Royal Ascot blog - recap the action of day two, including Auguste Rodin's win in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (2024)

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1825: Well, that’s a wrap.

There was no superstar performance from Auguste Rodin in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, but his ‘humdrum’ was superior to all of those who chased him home and a sixth top-level win looked inevitable a long way from home.

It was also business as usual for Ryan Moore who took the Queen’s Vase by the scruff of the neck with Illinois who provided him with an 80th Royal Ascot winner.

Leovanni looked a class above in the Queen Mary, providing her big-spending owners with another high-profile win, while Oisin Murphy rode a double thanks to a change of tactics on Running Lion in the Duke of Cambridge and another step forward from the progressive Wild Tiger in the Royal Hunt Cup.

There was a customary straight-course win for Jamie Spencer, though he had to wait for the aptly named Ain’t Nobody (does it better) in the last race, 35 minutes after Hector Crouch had gained just his second Royal Ascot win thanks to Doha in the Kensington Palace Stakes.

You can catch up with all of the action by heading over to our Royal Ascot day two review.

Make sure you join us again tomorrow from around 10.30 when Ian Ogg will be guiding you through a card which has the Ascot Gold Cup as the feature race at 4.25.

1820: Ain't Nobody wins the Windsor Castle for Kevin Ryan and Jamie Spencer!

It looked as if Gabaldon was going to strike for America on the stands side, but he was mown down close home (on the same side) by Ain't Nobody.

Full Result:

1 Ain't Nobody (IRE) 5/1

2 Gabaldon (USA) 16/1

3 Aviation Time (IRE) 28/1

4 Weissmuller (IRE) 100/1

5 Vingegaard (IRE) 22/1

1813: Wathnan Racing and Karl Burke landed the Queen Mary earlier today and team up here with Artagnan. He was sent off 6/4 favourite on debut and, though beaten, pulled well clear with the winner Loom, and looks overpriced as a result.

I'll stick with those Kassaya formlines, however, with Pont Neuf (who has been described by her trainer as 'talented but quirky') and big outsider Fuji Mountain.

In terms of the draw, who knows? It's seemed fair all day, as the going readings suggested it would be, and there looks to be pace all over the track here, most notably with the American horses.

Runners heading down to the start.

The in-form Oisin Murphy, meanwhile, has been booked to ride Cheval de Guerre, an expensive purchase from the sales. The third American horse is the less-fancied Honorary American for Royal Aacot specialist Wesley Ward.

1755: The first two were a long way clear there and look set for bigger and better things than handicap marks in the 80s (which will have disappeared now!)

Check out the full replay below.

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1744: Doha pips Hopeful to win the Kensington Palace Stakes for jockey Hector Crouch and trainer Ralph Beckett!

Victoria Falls was third with Rowayeh back in fourth.

Full Result:

1 Doha 10/1

2 Hopeful 13/2 f

3 Victoria Falls (IRE) 20/1

4 Rowayeh (IRE) 10/1

5 Aurora Dawn (IRE) 12/1

6 Elim (IRE) 7/1

7 Moonspirit 40/1

1737: Horses heading down to the start. Elim and Hopeful head the betting, and there seems to be a lot of confidence behind the Ed Bethell-trained runner.

Christophe Soumillon picks up the ride on Summer of Love, a 7/1 shot, as Saeed Bin Suroor bids for a quick-fire impossible-handicap-double.

1735: Ben Linfoot and Matt Brocklebank both have selections in the next. Who will come out on top? Old Value Bet? New Value Bet? Neither?

Remember, you can find all of our tips by heading to the Sporting Life tip centre. There are also evening tips in there if you've got any energy left.

1725: Oisin Murphy on Wild Tiger: "Saeed (bin Suroor) provided me with my first Royal Ascot winner (Benbatl) and he's given me another one today.

"He's been integral in my career. I'm very grateful to him and his Highness Sheikh Mohamed, and all the people who work for Godolphin. It's a huge operation and these successes are important.

"He got the mile well, he relaxed brilliantly. He had the perfect preparation and Saeed was very confident - he told me I'd win and I'm glad we got it done."

I'll have more reaction to the Royal Hunt Cup shortly, but I need a little pick-me-up as I'm starting to flag.

The team have been looking ahead to tomorrow's action, so let's find out what they fancy before turning our attentions to the Kensington Palace Stakes.

