Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O’Brien has trained a remarkable 81 Royal Ascot winners and is closing in on Sir Michael Stoute’s record of 82 victories at the Royal meeting.
This year it looks like O’Brien has a typically strong hand heading over to Berkshire for the five-day meeting, kicking off on Tuesday June 20, all live on Sky Sports Racing.
We have taken a look at seven races with chances for the heavyweight Irish trainer and rated his prospects of further success…
St James’s Palace Stakes – Paddington 11/4
Irish 2000 Guineas hero Paddington was brought along slowly at the start of this season and that decision could be paying dividends as he has an excellent chance of a second Group One in as many months.
A taking win in a Curragh maiden last year was added to with success in the Madrid Handicap at Naas back in March.
But whilst stablemates Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear headed for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, Paddington took in a Listed contest at the Curragh before returning with a power-packed performance to win the Irish 2000 Guineas.
He’ll be facing stiffer opposition at Ascot with Newmarket winner Chaldean and impressive Goodwood victor Cicero’s Gift – but he’s no doubt got the potential to do so.
Ascot rating – 7/10
Paddington landed the Irish 2000 Guineas but faces a tough task in the St James’s Palace Stakes
Prince Of Wales’s Stakes – Luxembourg 7/2
Surely the race of the meeting this time around, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes looks set to include 2022 Derby hero Desert Crown, 2021 victor Adayar and recent Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Luxembourg for Aidan O’Brien.
The latter was favourite for last year’s Derby before injury ruled him out but returned with a success in the Irish Champion Stakes and his four-year-old season was kick-started last time in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.
But can he do it at Ascot against the best the British have to offer?
If Desert Crown comes on for a shock defeat in the Brigadier Gerard, it could be a big ask.
Ascot rating – 4/10
Luxembourg holds off Bay Bridge to win the Tattersalls Gold Cup
Gold Cup – Emily Dickinson 7/1; Broome 10/1
Tricky. That’s the only way to describe this year’s Gold Cup and for that reason, it looks particularly intriguing as a betting heat.
Coltrane and Eldar Eldarov head the market but O’Brien could end up sending several darts at the race, including Emily Dickinson and Broome.
The former suffered a shock defeat when heavy odds-on to win at Leopardstown in the Saval Beg last month, whilst the latter was a decent third in the Yorkshire Cup.
Both will probably need to improve for the step up to the extreme distance, but could well do so.
Ascot rating – 3/10
Emily Dickinson and Ryan Moore (near) win the Race & Stay Fillies Maiden at Naas
Commonwealth Cup – Little Big Bear 15/8
Course form counts for plenty at Ascot, so seeing Little Big Bear as such a short price isn’t as surprising as you’d maybe think on first view.
Last year’s Phoenix Stakes hero was well-beaten in the 2000 Guineas over a distance probably too far for the sprinter – he returned to six furlongs with an easy success in the Sandy Lane Stakes over six furlongs at Haydock.
And given he took the Windsor Castle Stakes at last year’s meeting as well as a lack of top-class sprinters in three-year-old division, it all looks set for Little Big Bear to deliver for the second time at the Royal meeting.
Ascot rating – 9/10
Little Big Bear proves too good for his rivals in the Sandy Lane Stakes
Coronation Stakes – Meditate 8/1
Will Meditate ever beat Tahiyra? After three attempts, it’s an emphatic 3-0 to the Dermot Weld-trained three-year-old and you’d have to wonder if Meditate will ever be able to get the better of her.
She finished second behind her in the Moyglare Stud Stakes last season, and filled the same position in the Irish 1000 Guineas.
Sandwiched between that was a disappointing sixth in the 1000 Guineas – where Tahiyra finished second to Mawj – and that filly is expected to reoppose here.
If any trainer can do it, it’s Aidan O’Brien but it looks a pretty stiff task.
Ascot rating – 2/10
Meditate streaks clear of her rivals at Keeneland
Coventry Stakes – River Tiber 3/1
River Tiber could hardly have made a bigger impression on debut, winning by no less than 10 lengths when romping home at Navan and was instantly made the favourite for the Coventry Stakes.
The move back to the minimum distance didn’t look an obvious positive and it possibly was the case, when needing to be fully pushed out to eventually win by two lengths in workmanlike fashion.
It was a race that showed the two-year-old has plenty resolve as well as the obvious class shown on debut – if he’s in touch with a furlong to run at Ascot, you’d imagine the stiff finish will suit perfectly over the six-furlong trip.
Ascot rating – 8/10
Watch every race from Royal Ascot all live on Sky Sports Racing from Tuesday, June 20 to Saturday, June 24.
