Royal Ascot lived up to expectations on a brilliant opening day with a string of spectacular Group 1 performances by CHARYN, ASFOORA and ROSALLION.
CHARYN won his first Group 1 with Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) success for Roger Varian and Silvestre de Sousa before ASFOORA became Australia’s sixth winner of G1 King Charles III Stakes (1006m) – formerly the King’s Stand Stakes – for Henry Dwyer and Oisin Murphy.
ROSALLION upstaged the favourite NOTABLE SPEECH in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes (1600m) to claim his third Group 1 for Richard Hannon and Sean Levey to underline his immense quality against the cream of European, British and Irish three-year-old milers.
The G2 Coventry Stakes (1200m) provided a surprise with 80-1 chance RASHABAR’s win under Billy Loughnane but it was a triumph for trainer Brian Meehan, who has a strong connection for with the Hong Kong Jockey Club with his expert preparation of the young horses selected for the Hong Kong International Sale.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR was educated by Brian before he arrived in Hong Kong and embarked on what has become an incredible career. RASHABAR provided Brian with his eighth win at Royal Ascot.
This morning, I was in Conghua Racecourse for a site visit and I was impressed with the project progress. Tonight (Wednesday, 19 June), I will first focus on the second day of Royal Ascot on Wednesday night (19 June) with the running of the G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes and three Group 2 races and then on the Euro 2024 football tournament in Germany.
Germany plays Hungary in Stuttgart tonight with Julian Nagelsmann keen for the host nation to build on its 5-1 win over Scotland, while Hungary will be eager to atone for a 3-1 defeat against Switzerland. Germany has a good chance of winning this game but Hungary has been a frustrating opponent for Germany in recent years, with only one loss in six matches, so it will be a very important match for both teams as they look to advance to the final 16.
The feature race at Royal Ascot tonight is the G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes, which is carded as S2-4 will be run over 2005m at 11.25pm.
AUGUSTE RODIN resumed at Meydan when last to REBEL’S ROMANCE in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m) in March. He was sent out favourite at the Curragh and ran an improved race to beat all but WHITE BIRCH in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. AUGUSTE RODIN would be very hard to beat on his best form and is a win and place chance for Ryan Moore.
John and Thady Gosden decided to bypass the Queen Anne Stakes with INSPIRAL to target this race instead. INSPIRAL resumed with a 13-length fourth behind stablemate AUDIENCE in the Lockinge Stakes and is capable of significant improvement under Kieren Shoemark and is a place chance.
The French challenge is led by HORIZON DORE who showed his trademark turn of foot to come from the rear and hit the front in the G1 Prix d’Ispahan on 26 May before MQSE DE SEVIGNE claimed him late. HORIZON DORE likes good going and if he gets the predicted fast ground, he is a place chance for Mickael Barzalona.
BLUE ROSE CEN and ALFLAILA are place chances.
The feature race on Thursday night (20 June) is the Gold Cup, which is run over 3991m at 11.25pm.
The speed in this race, which is run over a marathon distance, is always moderate but a number of runners here like to race prominently. VAUBAN and TRAWLERMAN are likely to set the pace with KYPRIOS, PRYDWEN and TRUESHAN all close to the speed and happy to force the pace if required a fair way from home.
Aidan O’Brien has won this race eight times, including an incredible four in a row with Yeats from 2006-2009. KYPRIOS won this race in 2022 and is among the entries this year after missing last year’s renewal with injury. KYPRIOS is an incredible staying talent and has won both starts this year, most recently the G3 Saval Beg Stakes (2800m) at Leopardstown on 17 May. He is my win and place selection for Ryan Moore.
VAUBAN won a valuable handicap at the Royal meeting last year and was unplaced as favourite in the Melbourne Cup in November. He ran well for second when resuming behind GIAVELLOTTO in the G2 Yorkshire Cup (2800m) at York on 17 May. If he can stay the Gold Cup distance, VAUBAN is a place chance.
William Buick rides TRAWLERMAN for John and Thady Gosden, who won the race last year with COURAGE MON AMI. TRAWLERMAN beat KYPRIOS at Ascot in October in the Long Distance Cup (3115m) and is a talented stayer with a place chance.
GREGORY was third in the Yorkshire Cup finishing just behind VAUBAN and while he is a lightly-raced horse having just his seventh race start, he is another chance in the race for John and Thady Gosden.
This is always an intriguing race where courage and stamina come to the fore. TRUESHAN for Hollie Doyle, won the Prix du Cadran on Arc Day last year and COLTRANE, runner-up in this race last year, are genuine stayers who also have place claims.
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