Royal Ascot is back on Tuesday with a fantastic seven-race card to get stuck into and day one features no fewer than three Group 1 contests.
The Queen Anne gets proceedings underway at 2.30, with the King Charles III Stakes going to post at 3.45 and the St James’s Palace Stakes coming up at 4.25.
There is also Group 2 action in the shape of the Coventry Stakes at 3.05, while the Listed Wolfreton Stakes is scheduled for 5.40.
Here, we have previewed the pick of the action from the first day of the prestigious meeting.
2.30 Ascot - 1m (Str) Queen Anne Stakes
It looks like a fascinating renewal of the Queen Anne this year and while there’s no standout contender, it makes for an interesting betting heat.
There’s an argument to say Facteur Cheval should be outright favourite for this race after his success in the Dubai Turf when last seen out in Dubai.
That was a strong renewal of that race and the fourth has already come out and won a Grade 1 in America subsequently as well as a couple of other notable form boosts from those that finished further down the field.
He ran a cracker behind re-opposing Big Rock here on Champions’ Day last season and, while he was six lengths off that rival that day, a quicker surface should help him turn the form around, with all of that rival’s best form on soft.
5.05 Ascot - 2m4f Ascot Stakes
The other Group races on the card aren’t particularly attractive betting heats but that can’t be said about the Ascot Stakes at 5.05.
One that looks capable of running a big race is Pied Piper who went so close in last year’s Cesarewitch at Newmarket.
That was off a mark 4lb lower than what he races off here but not much went his way that day and there’s probably still a fair amount of scope in his current mark of 100.
He was in good form over hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival when last seen, hitting the frame in the County Handicap Hurdle from a mark of 156 and there’s a suspicion that he could be well treated back in this sphere, particularly over this sort of distance on the level.
5.40 Ascot - 1m2f Wolferton Stakes
It looks like a red-hot renewal of the Wolferton Stakes and Israr could take some beating dropping down in class.
Things didn’t work out for him in a small field at Chester last time out behind Passenger, but this test should be more to his liking.
He was a Group 2 winner at Newmarket last season, a victory he escapes a penalty for, and if he gets back to that sort of level, he’s going to take some beating.