1715: That was some performance from the Godolphin gelding. He's very well-bred but his form had come in much smaller fields and he really showed his mettle late on there.

He was winning off 98, but may well end up rated higher than the 111-rated runner-up who surely ran a big career-best there.

I'm sure there will be plenty of hard-luck stories there, so you're best off watching the race replay a few times below:

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1707: Wild Tiger (11/2jf) wins the Royal Hunt Cup!

It’s another for Oisin Murphy as Wild Tiger clings on to break the heart of Sonny Liston supporters who have to settle for second once more. Perotto was third ahead of Daysofourlives who ran a cracker in fourth.

Holloway Boy was fifth, with Coeur d'Or a gallant sixth.

I’ll have details of the rest in due course!

Full Result:

1 Wild Tiger 11/2 f

2 Sonny Liston (IRE) 17/2

3 Perotto 25/1

4 Daysofourlives (IRE) 20/1

5 Holloway Boy 22/1

6 Coeur d'Or (IRE) 12/1

7 Metal Merchant (IRE) 18/1

8 King's Code 40/1

1700: A lot of horses heading down to the start, 29 to be exact.

The favourite - albeit only just - is Wild Tiger who is 3/3 in the UK, while there's also support for last year's runner-up Sonny Liston. I'm more interested in Real Gain who demolished a good field at Newmarket last season and looks to have been primed for this after a pipe-opener at Newbury.

But is it significant that James Doyle sticks with the same owner's Beshtani? Honestly, I have no idea.

David Ord's best Wednesday bets

Click here to read Matt Brocklebank's Value Bet for day two of Royal Ascot

1645: Reaction from the feature now.

Ryan Moore on Auguste Rodin: "He's a great little horse.

"Okay, a few times it hasn't happened, but there have been reasons every time. The King George was maybe coming after a hard run in both Derbies, which is a hard thing to do.

"He took me there, going very well, and when I asked him, he really showed great courage. He wanted to win.

"He's a proper horse.

"He's a Group 1 winner at two, he won four Group 1's last year and people are always very quick to knock horses. As soon as they get beat, they want to have a go at you. Every time you send them away, they have a pop at that as well.

"He's been a real good horse and he did everything beautifully today - he deserved that."

Aidan O'Brien: "I'm so delighted for the lads, he's a very special horse. He gets a mile and a half very well but when he gets to the front he waits, so I was probably giving him the wrong instructions all along. We were riding him too far back and when there was no pace, he was too far out of the race.

'We changed everything, Ryan said he was going to ride him positive from now on and engage him straight away.

"Honestly, I feel the blips were my fault, the instructions were wrong, and it was time to start getting it right.

"We saw today, when he gets to the front he waits, and then he goes again.

"He has a personality. Good horses, they have to develop a personality.

"And Ryan gave him a very special ride.

"He can do anything, he can go to America - it's totally dependant on what the lads want to do.

"We were very surprised when he went to the dirt how he handled it, he cruises. The great thing about him now is that he's happy to be ridden forward. Now we're more confident that we've worked him out. "

On a potential clash with City Of Troy, AOB added: The lads will decide that, I'm hoping there will be no need."

Auguste Rodin wins the Prince Of Wales's Stakes

1640: The disappointments of the race were clearly Inspiral and Blue Rose Cen, though there may have been extenuating circ*mstances for both.

Inspiral was asked to make up too much ground wasn’t she? She’s better than that and I think a strongly-run mile may still prove to be her optimum trip, for all she had no chance of showing her turn of foot off here.

Blue Rose Cen has more to prove, but she wasn’t comfortable before the race and looked at ease during it too. She wasn’t given a hard time and might still be worth keeping on side next time with her price likely to be more generous after this.

I though Alflaila, who was also held up, ran a very encouraging race and it will be interesting to see where he goes next as he finished off his race nicely in fourth.

You can read the full race report here.

1628: Auguste Rodin wins the Prince of Wales's Stakes, it's a double on the card for Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien!

I know he's on the best horses a lot of the time, but this is just another good example of the jockey with the sharpest mind around keeping it simple.

Never far from those who sat just off the strong pace set by Snobbish, Moore didn't commit until late but clearly had a lot of horse under him - in part because he didn't have to make up ground from off the pace, unlike Alflaila and Inspiral.

Second place went to Zarakem with Horizon Dore in third, with both French horses also coming from off the gallop.

