The top-class action keeps on coming at Royal Ascot with the £250,000 Coronation Stakes over one-mile (1600 metres) taking centre-stage on Friday. The Group 1 showpiece is due off at 4.45pm. Dual 1,000 Guineas runner-up Together features among 13 declared fillies for this renewal.
Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old was just three-quarters of a length behind Blue Bunting in the first fillies’ Classic of the season at Newmarket and was the same distance behind stablemate Misty For Me at The Curragh.
Theyskens’ Theory is a major contender for Brian Meehan, having impressed on her first start of the year at York, while John Gosden saddles Joviality and Maqaasid, who could be the banker bet from the Gosden team. The jury is still out even among those connected with the QIPCO 1000 Guineas third whether or not she truly stays the mile, but in the French equivalent she was the only one finishing from a poor wide draw.
The stable will be doubly represented in the Group 1 fillies’ contest by Joviality, a big Cape Cross filly who won at York in the Musidora and is coming back in trip from 10 furlongs to a mile. Jockey William Buick is hopeful she will be thereabouts.
At 3.05pm the £140,000 Group 2 King Edward V11 Stakes over one mile and four furlongs (2400 metres) has attracted a final field of 11 and looks a cracking contest for three-year-old colts and geldings.
Sir Henry Cecil’s much heralded one-time Investec Derby favourite World Domination, who disappointed in his most recent outing in the Dante trial, is looking to bounce back while Fiorente could well provide another Royal Ascot success for the Sir Michael Stoute/Ryan Moore combo.
Northern trainer Mark Johnston saddles the first and second from the Lingfield Derby Trial while Nathaniel, from the John Gosden yard, had this race as a target following his second in the Chester Vase.
All-conquering trainer Richard Fahey has paid the supplementary entry fee for Chester winner Glen’s Diamond so there is obvious stable confidence and champion jockey Paul Hanagan takes the ride.
The £60,000 Group 3 Albany Stakes over six furlongs (1200 metres) kicks off the action at 3.30pm.
Irish wizard Jim Bolger has won this race before and he has high hopes with recent Naas winner Teolane (Kevin Manning rides).
From across the pond, Wesley Ward’s superb support for the meeting continues when he saddles, Judy the Beauty, and rumour has it that this might just be the best in his raiding party. Illaunglass, trained by Newmarket-based Jeremy Noseda, is likely to prove best of the home team.
At 6pm the £60,000 Queens Vase over two miles (3200 metres) has tended to be dominated by Mark Johnston (five-times winning trainer) and Aidan O’Brien.
The latter only has one entry this year in Regent Street with Ryan Moore up, while Johnston however has three entries, Eternal Heart, Halifax and Namibian. Sir Henry Cecil is quietly confident in his lightly raced Solar Sky.
Friday’s card is completed by the Wolferton Handicap and the Buckingham Palace Stakes.
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