Royal Ascot always begins with a big splash on the Tuesday – three Group One race on the menu for racegoers in the shape of the Queen Anne Stakes, the King’s Stand Stakes and the St James’s Palace Stakes and here is the lowdown on the runners in each of them.
2.30 Queen Anne Stakes: Last year’s 33-1 winner Accidental Agent is back for trainer Eve Johnson Houghton, although will probably be a single-figure price this time. Aidan O’Brien’s Le Brivido is an uneasy favourite for this race over the straight mile, with plenty of money seen for Charlie Appleby’s Barney Roy.
LE BRIVIDO (Trainer: Aidan O’Brien, Jockey: Ryan Moore) 4-1: A Royal Ascot winner two years ago for Andre Fabre, shaped well but not superbly on two runs this year.
BARNEY ROY (pictured; Charlie Appleby, James Doyle) 9-2: A winner of the St James’s Palace Stakes on this day two years ago. Retired to stud, then returned after fertility issues, two tune up races should have him right.
MUSTASHRY (Michael Stoute, Jim Crowley) 5-1: Has suffered the odd bad race but recent win in the Lockinge Stakes should see him right up there.
LAURENS (Karl Burke, PJ McDonald) 6-1: Four Group 1 wins last year and a solid second in the Lockinge.
HAZAPOUR (Dermot Weld, Frankie Dettori) 9-1: Ran a good race in the Epsom Derby last year and back down to a mile won a Group 3 at Leopardstown last time.
ACCIDENTAL AGENT (Eve Johnson Houghton, Charles Bishop) 11-1: Last year’s winner disappointed in two subsequent runs but a competitive third in the Lockinge hints at return to form.
LORD GLITTERS (David O’Meara, Daniel Tudhope) 12-1: Just behind Accidental Agent in this last year but worryingly off the pace in the Lockinge.
OLMEDO (Jean-Claude Rouget, Cristian Demuro) 14-1: A Group 1 winner over a mile in France – trip and going should suit.
ONE MASTER (William Haggas, Pierre-Charles Boudot) 14-1: Was a shock Group 1 winner at Longchamp last year but form not up to that since.
BEAT THE BANK (Andrew Balding, Silvestre De Sousa) 18-1: Group 1 has been too much of a step up in the past, as illustrated by well-beaten 11th in the Lockinge.
DREAM CASTLE (Saeed bin Suroor, Christophe Soumillon) 18-1: Three wins out of four in Meydan over winter and decent Group 1 return to turf at Longchamp.
SHARJA BRIDGE (Roger Varian, Andrea Atzeni) 18-1: Another with it all to do to turn around Lockinge form.
MATTERHORN (Mark Johnston, Oisin Murphy) 22-1: Six impressive all-weather wins over winter and decent turf form but not in this class.
STORMY ANTARCTIC (Ed Walker, Gerard Mosse) 28-1: Usually runs to his best, but that may not be good enough here.
ROMANISED (Ken Condon, Billy Lee) 33-1: Has tendency to run some crackers – beat the favourite for this race home in the Lockinge and won Irish 2,000 Guineas last year so has each-way claims.