It wasn't flashy, but it's another routine Group 1 win for Auguste Rodin, his sixth in total.

Full Result:

1 Auguste Rodin (IRE) 13/8 f

2 Zarakem (FR) 33/1

3 Horizon Dore (FR) 7/1

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1620: Horses down at the start for the feature Prince of Wales's Stakes.

Mick Fitzgerald reporting that Blue Rose Cen was edgy in the pre-parade ring. Alex Hammond has described the scenes as a shambles as rank outsider Snobbish was supposed to accompany her down to the start. It's not built up any confidence for me, though I don't know if that's how Blue Rose Cen is normally.

11 Group 1 wins between Auguste Rodin and Inspiral. AR has 5, but has also been a beaten favourite 5 times. It's a puzzler this one isn't it?

Running Lion wins the Duke Of Cambridge

1610: Oisin Murphy very honest with himself in a SSR interview about his day so far and how he didn't shine on his first two rides.

He added about Running Lion: "She's by the horse that put me on the map, Roaring Lion and she's owned by David Howden, who sponsors Ascot through Howden Insurance - he's here.

"She was brilliant today, we got it together. The plan was to go forward and forget about her last two races.

"She relaxed for me, you could see her pricking her ears before we joined in, and how dominant was she at the line.

"She was too keen at Newmarket and I got there too soon. Today, I pretended Newmarket didn't happen."

David Howden: "I knew she had it in her and what a way to do it, fantastic.

"She gets her head down, she changes her legs and she digs in. Her sire Roaring Lion ran the same way, with his head down, and it's wonderful to see.

"We're obviously a partner at Royal Ascot, I bred her, she's by Roaring Lion who tragically died, so it just couldn't be more special.

"For Oisin (Murphy) to do it on Roaring Lion's filly is as good as it gets."

Ryan Moore rode his 80th Royal Ascot winner

1600: I imagine connections of the first four home will all be rather pleased, as there are positives to be taken from all, notably Laurel who could have her sights raised again after that return from injury.

I know the winner made all, but she didn’t seem to go a dawdle and I think it’s just a performance of real merit.

There don’t appear to be any obvious excuses for Rogue Millennium who was in a handy enough position throughout and just didn’t pick up as might have been hoped when brought out to make her challenge.

At the moment her 1.65m guineas price tag makes my drunken purchase of some expensive Norwegian socks (yes I know it’s ‘summer’) look like good business so far, though clearly she has more paddock value than I do.

Click here to get more reaction from all of today's action

1555: I'll have some more reaction to the Duke of Cambridge (race, not person) shortly, but here are some quotes from AOB about earlier winner Illinois.

“I think he might have a little bit more class than a Cup horse. His brother and sister won the Arc, so he’s that type. Ryan said he was caught in a position all the way through the race that he would have preferred not to have been; he was neither up nor back and he wasn’t getting an easy lead. He had to do it tough. He went to the front, then he flattened out - he said the race was over, then he had to ask him to come again. He probably learnt a lot today.

“Highbury is only a baby and we didn’t know what to expect, but obviously he’s a good horse. Wayne said he was very babyish through the race, and will have come on a lot. He’s probably a nice horse as well, probably a Leger-type horse.

“What can I say about Ryan that hasn’t already been said? He’s an unbelievable man.”

1547: Running Lion makes all to win the Duke of Cambridge Stakes! Some ride from Oisin Murphy after the disappointment of Kassaya earlier!

Laurel stayed on best to finish a clear second, giving the Gosden yard a 1-2, with a bunch finish for third meaning a job for the judge. Doom eventually called as third.

Full Result:

1 Running Lion 6/1

2 Laurel 4/1

3 Doom 12/1

4 Magical Sunset (IRE) 66/1

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1540: Horses heading to the start for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes.

French raider Sea The Lady is quite prominent in the betting at 17/2 but the listed winner will need to step up on what we’ve seen so far if she is to land a first Group success. She has 10lb to find on Laurel on Timeform weight-adjusted-ratings, who in turn is 2lb clear of Rogue Millennium who won the race 12 months ago for Tom Clover before being sold.

1535: Laurel returns to the track following a 396-day absence in the Duke of Cambridge - she was due to run in the race last year but suffered a setback ahead of the meeting and has been sidelined since.

Juddmonte’s European racing manager Barry Mahon said: “It will be a big training performance from John and Thady (Gosden) and it is going to be a very big ask.

