This year’s meeting opener, the Queen Anne Stakes, is a top-notch renewal, but Lead Artist is the clubhouse leader in the older miling division after winning the Lockinge at Newbury, from which the first four all meet again.
There seems to be a belief that Rosallion will have little trouble in turning around the Lockinge form, but he has over two lengths to find and when you dig into his form from last season, it is not hard to pick holes in it.
Rosallion and Notable Speech backers will say they are entitled to come on a good deal for their first run, which they are, but Lead Artist was almost having his first run too having been bogged down at Sandown behind Dancing Gemini.
The fact that this is on the straight course is should be another plus for Lead Artist as he looks like a horse that is more of a galloper and having been passed by Dancing Gemini in the Lockinge, at the line he was going away again.
A little under two hours later Keane will get the leg-up on Irish 2,000 Guineas hero Field Of Gold, another for John and Thady Gosden.
This race has a different complexion as it is round a bend, but Keane knows his mount now and is unlikely to be too far off the pace.
His Newmarket conqueror Ruling Court runs after being a late withdrawal from the Derby, but three strides after the line at Newmarket Field Of Gold was in front and he can put the record straight.
Karl Burke’s Night Raider looks an exciting proposition on his first run over five furlongs in the King Charles III Stakes.
Incredibly for one which shows so much speed now he took his chance in the Guineas last year, but dropping to the minimum trip looks the right call given how he ran at York on his comeback.
When an Aidan O’Brien two-year-old wins at a big price it is usually a good sign and that was the case with Warsaw at Navan.
He only just made the racecourse in time to secure his Ascot ticket, but he created a big impression when bounding clear.
Willie Mullins’ instructions on being sent Reaching High on the retirement of Michael Stoute were no doubt to do all he can to win at this meeting for the King and Queen.
He ran a perfectly respectable first race when beaten a short head at Leopardstown and will be one of the most popular winners of the week should he come home in front under Ryan Moore in the Ascot Stakes.
George Scott’s Caballo De Mar is a stayer still on the up and gets the nod in the Copper Horse Stakes. He has only tasted defeat once in his last seven outings and that was in the Chester Cup to East India Dock.
Caballo De Mar has won since to prove that there is certainly still more in the tank and it might be significant connections come back in trip for this rather than have a go at the Ascot Stakes.
Richard Fahey’s Ecureuil Secret absolutely bolted up at Epsom and looks ready for the step up to Listed company in the Wolferton Stakes.