The second day of Royal Ascot brings with it the Queen Mary Stakes, regarded as one of the most exciting two-year-old events of the racing season.
Below we have previewed the best of the action from Day Two, with the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes arguably the pick of the day’s proceedings.
2.30 Ascot - 5f Queen Mary Stakes
Wednesday’s action begins with a fascinating renewal of the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes with a field of 26 runners.
Wesley Ward is a go-to trainer in this contest, having won it four times, including with the very smart filly Lady Aurelia and he runs Ultima Grace who won a fillies’ maiden on dirt at Keeneland in her only start so far.
She warrants respect with Joel Rosario over to ride but she might have her work cut out to get the better of Make Haste.
Brazilian trainer Diego Dias has made a really promising start to his training career in Ireland and he would appear to have a top prospect here after she was well found in the market before winning a Naas maiden in facile style.
The turn of foot she showed in the final furlong that day bodes well for this assignment over the straight five furlongs at Ascot and there could be even more to come if she settles better in the early stages of this contest.
Connections turned down a whopping £760,000 in the interim and their confidence in this filly could be rewarded quickly with the quick ground at Ascot likely to suit.
3.05 Ascot - 1m6f Queen's Vase
The Queen’s Vase is an altogether different test, a staying contest for three-year-olds.
It’s a race that has been dominated by Aidan O’Brien down the years and he runs four of the 12 runners in this year’s renewal.
It’s easy to see why stable jockey Ryan Moore has opted for Illinois. He made a winning debut last season before only going down by a length in a Group 1 in France and he’s returned with two promising efforts this time around.
He shaped like he needed further when third in the Ballysax and he also looked like he was all stamina when chasing home Ambiente Friendly in the Lingfield Derby trial.
That’s an effort worth marking up given that he had to make his own running that day and the form couldn’t be working out much better with the winner finishing runner-up in the Derby and the re-opposing third, Meydaan, winning a Listed race subsequently.
He looked well suited to that quicker ground so this surface should suit just fine and Ryan Moore could hardly be in better shape, having ridden seven winners from his last 13 rides before Royal Ascot.
4.15 Ascot - 1m2f Prince Of Wales's Stakes
The feature race on day two is the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and this year’s renewal looks like a cracker.
It’s easy to see why Auguste Rodin is at the top of the betting but he’s not the most reliable for a horse that short in the betting and there may be a bit of each-way value elsewhere.
The French raider Zarakem makes some each-way appeal. He’s proven on decent ground in France and probably found a very testing surface over a bit further too much of a stamina test in the Prix Ganay at Longchamp last time.
However, a drop back in trip on quicker ground could play to his strengths and his tactical speed could be a big asset in a race of this nature.