“To be fair, they are very happy with the filly, but it’s difficult at the best of times (to train winners at Ascot) and when you have been off the track for over 12 months and heading into Royal Ascot, it is a whole different ball game.

“That being said, they are happy with the filly and her work has been nice. But she is bound to need a run and will probably improve from it. We’re hopeful of a good run, but under no illusions that she is definitely going to improve for the run.”

1530: Can son Joseph O'Brien follow in his father Aidan's footsteps? He's just saddling up last year's winner Rogue Millennium for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes, however she might not be the favourite soon as the money continues to come for the returning Laurel who had looked very good prior to disappointing on her final start last season.

There's money around for the other John and Thady Gosden runner, too, with Running Lion attracting support.

Was Rogue Millennium unlucky when third to Ocean Jewel on her reappearance? I think so, but Dave Massey fancies the winner to confirm the form in our Punting Pointers column.

1520: Ryan Moore on Illinois: "He's got plenty of talent. He's doing a few things wrong still. A Lingfield he hung right so we thought it would suit him coming here today but he hung left with me.

"He's got a good engine, he'll keep improving and he's a real nice staying horse.

When asked whether he would be a Gold Cup horse in time, Ryan added:

"I wouldn't say he has to go that far. I think he'll get a bit more professional and you'll see a better horse. He doesn't need to go that far yet."

When asked about being a St Liger contender, he simply said: "Yes".

Keep 'em wanting mo(o)re Ryan.

1515: Much like my old schoolwork, the working out in the Queen's Vase was right but ultimately the answer was wrong as a prominent ride appeared to be key there.

Remember, ignore my selections, and stick with the work of the experts. Matt Brocklebank, hot on the heels of a 66/1 winner yesterday, has two selections starting at 5.05, while the first of Ben Linfoot's four selections runs in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes which is next off at 3.45.

Click here to read Ben Linfoot best bets for Royal Ascot

1507: Illinois wins the Queen’s Vase Stakes!

Brilliant from Ryan Moore who was always alongside Mr Hampstead and wasn't afraid to get after his mount a little earlier than Wayne Lordan on the runner-up Highbury. Birdman appears to have improved again in third, coming from further back than the first two.

The winner idled plenty out in front, moving off a true line, and looks like he will have plenty more to give over this sort of trip, with Aidan O'Brien - who was equalling Sir Henry Cecil's record of eight winners in the Queen's Vase - nominating the St Leger at Doncaster as obvious targets for both...

A reminder that Birdman can't go for the St Leger because he is a gelding. Which seems a bit like adding insult to injury to me.

Full Result

1 Illinois (IRE) 7/4 f

2 Highbury (FR) 3/1

3 Birdman (IRE) 13/2

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1455: No luck in running for the gamble of the race, the eventual 7/2 favourite Kassaya, who got stuck behind a wall of horses on the stands side and Oisin Murphy wasn't hard on her once her chance had gone. It'll have to be another day for the Andrew Balding-trained filly.

Obviously Karl Burke has plenty of firepower at his northern yard, but it was a fine training performance from fellow northern raider Adrian Nicholls with the third Maw Lam. "For us with 20 horses, it’s very exciting to have something that can represent us at these big meetings.”

Leovanni (right) wins the Queen Mary

1450: James Doyle on Leovanni: "It's been a lot of work from everyone behind the scenes, it's easy for me just riding them but, a lot of work has been put in by Richard Brown, his whole team, Oliver Tait, everyone behind them, it's not just those guys. There is a big team behind them that have selected these horses.

"I was pleased with her on debut, she won like a potentially smart filly but it's so hard to tell. Look at yesterday, I had the choice of three in the Coventry Stakes and the one I picked finished out the back. The other two just got beat. It's very difficult to make choices, thankfully I didn't have to choose between two in this race!

"I won this race before on a filly called Rizeena for Clive Britain (2013) and I would say this filly has all the class that she had. The raw speed, the ability to relax, the temperament, being versatile with the ground. There is a lot to look forward to with her."

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of runner-up Mighty Eriu:“That was a great run and we certainly can’t complain. We needed to wait a while for the gap to open; she went through it well and she won her race on her side. She probably got a little bit lonely in front of her bunch, but it was a lovely run and I’m delighted. The winner won well, too, and I wouldn’t take anything away from her. Mighty Eriu will keep improving. Tripwise, I think five or six would be fine for her. She’s got a great attitude and a great mind to her.”

