Trainer Charlie Hills targets Royal Ascot double with Battaash and Phoenix Of Spain The trainer saddles fiery Battaash in the King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday Jamie Spencer-ridden Phoenix Of Spain will run in the St James’s Palace Stakes Phoenix Of Spain will try to show his win in the Irish 2,000 Guineas was no fluke By Marcus Townend for the Daily Mail Published: 20:45 BST, 17 June 2019 | Updated: 20:45 BST, 17 June 2019 Viewcomments Charlie Hills concedes he will be feeling the pressure this afternoon — and having the favourites for two of the day’s feature Group One races gives him a decent excuse. The trainer saddles fiery Battaash in the King’s Stand Stakes hoping the gelding can gain revenge on Blue Point for last year’s length and three-quarters defeat. And 40 minutes later in the St James’s Palace Stakes, Phoenix Of Spain will try to show his 16-1 win from Too Darn Hot in the Irish 2,000 Guineas was no fluke. Hills has been involved in some highoctane days during his training career. They include guiding champion sprinter Muhaarar to four Group One wins in 2015 and being in charge of the family stable while his trainer father Barry was seriously ill in the week Classic-winning filly Ghanaati won the 2009 Coronation Stakes. Today could turn out to be bigger than any of them. Phoenix Of Spain will try to show his win in Ireland was no fluke in the St James’s Palace Stakes Hills can be encouraged by the fact that Jamie Spencer-ridden Phoenix Of Spain defied an interrupted preparation to win in Ireland while Battaash, who has blown his chances in the past when boiling over, looks a much calmer model this season. ‘With Battaash, it is quite stressful because you never quite know how he will take the preliminaries,’ said Hills. ‘But this year he seems much more at ease with himself. Last season he never looked right. ‘Now he is enjoying what he is doing. There is a purpose to his walk. He looks the best he has ever been since he has been in training.’ Battaash zoomed to a two-and-half length win from Alpha Delphini on his comeback in the Temple Stakes with Mabs Cross in third. He narrowly won the same race last season but Hills saw a crucial difference which could have a bearing on the King’s Stand. ‘Last year when he won at Haydock, he almost walked out of the stalls,’ said Hills. ‘Jim Crowley didn’t ride him that day but saw it and was a bit worried he would do the same. ‘So (in the King’s Stand) he has got hold of him at the stalls, pinged the gates and got to the front. He was always doing too much and Ascot is the worst place for that. You are always there to be shot at. We set the race up for Blue Point.’ For Phoenix Of Spain, an injury in January and illness in April left vets telling Hills to write off the colt’s first half of the season. The fact that the grey only just made it to the Curragh encourages Hills that he can confirm form with Too Darn Hot. Hills said: ‘We had such a stop-start preparation, it has been a nightmare. Even 10 days before the Irish 2,000 Guineas things weren’t great. It was his first run of the season and we were thinking that if he was in the first four it would be great.’ Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility