GET your top hat and tails ready for Royal Ascot — even if you’re only watching on the telly!
The five-day jamboree kicks off on Tuesday and we are in for a treat on and off the track with His Majesty The King set to attend every day.
The TimesWill king Kyprios be one of the bankers of the week at Royal Ascot?[/caption]
Oh, and Ascot king Frankie Dettori will be on hand for party time — even if he will not be trying to repeat his legendary heroics in the saddle and instead penning his exclusive column and tips in Sun Racing’s Members Enclosure – sign up HERE.
Meet Frankie Dettori at Royal Ascot
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It all starts with a bang on Tuesday with the St James’s Palace Stakes building up up to be the race of the week when 2,000 Guineas hero Notable Speech bids to confirm Newmarket form with Irish Guineas winner Rosallion.
Don’t forget about Henry Longfellow, who was unbeaten as a juvenile and is expected to take a huge step forward from his below-par French Guineas effort.
Last year’s Derby winner Auguste Rodin heads the Prince Of Wales’s field on Day Two but he could find things tough with his Tattersalls Gold Cup conquer White Birch also set to make the trip over.
If Ascot escapes significant rain, French ace Horizon Dore could look decent value at 8s.
It’s all about girl power on Friday and the Coronation Stakes will be spicy with a showdown of the 1,000 Guineas heroines.
Ballydoyle’s Opera Singer heads the market at 5-2 but she will have to be a right goer to beat Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Fallen Angel and Elmalka — the 28-1 stunner in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Throw in Porta Fortuna and Ramatuelle plus Devoted Queen and French Guineas winner Rouhiya — and it might just be the girls who steal the show.
Here are ten other top fancies to watch out for next week. Let’s get this party started, folks!
BIG EVS
Trainer: Mick Appleby Form: 011-1
King Charles III Stakes (Tuesday)
MICHAEL APPLEBY’S star showed his big revs when taking the Windsor Castle at last year’s Royal meeting before improving to finish the campaign by winning at the Breeders’ Cup.
Any worries about him not training on were firmly answered with his blistering victory in a York Listed contest last month.
The renamed King’s Stand Stakes looks the ideal challenge and he copes with any ground.
CHARYN
Trainer: Roger Varian Form: 3-112
Queen Anne (Tuesday)
THIS Dark Angel colt has taken his form to a new level this season for Roger Varian.
After a good Listed win at Doncaster, he was impressive when taking the Group 2 Bet365 Mile at Sandown before stepping up to the highest class for a cracking second in the Lockinge at Newbury.
The winner Audience nicked that from the front at long odds and Charyn was clear second best. He can go close again.
DIVINE COMEDY
Trainer: Harry Eustace Form: 13-31
Ascot Stakes (Tuesday)
GIVEN the summer we’re having, there’s every chance of getting some juice in the ground at Royal Ascot and that would be ideal for Divine Comedy.
Her trainer Harry Eustace continues to prove himself and this six-year-old routed a useful field over two miles at Haydock.
She looks better than a handicapper and the Ascot Stakes is an ideal target. She has won on fast and soft ground so don’t worry about the weather.
EVADE
Trainer: Archie Watson Form: 29-1
Jersey Stakes (Saturday)
HE did well to win the Listed Surrey Stakes at Epsom on Oaks day despite pulling hard early and not looking entirely happy on the notorious camber.
He got the better of the useful Native American in a right ding-dong and they both head to the Royal meeting with every chance.
He is in the Commonwealth Cup down in distance but the Jersey Stakes at the same seven-furlong trip looks a better target.
He was having just his first run for Archie Watson since leaving Andre Fabre so should improve plenty for it.
KYPRIOS
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien Form: /22-11
Ascot Gold Cup (Thursday)
AIDAN O’BRIEN should have the 2022 Ascot Gold Cup winner spot on to regain his crown after missing last year’s meeting through injury.
He has looked in fine fettle this season, winning a Navan Listed contest before an impressive effort at Leopardstown latest.
The staying division doesn’t look overly deep at the moment and his proven class can take him a long way.
He goes on any ground and will have the peerless Ryan Moore doing the steering. Any odds-against price is fair enough.
MICKLEY
Trainer: Ed Bethell Form: 43-11
Britannia (Thursday)
IT may have been just a Class 4 contest at Doncaster but Ed Bethell’s three-year-old looked high-class when scoring on handicap debut last month.
He cruised into the race and hit the front a furlong out to score without having to get anywhere near top gear.
He shapes as though stepping up to a mile for the Britannia Stakes will bring improvement and his handicap mark of 90 has plenty of wriggle room. He can hit three figures.
ROCHELLE
Trainer: Kevin Philippart De Foy
Form: 31-14 Britannia (Thursday)
THIS filly looked a hot prospect when returning from six months off to destroy her rivals over seven furlongs at Kempton last time.
It was also her debut for talented trainer Kevin Philippart De Foy who has a real weapon to tackle a Royal Ascot handicap with.
The Sandringham looks the obvious port of call and you would expect another chunk of improvement with that comeback under her belt.
SAINT LAWRENCE
Trainer: Archie Watson
Form: 1390-070 Wokingham (Sat)
LET’S have a tilt at a nice easy race in Saturday’s Wokingham.
We know Saint Lawrence is up to the challenge because he won the race last year. He had a cosy length in hand and relished the quick conditions so hopefully the sun will come out as the week goes on.
He spent the rest of last season in Group 1s where he held his own before being eased back to handicaps this term where he hasn’t been asked too many questions.
As a result, trainer Archie Watson has got him down to just 3lb higher than 12 months ago yet the bookies have him in at 20-1. I think that’s fair enough each-way.
SLIPOFTHEPEN
Trainer: John and Thady Gosden
Form: 13-05 Royal Hunt Cup (Wednesday) or Buckingham Palace (Thursday)
IT could be hats off for a big-priced Royal winner in the Royal Hunt Cup.
He was useful on the all-weather last season and has been promising on his two runs so far in this campaign.
He absolutely tanked along both times and wasn’t the easiest to settle, which accounts for him not quite getting home.
John Gosden will be working on that and hopefully he will learn to pace himself better through his races.
There’s a big engine under the bonnet so connections may opt to come back a furlong for the Buckingham Palace and he’d have solid place claims there too.
He’ll be around 25-1 for either race which looks tempting.
TRULY ENCHANTING
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Form: 1 Queen Mary (Wednesday)
AIDAN O’Brien will bring his usual large team to Royal Ascot and it would be no surprise to see this two-year-old daughter of No Nay Never among them.
She made a winning debut at Tipperary late last month when fairly laughing at her rivals in landing a bloodless success.
She showed a sharp turn of foot over five furlongs in testing conditions and powered through the line to suggest a bit further would be no problem.
There’s clearly plenty of boot there and the Queen Mary looks an ideal next step.
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