1433: Leovanni wins at 22/1 for Karl Burke!

An authoritative win for Leovanni who storms clear under James Doyle to give Wathnan Racing and Karl Burke another big moment. Mighty Eriu fares best of the rest on the stands side, ahead of Maw Lam and Miss Lamai in third and fourth who both race in the silks of Christopher Hurst. The fourth was also trained by Burke.

On first watch of the replay it looks as if the pace has held up well, with the winner and fourth never too far away, albeit on different sides of the track. The runner-up's performance might need upgrading a little as she had to wait a bit to make her challenge.

Full Result:

1 Leovanni (IRE) 22/1

2 Mighty Eriu (IRE) 50/1

3 Maw Lam (IRE) 50/1

4 Miss Lamai (IRE) 22/1

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1425: Paddock picks likely to be tricky today with the sun shining and every horse done up to a T for the big day, like guests at the first summer wedding of the season.

However, Hayley Moore on Sky Sports Racing has highlighted the fine condition of no.23 Truly Enchanting.

I once tried to find a paddock pick at a Catterick seller which was akin to trying to find love in a Bigg Market kebab shop at 3am.

Racegoers pose for a photo on Royal Ascot 2024 day two

1400: And there we go. Some sort of view on each of the belting seven races that are on offer at the Royal meeting this afternoon, and with 30 minutes to spare and no mention of the football. Ah.

Quick summary:

• Enjoy some essential equine viewing, with a mouthwatering clash between Auguste Rodin, Inspiral and co the headline act at 4.25
• Follow the advice of Matt and Ben and pray that the horse hasn’t bolted
• Embrace the temperature being in the mid-teens with a bright summery floral outfit

I'm off to slip into something more comfortable before the first at 2.30....

1345: Eve Johnson Houghton is massively underestimated as a trainer and she absolutely knows how to land the big sprint races with her juveniles, as she demonstrated when Chipotle won the 2021 Windsor Castle, and I like the claims of Pont Neuf in this year’s renewal.

As I mentioned earlier on (well done to you if you’ve stayed with it since then), I like Kassaya in the opener, but I was also impressed how Pont Neuf managed to run her down at Salisbury last month, especially as I don’t think the heavy ground was in either horse’s favour. He was giving the 1,000,000 guineas half-sister to Chaldean 9 lb that day which was some effort and I can see him progressing again here.

For those who want to roll the dice in these big-field juvenile races, spend a moment looking at Fuji Mountain. He shaped well on debut at York behind Shadow Army (read more about him from his trainer Richard Fahey here) and lost little in defeat behind Kassaya at Nottingham, and is a much more expensive and speedily-bred two-year-old than is usually associated with the yard. And yes, I might be a little obsessed with those formlines.

1330: “Villanova Queen found a handicap liberating after continued tilts at pattern-race windmills since her maiden win, though there were other things in her favour as well, chiefly a sound pace to chase for once and a smart tactical ride that saw her come late and wide as others were short of room closer towards the rail.”

The wise words of the Timeform race reporter following Villanova Queen’s Kensington Palace win 12 months ago, and from just a 1lb higher mark, she makes plenty of appeal at 5.40. I can’t see the switch to the straight track causing her any problems at all and there is some deja-vu about her chance now dropping out of pattern-race company once more with the ground in her favour. Check out last year's win below.

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1315: As mentioned earlier, Dave Ord is one of our team down at Royal Ascot this week. As well as bringing us the latest from the course, he has been poring over the formbook to bring us the Royal Hunt Cup (5.05) winner. Ta-da!

And remember how your parents used to tell you that no-one who sat in front of computers with headphones on would ever do anything with their lives? Well, eat humble pie mum, here are the Paddy Power lads previewing day two with Ruby Walsh. And he's napping one in the big handicap!

In terms of my own views, my main focus on the race was relatively unexposed four-year-olds given the success for those horses in recent years, with the vote eventually going to Daysofourlives who has a visor on for the first time. He’s a horse who appreciates a strongly-run race, stays the trip (and further) and has winning experience over C&D. He’s up another 3lb for his Newmarket effort last month but I don’t think it’s beyond him.

He is also one of Ben Linfoot's selections which you can read in full here.

Rashabar (centre) wins the Coventry at 66/1 for Value Bet

1300: Carriage update, line-ups below.

