THE French could get off to a flying start in the Queen Anne Stakes as they field a filly and a mare who have already made it several times at the highest level. The in-form Jean-Claude Rouget has sent the Aga Khan’s Ervedya for the Group 1 mile and Andre Fabre will saddle Esoterique for France Galop President, Edouard de Rothschild.

Both have already made their mark in England. Ervedya beat Found in the Coronation Stakes at this meeting and her other major successes last year came in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and the Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. She was not given a hard time when second to Vadamos in the Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud on May 1st.

Now a six-year-old, Esoterique has also won three Group 1 races over a mile. In 2014, she won the Prix Rothschild and last year added the Fresnay-Le-Buffard sponsored Prix Jacques Le Marois before the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes.

Just last Saturday, the mare was treated gently when chasing Attendu home in the seven-furlong Prix du Palais-Royal at Deauville.

Bolting is an interesting colt and one surely going the right way although it would be an enormous jump up in class to run him in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

The son of War Front is on a hat-trick following a narrow victory in the Listed Prix du Pont-Neuf and this extra furlong will be an advantage.

Francis Graffard has taken the precaution of entering him in the Jersey Stakes, where the opposition is of a lesser class, and this is the likely option.

Matthieu Palussiere may also let his recent Group 3 winner Ross Castle (goes well on soft) take his chance in the Jersey.

One of the French bankers at the meeting is Usherette and she runs in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes together with Maimara. Trained by Andre Fabre, Usherette has won her last three races and most recently the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket. Maimara looks to have more on her plate although she was the winner of the Group 3 Prix Edmond Blanc earlier in the season.

It is unusual to have French runners in English two-year-old races at this time of the season but both Al Johrah and the Irish-owned and bred Spiaggia line up for the Queen Mary Stakes.

The former, trained by Henri-Francois Devin, is unbeaten in two races and Spiaggia made a winning debut at Chantilly. They are both very promising fillies.

Francois Rohaut is a very professional man and he would not have chosen the Royal Hunt Cup for group-placed Mr Owen without good reason. Mille Et Mille and Kicky Blue clash again in the Ascot Gold Cup. In that order they filled the first two places in the Group 1 Prix du Cadran last October.

Jean Claude-Rouget must have a leading chance of landing back-to-back wins in the Coronation Stakes where he fields Qemah.

She was favourite for the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches but did not have the best of runs and finished third to her stablemate, La Cressonniere. Last year, she was third to Ballydoyle in the Prix Marcel Boussac.

Cheikeljack has not been out since taking the Prix Djebel from Attendu, who landed a handsome victory in last Saturday’s Prix du Palais-Royal at Deauville. He runs in the Commonwealth Cup along with Money Maker who has more to find in the form book.

Signs Of Blessing has good form this year and will be back to his best distance in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes where he has an each-way chance.

Francis-Henri Graffard has chosen the Hardwicke Stakes for his Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris winner, Erupt. He has taken time to come to hand this season and his run in the Prix d’Ispahan (far too short) should be ignored. He was also fifth to Golden Horn in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and now back to his best distance.

BEST FRENCH CHANCES

AT ROYAL ASCOT

Queen Anne Stakes: ERVEDYA

Duke of Cambridge Stakes: USHERETTE (NAP)

Coronation Stakes: QEMAH

Royal Hunt Cup: MR OWEN