Royal Ascot begins in its traditional blockbuster fashion on Tuesday with three Group 1s, headlined by the rematch between Bow Echo and Gstaad in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
The race has lost a little of its lustre, however, with Francis-Henri Graffard’s French Guineas winner Rayif not among the final field of six.
It is far from a two horse race, though, with Charlie Appleby’s Talk Of New York not making up the numbers given the style of his win in the Heron Stakes at Sandown.
George Boughey’s Bow Echo is due to go off favourite given his superiority over Gstaad at Newmarket but Aidan O’Brien’s runner has subsequently won the Irish Guineas at the Curragh.
Boughey decided to skip bidding for a second Guineas and explained: “He was doing a nice piece of work on the Friday morning some horses were shipping over to Ireland and having a hard race, so he’s been able to build up and hopefully peak on Tuesday.
“It’s a long game with this horse, I hope. He’s a horse who is going to keep on improving, there’s big days ahead of him and I had more confidence of having him right for Ascot by not going to Ireland.
“I would have fancied him on the day knowing how he worked on the Friday morning, but I thought for the longevity of the horse it was more important that he had the break.”
O’Brien also runs Puerto Rico, a dual Group 1 winner as a juvenile last season.
Power Blue and Lord Britain have also been declared.
The meeting gets off to a flyer with the Queen Anne Stakes which sees Lockinge winner Notable Speech looking to confirm his superiority over several he beat at Newbury.
They include More Thunder, Zeus Olympus, Damysus and Cicero’s Gift.
Last year’s winner Docklands is back again with Mark Zahra back on board while Opera Ballo, a stablemate of Notable Speech, will be ridden by Billy Loughnane in a field of nine.
A big field of 26 has been declared for the King Charles III Stakes, including American Affair, who handed Jim Goldie a first Group 1 winner 12 months ago.
Australian raiders Overpass and Asfoora will be joined by Monteille and Rayevka, both trained in France with Aidan O’Brien’s Mission Central the only runner from Ireland.
Night Raider, the supplemented Behike and the improving Rosy Affair have also been declared.
There is also a big field in the Coventry Stakes with O’Brien’s Confucius and Great Barrier Reef joined by the likes of Archie Watson’s Siouxperb, George Scott’s Mrair and Hamad Al Jehani’s Royal Heritage.
A maximum field of 20 are due to line up in the Ascot Stakes, 16 have been declared for the Wolferton while a maximum 16 and three reserves have been declared for the Copper Horse Stakes.
Queen Anne Stakes
Paddy Power: 7/4 Notable Speech, 3 More Thunder, 9/2 Opera Ballo, 13/2 Docklands, 15/2 Zeus Olympios, 16 Damysus, 50 Ciceros Gift, First Conquest, Ten Bob Tony
St James’s Palace Stakes
Paddy Power: 5/6 Bow Echo, 3 Gstaad, 7/2 Talk Of New York, 11 Puerto Rico, 66 Power Blue, 250 Lord Britain
King Charles III Stakes
Paddy Power: 2 Overpass, 4 Rayevka, 9-2 Night Raider, 7 American Affair, 8 Mission Central, 10 Asfoora, 20 Big Mojo, Rosy Affair, Rumstar, Time For Sandals, 33 Behike, Getreadytorumble, Starlust, 40 Jakajaro, JM Jungle, 50 Frost At Dawn, Mgheera, Shagraan, 66 Ain’t Nobody, First Instinct, Heavenly Heather, 80 Khaadem, 100 Aspect Island, Cover Up, Miss Attitude, Monteille, 150 Azure Angel