Also, did you know that the Prince of Wales has many titles, including Baron Carrickfergus. New Bond villain with Harry as 007? Just an idea.

1st Carriage

The Queen

The Prince of Wales

The Earl of Halifax

The Countess of Halifax

2nd Carriage

The Duke of Gloucester

The duch*ess of Gloucester

The Lord Lloyd Webber

The Lady Lloyd Webber

3rd Carriage

Princess Eugenie

Mr. Jack Brooksbank

The Lady Sarah Keswick

Sir Mark Prescott Bt.

4th Carriage

The Marchioness of Lansdowne

The Earl of Rosslyn

Baron von Westenholz

Baroness von Westenholz

Ryan Moore is all smiles after winning on Auguste Rodin

1230: And now the feature. I’ve checked Twitter/X to see if the Prince of Wales’s Stakes is trending but that’s just Katie Hopkins and Justin Timberlake. Separately, I should add.

I’m not sure if you’re allowed to say pacemaker these days (I’ll ask Hopkins), but Hans Andersen appears to be in the field to ensure a good gallop for stablemate Auguste Rodin who we know stays well, but we also know that he doesn’t always run well.

Inspiral appears to stay the trip fine, but that was only one time in America and I’m never totally convinced by these longer races round a million never-ending bends in terms of it being the acid-test of stamina. Will she last home up the hill?

Alflaila remains in training at five which is of interest itself, and he ran on nicely behind AR in the Irish Champion last September so can’t be sniffed at, but I keep coming back to Blue Rose Cen as one who is overpriced. Whilst I concede that last year’s form against her own sex isn’t as strong, I thought her reappearance run in the Prix D’Ispahan (behind the re-opposing Horizon Dore) would bring her on and I've a feeling that this trip on quick ground could suit ideally.

I can see Christophe Soumillon riding her more handily than some of her main rivals and she might just be able to skip away when it matters. "We hope Blue Rose Cen can run a really good race,” said her new trainer yesterday. Me too, Maurizio, me too. (No, not that one Hopkins).

1205: For those of you who might be wondering why there’s a separate C and D in the form figures of Duke of Cambridge (3.45) favourite Rogue Millennium rather than CD, it’s because the race is being run on the round course this year to allow the big field of the Kensington Palace to charge down the straight course. And yes that did keep me awake last night, so much so that I texted Mr Linfoot for the answer. Let’s hope he told me the truth.

Rogue Millennium and the returning Laurel are the class acts, but I must admit I’d be a little concerned about a lack of pace if I was on Joseph O’Brien’s expensive recruit as she is usually held up for a run. If I was Oisin Murphy (I’m not), I’d be temped to ride the roguish Running Lion from the front – she doesn’t seem to want to go past horses from midfield so what is there to lose?

Team Timeform, not to be confused with Baldrick and friends who (also) unearth items of real value, have got their heads together and provided some day two selections which include Laurel. She’s a fascinating runner isn’t she?

Meanwhile, David Massey is on Punting Pointers duty and he has his own selection in the race for you. Check it out here.

1200: Right, question 2, otherwise it’s going to be like herding cats as we approach the first race.

Which Ballydoyle horse wins the Queen’s Vase?

A bit presumptuous, I know, but it has that feel about it. I’m in the Highbury camp. He became a Timeform ‘Horse In Focus’ when beating a subsequent winner at Leopardstown last month, and he looks to be developing at a rate of knots. I also think he might be the best positioned in terms of tactics.

I’m not totally convinced that Illinois will love this quicker ground, as I wasn’t totally sure that it was just the track that seemed to be holding him back when he was one place ahead of Meydaan in the Lingfield Derby Trial, and The Equator still looked green when beaten at the Curragh last time and might be more of a long-term project. Grosvenor Square cannot win. Because he’s a non-runner.

Of their rivals, they didn’t go much of a gallop when Birdman won at Navan so I have a few doubts about the veracity of that form, for all he has done nothing wrong to date, so I’d be more inclined to take a chance on Mina Rashid if backing one at a price given how good his trainer is with these slow-maturing stayers.

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The other at a price is Oxford Rock who missed the break on debut at Tipperary before making a big mid-race move. She was ultimately well-beaten by the re-opposing Truly Enchanting, but I think she looks the quicker filly of the pair and I'm wondering whether Aidan O’Brien’s runner might just get outpaced at a crucial time. Again, 50s looks big.

