WHEN Robson de Aguiar returns to Royal Ascot next week, it will be different to any other year he has passed through those hallowed gates.

There have been some fine results for the highly-respected horseman at the Berkshire venue in recent times through his role in the Adrian Murray operation, none more so than Valiant Force’s 150/1 shock in the 2023 Norfolk Stakes. However, the 2026 Royal Meeting signals his first chance to have Ascot runners in his own name.

On paper, at least, the 44-year-old has quite an enviable team to target the biggest week in global flat racing. He could even be involved in one of the races of the season when Group 1 winner Power Blue takes on Bow Echo, Gstaad, Talk Of New York and Rayif in an all-star edition of the St James’s Palace Stakes on Tuesday.

De Aguiar told The Irish Field: “I’m bringing 10 horses to Ascot and all of them are heading there healthy and in good form. Winning at this meeting is obviously not easy, but I think some of them could appear at the finish and it wouldn’t surprise me if they won.

“Even aside from Valiant Force, we’ve had plenty of horses run very well and be placed at Royal Ascot before. Thankfully, our horses have usually shown up well at this place. That’s nice to feel when you’re going back there again, and I hope we can get a winner from the week.”

On Power Blue, he added: “Power Blue could have the option of the Jersey Stakes, but I think he will go for the St James’s Palace. He ran well when fourth in the Irish 2000 Guineas and I feel he’s improved again since then. He’s got better race to race this season and I’m very happy with the way he feels now.”

Bookmakers reckon it is in the two-year-old division that de Aguiar’s best chances of a Royal breakthrough lie, however, and that makes full sense.

A number of his contenders are doubly-entered on the week, including the Amo Racing-owned Controlla, who went into many a notebook when beaten a neck in second behind Queen Mary Stakes favourite Victorious in the Group 3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes on Royal Ascot Trials Day at Naas.

The Night Of Thunder filly is closely related to Royal Ascot winner Khaloosy (2020 Britannia Stakes) and earned a pretty lofty Timeform rating of 99 for her introductory effort.

Group 1 potential

“We’re looking at the Windsor Castle or the Albany for Controlla. I’m going to watch how the two races are looking and see which way I’ll go with her,” explained the native of Brazil, who came to Ireland 20 years ago this year.

“Either way, I think she’s going to run a very nice race. She’s a filly who has a lot more to give from what she did on her first start. We didn’t really work her for that race at Naas, we just put her in there to see how she was going and she did nicely. She’s improving a lot. I think she’ll run very, very well at Ascot and is going to be a Group 1 filly before the end of the year. I hope she can be very close.”

Tribeca, part-owned by Anne O’Callaghan, is set to carry the same Amo colours next week after a likeable debut performance to win a Navan maiden in late April. The form of that success has been working out strongly too, with runner-up Barrow Boy winning next time out at the same venue for Gavin Cromwell and the third, Arizona Raider, collecting in a Roscommon maiden.

“My first option for Tribeca is the Norfolk Stakes and the second is the Coventry,” said de Aguiar.

“He’s a nice horse, still a little babyish, but he’s coming the right way and should be competitive next week.

“I have a lot of nice young horses, plenty of big and strong types who are helping us build to the future. I think we could have some really nice three-year-old types next season.”

De Aguiar has a brace of entries in Monday’s Goffs London Sale, both of which have options to run next week. Your Song caused a bit of an upset when winning at Naas on Royal Ascot Trials Day last time, though her trainer says it would be no shock whatsoever if she played a leading role in Wednesday’s Queen Mary Stakes.

Powerful filly

“I think Your Song will be very competitive in the Queen Mary,” he noted. “She’s very strong, a powerful filly and she’s been working well. Every time she works, she improves and she stepped forward a lot last time. I could see her running a big race.”

Immortal Guard, the Persian Force colt who landed a gamble on his Curragh debut before finishing third to Great Barrier Reef in the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes, is entered for the sale and Coventry Stakes on Tuesday. Meanwhile, stablemate Edward Thatch has a Coventry entry, but looks an unlikely runner, according to his trainer.

“Immortal Guard is in the sale and the Coventry, and if he wasn’t in the sale, I’d wait for him to step up in trip somewhere else - he’s crying out to go up to seven furlongs,” he said.

“He was third in the Marble Hill last time, but we were supposed to run Edward Thatch in that race before he had a cough and a little temperature. I brought Immortal Guard to the Curragh to run, but he hadn’t really been worked for that race. He did it very well and, on both of his starts, without really having been ready, he won and finished third in a very good race.

“I think I’m going to skip Royal Ascot with Edward Thatch, because he’s growing all the time right now. He might go to the Curragh on Derby weekend or we could wait a little longer on him for something like the Railway Stakes. Time will do him good. This is a very nice horse. He’s got a lot of ability. I love him.”

On Bull Shark, who has the benefit of four previous placed runs, but is still seeking a first victory, he added: “This horse is going to run a big race in the Coventry. He showed a good bit of improvement on his last run at the Curragh [when second to Aix La Chapelle] and that was probably the first day he was hardening for Ascot. I think he’ll run a big race over there.”

Handicap contender

Quick ground is expected to play to the strengths of dual listed-winning filly Ipanema Queen when tackling handicap company in Friday’s Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes. Stablemate Carolina Jetstream, a 66/1 second in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes last time, has the option of a handicap too in Wednesday’s Kensington Palace Stakes, or the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes on the same afternoon.

Meanwhile, Dallas Star is entered on multiple fronts, but looks most likely to tackle the concluding Queen Alexandra Stakes, having finished fourth in the same race 12 months ago.

De Aguiar said: “We’ve picked out the Palace of Holyroodhouse for Ipanema Queen. She hated soft ground at Cork earlier in the season and she took her run well at the Curragh last time [when fourth]. We weren’t being too hard on her in the lead-up to Ascot and we were happy with her run.

“Carolina Jetstream is one I’ve always liked and has always shown us something at home. Her last run didn’t surprise me, because I thought she’d be in the first three. She goes to either the handicap or the group race in very good form again. Dallas Star could go for the Queen Alexandra. He’s been better since we gelded him and he usually gives his running.”