and we’ll do our best to make sure she can bring her best to the table."

There has been plenty of talk in the United States that Lady Aurelia should be considered the best three-year-old in the country in light of a muddling Triple Crown crop, even though she has faced all of her most daunting tasks abroad.

And Ward revealed her legions of fans are likely to see Lady Aurelia race on at four in 2018.

"We had a plan from last year and she's ticked the boxes so far," said Ward.

"That's hard to do in racing when you make a plan and try to get the horse and everything involved to come through. She's coming into the Nunthorpe spot on, with everything wonderful. Hopefully we can get another win.

"From there we’ll get her home and have plenty of spacing from the flight and the race to get her back for the Breeders’ Cup. We looked at that race because it’s five furlongs, which seems to be her game."

Looking forward to 2018, Lady Aurelia is slated for a third trip to Royal Ascot.

Lady Aurelia outstrips her rivals in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal AscotCredit: Mark Cranham

"I've spoken with the owners and everybody is excited to race on next year," said Ward.

"Hopefully with a good winter’s rest she can come back again in the spring on a similar sort of schedule, probably culminating next year in Australia or else – and it’ll be a big decision – in the Breeders’ Cup, which is over five furlongs at Churchill Downs."

Ward also had news of Happy Like A Fool, whose intended run in the Molecomb at Goodwood was wrecked by the rain.

"She had a very nice work today, Ryan Moore breezed her," said Ward. "We’ll make a decision later this week if we're going to come down here [for the Prix Morny] or go up to York for the Lowther."