Royal Ascot - Day 2 Preview

Royal Ascot - Wednesday June 21

Race to watch: The big race is the Prince of Wales's Stakes in which 2021 Derby winner, Adayar, tries to bag a first Group One over a mile and a quarter and set himself up as a stallion. He will meet top-class opponents in Luxembourg and Bay Bridge, who beat him in the Champion Stakes, albeit on more testing ground.

Tip of the day: Intellogent in the Royal Hunt Cup (5pm). A 12-1 shot, he likes fast ground and Ascot. He was runner-up in this race 12 months ago only beaten half a length. This year he is1lb lower at the weights - which should give him half a length to spare!

Full race schedule for Wednesday

• Queen Mary Stakes - 2:30pm (UK time)
  
  A max field of 28 assemble here for what is sure to be a Queen Mary run at a fast pace. Such is Wesley Ward's impressive record in this race, that it is quite surprising to see his sole representative BUNDCHEN at double figure odds for a Queen Mary that looks very open. Indeed, Wesley Ward has had a runner finish in the first four in 9 of the last 10 runnings of the Queen Mary and, with the ground sure to suit, Bundchen is fancied to go very close indeed.  Beautiful Diamond and Born To Rock both made winning starts to their careers when they prevailed at Nottingham and York respectively. These fillies should be at the front end of the field from the start of this 5f contest and, based on their debut runs, they are likely to be battling it out at the finish for the top prize.(Tip: Beautiful Diamond & Born To Rock)

• Kensington Palace Stakes - 3:05pm (UK time)
  
  It was not hard to spot YERWANTHERE run into all sorts of trouble on her reappearance in the Listed Owenstown Stakes at Naas over 7 furlongs last month, basically finishing on the bridle in a race where she can very much be considered an unlucky loser. She will need her share of luck here given her style of running but, granted a fair crack at proceedings, she strikes as a filly with plenty more to offer after just 3 career starts and could easily make her presence felt here, with the booking of jockey James McDonald more than taking the eye.  Crystal Caprice has been running at Listed level on her previous four starts and she has gone close on a couple of occasions. The last time she was in handicap company, she recorded back-to-back successes at Ascot and Goodwood. Sir Michael Stoute's runner is dropping back down to 1m, and this looks like her optimum trip. Lady Eros, after scoring at Yarmouth on June 1, will be bidding to defy a 6lb rise in the weights in this race. She was full of running at the finish on the East Coast, which indicates there could be much more to come from John and Thady Gosden's horse. Oisin Murphy is again in the driving seat.(Tip: Lady Eros & Crystal Caprice)

• Duke Of Cambridge Stakes - 3:40pm (UK time)
  
  ROGUE MILLENNIUM looked better than ever on her last start, finishing an admirable 2^nd to Free Wind in a useful renewal of the Group 2 Middleton Stakes and she rates an interesting contender now dropped back to a mile for the first time at a track she should appreciate. Moreover, in jockey Daniel Tudhope, Rogue Millennium has a jockey whose record at Ascot is exemplary, especially down the straight course and, in a race lacking an outstanding candidate, Rogue Millennium is fancied to reward each-way support at the least. Jumbly finished second at this level on her opening appearance of the season in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes at the Curragh. She also ran well to prevail on the round course here in a Group 3 contest last summer and, with Ryan Moore booked in the saddle, she should be in the mix at the finish. Prosperous Voyage defeated Inspiral in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket last season. She was back to her best at Epsom early this month, prevailing in a Group 3 event, and Ralph Beckett's filly is a big player in this field. Frankie Dettori is the pilot.(Tip: Random Harvest)

• Prince Of Wales's Stakes - 4:20pm (UK time)
  
  Former Derby winner Adayar made a striking return to action at Newmarket last month in the Gordon Richards Stakes where he appeared back to his best. He went very close to winning the Qipco Champion Stakes over course and distance last season, going down by less than a length behind Bay Bridge, and can reverse the form with Sir Michael Stoute's runner this time.
  
  Adayar: 2021 Derby winner, top-class colt who reappeared with a stylish win at Newmarket. Should appreciate fastish ground and fancied to go very close here.
  Bay Bridge: Top-class middle distance horse in the right conditions, but has so far saved his best for softer going. Fast ground can see him vulnerable here.

  Classic Causeway: American raider, Grade 1 winner on turf last year but not been in the same form so far this year. Looks to have far too much to do here.

  Luxembourg: 3-time Group 1 winner, including the Tattersalls Gold Cup last time out from the front. This is tougher altogether, for all that he can give another good account.

  Mostahdaf: Goes best fresh, looked as good as ever when a 7 length winner of the NEOM Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia back in February; can run well fresh again.

  My Prospero: Ran a huge race in the Lockinge to finish a good 4^th, having raced up with a strong pace throughout. Will appreciate the return to 1m2f; major player.

  (Tip: My Prospero)

• Royal Hunt Cup - 5pm (UK time)
  
  Many will have PEROTTO as their handicap banker of the week and it is easy to see why, having very much caught the eye over an inadequate 7 furlongs in last month's Victoria Cup on his first start for Roger Varian. Having been rated as high as 110, Perotto is now down to a mark of 96, 3lbs lower than the rating from which he won the 2021 Britannia Handicap over this course & distance. With a potentially plum draw in stall 30, the stage looks set for Perotto to bounce back in a reapplied tongue tie and very much make his presence felt here.  Ghaly ended last season with back-to-back victories at York and Newmarket over the distance of 1m, beating King Of Conquest, who is now a Listed runner in the subsequent 5.35. Saeed bin Suroor's gelding is up to a career-high mark of 102, but it does not look like he is done improving just yet.  Perotto won the Britannia Stakes at this meeting in 2021 from a 3lb higher mark than he will face on this occasion. He ran well on his seasonal reappearance at this course last month after he had relocated to trainer Roger Varian. He should come on for that outing.(Tip: Perotto & Ghaly - Inellogent the talk horse)

• Queen's Vase Stakes - 5:35pm (UK time) 

  Unbeaten colt GREGORY could provide an instant return for his new owners Wathnan Racing, who stepped in to buy the son of Golden Horn after a taking winning performance in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood. Gregory promises to be suited both by the step up to 1m6f and by a galloping track such as Ascot; he ticks plenty of boxes as he bids to make it 3 wins from 3 starts. Gregory has done nothing wrong so far in his career and the son of Golden Horn is an exciting prospect, especially over this extra distance, which his pedigree suggests will suit. And here is another chance for Dettori to get a Royal Ascot winner. Saint George took the step up to 1m6f in his stride last time and is fancied to prove himself a colt of Group calibre with a big run here.(Tip: Gregory)

• Windsor Castle Stakes - 6:10pm (UK time)
  
  It is interesting that BARNWELL BOY has bypassed both the Coventry and the Norfolk in favour of the calmer waters of this Windsor Castle and he looks sure to capitalise. Barnwell Boy showed bundles of speed to score by 4 ½ lengths on debut over 6 furlongs at Goodwood and should not be inconvenienced by the drop to 5 furlongs here; he can take plenty of beating. Bombay Bazaar looks a colt firmly on the improve, winning 2 of his 3 starts to date and could easily run another big race here.(Tip: Maximum Impact)