Declarations for the opening day of Royal Ascot have been confirmed this morning, a day which features three Group 1’s alongside some high-class two-year-old and handicap action.
The opening race on day one, the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes, will see the Charlie Appleby-trained Lockinge winner take on eleven rivals, including last year's emphatic Group 1 Coronation Stakes winner Inspiral.
The reopposing Chindit will be looking to break his Group 1 duck having finished runner-up to Modern Games in this season's Lockinge Stakes while Charlie Appleby arrives doublehanded as Native Trail bids for further Group 1 glory following his Irish 2000 Guineas success last year.
Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes (2.30)
Angel Bleu - Hector Crouch
Berkshire Shadow - Oisin Murphy
Cash - Tom Marquand
Chindit - Pat Dobbs
Inspiral - Frankie Dettori
Light Infantry - Jamie Spencer
Lusail - Ryan Moore
Modern Games - William Buick
Mutasaabeq - Jim Crowley
Native Trail - James Doyle
Pogo - Kieran Shoemark
Triple Time - Neil Callan
Nineteen stand their ground in what looks set to be a fast and frantic Group 1 King's Stand Stakes. Star sprinting mare Highfield Princess looks the pick of the home contingent and John Quinn will be hoping she can add further Group 1 success to her CV following an impressive performance in last year's Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
However, the international challenge appears strong with Australian sprinters Coolangatta and Cannonball leading the charge to replicate Nature Strip's demolition in this race twelve months ago. The Karl Burke-trained Dramatised will be attempting to back up her victory in the Group 2 Temple Stakes recently while Frankie Dettori has been booked to ride the progressive Manaccan.
Group 1 King's Stand Stakes (3.40)
Annaf - Rossa Ryan
Bradsell - Hollie Doyle
Cannonball - Brett Prebble
Chipstead - Richard Kingscote
Coolangatta - James McDonald
Desert Cop - Oisin Murphy
Dramatised - Daniel Tudhope
Existent - Neil Callan
Equilateral - William Buick
Happy Romance - Sean Levey
Highfield Princess - Jason Hart
Manaccan - Frankie Dettori
Marshman - Clifford Lee
Mitbaahy - David Egan
Mooneista - Dylan Browne McMonagle
Raasel - James Doyle
Twilight Calls - Ryan Moore
Twilight Gleaming - Irad Ortiz Jr
Vadream - Kieran Shoemark
English, Irish and French 2000 Guineas form will be put to the test on Tuesday as nine stand their ground for the showpiece three-year-old mile division contest, the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes.
Chaldean, who bounced back from an unfortunate mishap in the Greenham Stakes on his reappearance to land the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket last month, will be looking to prove the home form is strongest. He'll face eight rivals including Aidan O'Brien's impressive Irish 2000 Guineas scorer Paddington and narrow French 2000 Guineas runner-up Isaac Shelby. The progressive Charlie Hills-trained Cicero's Gift also features amongst the nine declarations and will be partnered by Kieran Shoemark.
Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes (4.20)
Chaldean - Frankie Dettori
Charyn - David Egan
Cicero's Gift - Kieran Shoemark
Galeron - James McDonald
Indestructible - Kevin Stott
Isaac Shelby - William Buick
Mostabshir - Jim Crowley
Paddington - Ryan Moore
Royal Scotsman - Jamie Spencer
