FIVE Royal Ascot winners last year was a return to normal service for Aidan O’Brien.

He’d only had a couple in 2021 but usually you can rely on the Ballydoyle team to come away with between four and six winners from the Royal meeting. They had seven in 2016 and Aidan has been the leading trainer on 11 occasions.

O’Brien has sent out 36 winners so far this season, almost exactly the same as at this time last year, and of course there’s been plenty of Group 1 success too, thanks to Luxembourg, Paddington and Auguste Rodin.

Speaking to The Irish Field on Thursday, O’Brien went through his entire team for next week and it includes a bigger than usual number of handicappers, an area in which the trainer has enjoyed notable success in recent weeks.

TUESDAY

Coventry Stakes: River Tiber could be our only runner. He won over six furlongs first time out at Navan and then had no problem coping with five furlongs at Naas though he ran a bit green through the middle of the race. Ideally you want to get two runs into them before Ascot and we’re delighted with him.

St James’s Palace Stakes: Paddingtonhas been brought along slowly this year and we’re very happy with him. We were a bit worried running him for the first time on better ground in the Irish 2000 Guineas but he handled it well and has progressed with every run. He made his racecourse debut at Ascot last year and ran badly but I wouldn’t be concerned about that.

Wolferton Stakes: The race conditions suit Bolshoi Ballet. Two years ago he won a Grade 1 race over this trip (10 furlongs) but he has no penalties. He ran a nice race last time out at Newbury when he was a close second [to Haskoy] in a Group 3.

WEDNESDAY

Prince Of Wales’s Stakes: We were very happy with Luxembourg the last day [won the Tattersalls Gold Cup]. He came on for his first run and we found out that he doesn’t mind making the running. You’re never sure until you see them do it but he looks an uncomplicated ride. He’s been in good form since and he seems well-suited by the 10-furlong trip.

Queen’s Vase: Peking Opera [by Galileo]is a likely runner and we could also run Gooloogong [by Australia]. Peking Opera won a listed race at Navan over a mile and five furlongs. The extra furlong and better ground at Ascot should suit him. Gooloogong also won at Navan, it was a maiden on soft ground over a mile and a quarter.

Windsor Castle Stakes: Johannes Brahms is a horse we’ve always liked and he could run here. He’s by Siyouni and he was a bit green when he won first time out at Naas over six furlongs, fighting back when he was headed.

THURSDAY

Norfolk Stakes: His Majesty (by No Nay Never) just got beat in the Marble Hill over six furlongs and will go down in trip here. He’s a hardy horse with experience and is in good form.

King George V Handicap: Bertinelli won a very competitive 10-furlong handicap at Newbury last month and we think the step up to a mile and a half here will suit him. He will probably have top weight. Handicaps are good for horses who are progressing more slowly and are not yet ready for conditions races.

Ribblesdale: Be Happy and Warm Heart are our two likely runners. Be Happy finished second in the Lingfield Oaks Trial which was switched to the all-weather and that wasn’t ideal for her. Warm Heart won a listed race at Newbury over 10 furlongs. She was staying on well at the finish that day and the step up in distance should suit her.

Gold Cup: Broome has been in good form this season, winning in Dubai over two miles and finishing third at York over a mile and six, staying on well. We’re not sure about the two and a half miles of the Gold Cup but it could work out well for him. Later on, he might be one for the Melbourne Cup.

Emily Dickinson was not suited by the slow pace when she was beaten at Leopardstown last time out. But she came out of the race well and has been in good form since.

She wouldn’t mind a bit of rain but she seems to handle fast ground too. It’s more important for her that she has a strong pace to run at.

Britannia Handicap: Carracci met some trouble in running in a seven-furlong handicap at the Curragh over Guineas weekend but it was a nice run and we’re looking at this one-mile race for him next.

Hampton Court Stakes: Drumroll is the horse who won the Gallinule Stakes in the stewards’ room, so he will have a 4lb penalty in this Group 3 but we hope he is an improving horse.

Buckingham Palace Handicap: Age Of Kings is a three-year-old who will be running against older horses here. He has been running well in stakes races so this will be a drop in class for him.

FRIDAY

Albany Stakes: Matrika and Pearls And Rubies are two possibles. Both are by No Nay Never and both of them won first time out. Matrika was very professional. She had done plenty of work but is lazy at home where she works in blinkers. She didn’t wear them when she ran but that is an option. We were delighted with Pearls And Rubies last Sunday. It was over five furlongs but she wants further so the Albany would suit. We’ll do a bit with her early next week and see how she is.

Commonwealth Cup: We were happy with Little Big Bear at Haydock [won Sandy Lane Stakes] and he came out of the race well. We had to try him in the Guineas but it didn’t work out and sprinting is his game. Fast ground would suit him best.

Coronation Stakes: We felt Meditateimproved a good bit after the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket [finished sixth] and she was a good second at the Curragh. It’s possible she gets a bit bored when she hits the front on a straight track and we think running around bends at Ascot will help her.

Sandringham Handicap: We supplemented Jackie Oh for the Irish 1000 Guineas and she finished fifth. She’ll probably be close to top weight here but it’s a drop in class for her.

King Edward VII Stakes: We were a bit disappointed with Continuous in the Prix du Jockey Club [finished eighth] and hopefully the step up in trip to 12 furlongs will suit him. He’s by the Japanese stallion Heart’s Cry and Ryan [Moore] says his stock all stay very well. Tower Of London is another possible runner. He ran badly in his Derby trial on heavy ground but he did everything right in a listed race at Leopardstown on better ground and hopefully a strongly-run mile and a half will bring about more improvement.

SATURDAY

Jersey Stakes: The Antarctic is a very consistent sprinter and is in good order, but seven furlongs would be a new trip for him here. He has won two Group 3 races and so will have a 3lb penalty.

Hardwicke Stakes: Point Lonsdale and Changingoftheguard are both previous Royal Ascot winners. Point Lonsdale finished third in the Coronation Cup at Epsom where he got a bit lonely in front. He seems in good form. Changingoftheguard ran okay at Chester [third in Ormonde Stakes] where maybe the soft ground didn’t suit him. We think he’s come forward a good bit.

Golden Gates Handicap: Canute is a big horse who took a bit of time to come to hand. He won a premier 10-furlong handicap at Navan last Sunday and this race is over the same trip, which seems to suit him.