Of those at shorter prices, I think the form of Kassaya’s win at Nottingham against the colts stands out, as I think the runner-up there is a nice type, and her debut second to Pont Neuf is rock-solid. She kicked nicely clear there before wavering but seemed to learn plenty from it.

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1115: So, onto today's action.

Our Cilla: Question number 1 to contestant number 1, what is your name and where are you from?

Wesley Ward: Wesley Ward. America.

OC: And are you going to win a Royal Ascot sprint this week?

WW: Yup.

Can anything stop America winning the Queen Mary or Windsor Castle again?

According to the betting in both races, yes. Lots of horses. But it’s hard to shake the feeling that there is now a real push amongst the US trainers and owners that these are the races that almost guarantee some return on the airfare. I’ll try and dig out some more informed views in due course, but here are some videos of very quick horses running very fast for as long as they could. In Cheval de Guerre's case (video 3), that wasn't for long enough, as he is the horse in yellow who finishes second.

1045: Now, before we crack on with some previews of today’s action, it’s worth having a read of Dave Ord’s assessment of day 1 in his View from the Course.

“Physically he looks like Superman” is one extract – you'll have to click through to see whether that is a quote about Dave or Rosallion.

Oh, and a going report. Not much has happened so it’s as follows after 5mm of water was applied to the straight course and 4mm on the round.

Stands side 8.2

Middle 7.9

Far side 8.1.

Round course 7.9

Makes the Royal Hunt Cup a piece of cake doesn't it....

And non-runners:

2.30: 8. Glorious Kitty (Going)

3.05: 2. Grosvenor Square (Going)

5.05: 19. Silent Film (Vets Cert)

1030: The first task this morning, however, is to fawn (I was going to use the term fluff but that’s a different, more niche, blog that I do) over the performance of Matt Brocklebank and his tremendous winning 66/1 Value Bet selection in the Coventry yesterday. Knowing Matt, he will probably be more annoyed that it went off at 80s than tipping a winner, but there you go. Some people, eh?

You can read all about it here. Or if you want to get in touch to send gifts then I’m happy to forward them on. Honest.

In other SL tipping news, Ben Linfoot was on good form with a 33/1 shot placed in the same race, before highlighting the claims of Rosallion who really showed his class in the St James's Palace. He celebrates his 44th birthday today and as you can see from his profile pictures and the video below, it was clearly one heck of a paper round.

I, on the otherhand, tipped a horse each-way that finished fourth. Such is life. But bear all this in mind when seeking affirmation of your own selections today.

Obviously, everything is worth reading on the website, but the two most important links on the evidence of day 1 are directly below.

• Value Bet: Moon to shine on Wednesday
• Ben Linfoot: Orchid to Bloom

Good morning

1000ish: Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood morning Wokingham (Or wherever you are, it was just the first Berkshire town that came to mind). Welcome along to Wednesday’s live Royal Ascot blog, where the plan is to reflect on recent events, assess today’s talking points, and look to the future. It’s like therapy but free. And less useful.

Whilst I wait for my medical certificate to arrive in the post like Dr Nick from The Simpsons, let’s outline today’s action.

• Can anything stop America winning the Queen Mary or Windsor Castle?
• Which Ballydoyle horse wins the Queen’s Vase?
• Will the Duke of Cambridge wear his Aston Villa shirt if presenting the prize for the race?
• Is it simply Auguste Rodin v Inspiral in the Prince of Wales’s?
• Why is the Royal Hunt Cup so hard?
• And something about the last two races etc

The last bullet point isn’t really a question is it, but these days do tend to tail off slightly after the feature action, so I’ll be doing my best to keep your full attention until after the closing Windsor Castle at 18:15 BST.

I’m Nic Doggett, and thanks for joining me. I’ll start working on a jingle.

More Royal Ascot previews, tips & features

• Value Bet: Star potential
• Ben Linfoot: Coltrane a cracker
• Karl Burke Stable Tour
• Harry Charlton Stable Tour
• Archie Watson Stable Tour
• Richard Hannon Stable Tour
• Dan Briden's Two-Year-Old Guide
• Timeform: Two-Year-Old pecking order
• Handicappers to note
• Royal Ascot Sky Bet Offers
• Latest Royal Ascot Build-A-Bet
• WATCH: The Stewards' Room Podcast

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