ASCOT’s first Trials Day for Royal Ascot on Wednesday was a big success, with smallish fields for the main events but no shortage of quality and intrigue.

The undoubted star of the show was Calyx, returning from 11 months off and running in the Commonwealth Cup Trial in preference to the 2000 Guineas.

He was simply electric in winning by four lengths and more from decidedly useful rivals, though his time was not literally electric in that the usual timing mechanism malfunctioned.

Video analysis has it at 1m 12.55s, give or take a couple of hundredths of a second, and that makes for a 117 timefigure for Calyx with a further 5lb upgrade on the top of that due to some very strong late sectionals (including about 11.2s for the penultimate furlong).

That is the kind of figure likely to be required to win the Commonwealth Cup itself.

There is some encouragement from Calyx’s striding (again 2.48 strides/second peak here) that he will stay seven furlongs, but not a great deal that he will last out a mile.

Barney Roy was unsuccessful on the back of an even longer absence – during which he went to stud, proved infertile, was gelded and switched from Richard Hannon to Charlie Appleby – but he deserves a good deal of credit for his second-placing in the listed Paradise Stakes, not least as he raced closer to an overly-strong pace than the gelding who beat him, Zaaki.

Both horses get basic timefigures of 114, but Barney Roy edges ahead on 117 to 116 when those late sectionals are factored in, his finishing speed % being 95.7% compared to the winner’s 96.3%.

It is a big ask for Barney Roy to get back to the level that saw him win the St James’s Palace Stakes and get placed in the Eclipse and the International, but this was about as encouraging as he could have been short of winning.

Last year’s Derby second Dee Ex Bee made the most of a fairly easy opportunity in the Longines Sagaro Stakes on his first attempt at two miles, running a 112 timefigure which gets lifted to 117 on fairly quick late fractions. The penalised Raymond Tusk gets the same sectional rating in second, though Cleonte (110) and Verdana Blue (100) were perhaps a little close for comfort.

The US filly Lady Pauline (98 timefigure) seemed not quite to get home in the two-year-old opener, but plenty of credit should still go to the penalised winner Ventura Rebel (107), who showed a good attitude and is up there with the best juveniles seen so far.