Guineas hero Chaldean will bid to repeat his impressive Newmarket performance when he goes for the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.

The Andrew Balding-trained Frankel colt headed to the first Classic of the season with question marks having unshipped Frankie Dettori at the start in his intended tune-up in the Greenham at Newbury.

But he silenced the doubters in style on the Rowley Mile to claim 2000 Guineas glory as he showed all the qualities that made him such a formidable two-year-old last year. He now heads to Berkshire attempting to add to his impeccable CV.

Both Jim Bolger’s Poetic Flare and Charlie Appleby’s Coroebus have completed the 2000 Guineas/St James’s Palace double in the past two seasons and connections are not worried about Chaldean’s draw in stall one as he attempts to follow in their footsteps, tackling a round course for the first time.

“He’s pretty uncomplicated. He can jump and be handy and he can jump and take a pull. He’s a versatile horse when you look at his races,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“Last year at Doncaster he had a small field to contend with and had to make it, then Newmarket he settled in and took a lead, so he’s versatile and it will be great to see him back.

“The horse has never done anything wrong in his career to date and hopefully he can continue his good run. Andrew is happy, everyone at Kingsclere feels he is in the right place and we’re all excited for Tuesday.”

Chaldean is not the only Classic winner in the line-up as the red-hot contest also features Paddington, who claimed the Irish equivalent in good style at the Curragh.

The Siyouni colt will bid to give trainer Aidan O’Brien a record-extending ninth win in the one-mile Group One and said: “We’ve been happy with him since the Curragh and everything has gone well. He has progressed with every run.

“He won on good ground at the Curragh, we weren’t sure about the ground before the last day but he seemed to be very happy on it.”

John Gosden has won this three times in the last 10 years and alongside his son Thady is responsible for one of the most exciting prospects in the race, Mostabshir, who bounced back from a below-par performance in the Craven to show his class at York when bolting up by five lengths from a subsequent winner.

“It’s a fascinating clash with the two Guineas winners,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell.

“Our horse is very progressive but he’s going to need to be. So it will be interesting to see how he gets on.

“He’s worked very nicely (since York). He’s a very happy horse who enjoys life and enjoys his work and he looks in good shape. Hopefully whatever he is capable of, he will give his best wherever that fits in.”

Another horse on an upward curve and looking to make his mark at the highest level is the unbeaten Cicero’s Gift, who arrives on the back of an impressive display at Goodwood, and is one of two for Charlie Hills in this British Champions Series race alongside 2000 Guineas fourth Galeron.

“We did toy with the idea of running Cicero’s Gift in the Guineas as well (as Galeron), but wanted to keep a low profile with this race in mind,” said Hills.

“He took a bit of time to come to hand last year and is going to get better with age and experience – he might get further in time as well.

“He’s a good-looking chap, improving with each race but he is going into a Group One which will be a different experience.”

Isaac Shelby took advantage of Chaldean’s misfortune to scoop the Greenham back in April and went close to getting on the Classic honours board when denied by the barest of margins in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains.

Brian Meehan’s son of Night Of Thunder, who claimed the Superlative Stakes on home soil last season, brings added spice to a deep contest with his handler confident he has a top-class miler on his hands.

“I really think he has a huge future and I really think it is at a mile, even though we gave him the sprint entries,” said the Manton-based trainer.

“He is much more relaxed in his work since Paris and you can see him maturing. He’s an exciting horse to have but there is nowhere to hide at this level.”

Paul and Oliver Cole’s Royal Scotsman finished third at Newmarket in the Guineas but has a point to prove following a disappointing effort at the Curragh, while Charyn (Roger Varian) and Indestructible (Karl Burke) complete the crack group of nine heading to post.

Wesley Ward will wait until the last moment before deciding whether Fandom will take his chance in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.

Fandom was a wide-margin winner on his sole start at Keeneland in April, making all the running under big-race jockey Irad Ortiz Jr and is one of the fancied runners from Ward’s strong US team at the meeting this week.

However, Ward believes owner Barbara Banke may decide to run the speedy Showcasing colt in Wednesday’s Listed Windsor Castle Stakes over five furlongs, rather than take on River Tiber and Asadna over the six furlongs of the Group Two Coventry Stakes.

Ward said: “Fandom has worked very well, excellent in fact. He has travelled over well. I think he has got a great chance and has done everything well. We have declared in this race as well as the Windsor Castle.

“We will be having a meeting with Fandom’s owner Barbara Banke and her team on Monday evening and then we will make a determination as to which race we are going to go in.”

The Keeneland handler became the first US-based trainer to bring a horse to England and win a race at Royal Ascot when Strike The Tiger scored in the 2009 Windsor Castle and has recorded 11 further wins at the meeting.

Sprint king Ward was out of luck at last year’s meeting, with main hope Golden Pal missing the break in the King’s Stand Stakes when Ortiz Jr was momentarily confused by the eventual withdrawal of the reluctant to load Mondammej and Khaadem, who unshipped Jamie Spencer.

Ward, who has previously used the services of Frankie Dettori on many occasions in the past at the Royal meeting, will keep the faith with Ortiz Jr and will also employ fellow US rider Joel Rosario this week.

Ward feels Ortiz Jr will be itching to make up for a luckless showing last year.

He added: “We have every faith in both Irad and Joel Rosario, who is also riding a couple of ours. Last year’s King’s Stand was just one of those things.”

Frankie Dettori looks to have a fantastic chance of starting his final Royal Ascot with a bang when he partners Inspiral in the Queen Anne Stakes.

The Italian has been in the saddle aboard the John and Thady Gosden-trained filly in all but one of her eight career starts and the duo have struck at the highest level on three occasions – including at the Royal meeting 12 months ago when she was a taking winner of the Coronation Stakes.

That was Inspiral’s first outing of the 2022 season having missed the early part of the campaign and connections have kept the daughter of Frankel fresh once again as they attempt to repeat the dose.

“It’s full-on pressure and it’s a very competitive race first time out,” said Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud.

“She runs well fresh and she has done in the past, she was very impressive first time last year in the Coronation Stakes. She’s in good form we think and hope she puts her best foot forward.

“Mrs (Patricia) Thompson was adamant we waited. She wasn’t ready for the Guineas last year and we waited and it was her preference that we followed a similar programme – she is a big believer in listening to her horses and if Inspiral was to be at her best, it would be better to wait until June rather than push her to the Lockinge in May.

“She had a very nice break at the stud last autumn and really thrived and benefitted for that, both mentally and physically. She did very well over the winter and I know both John and Thady Gosden were pleased with how she came back and the way she has sort of progressed in the last month or so.”

Of the attention on Dettori’s rides this week, he added: “We’re concentrating on our filly, but we’re delighted to have Frankie on board and we’ll enjoy the moment.”

Inspiral’s biggest danger appears to be Godolphin’s two-pronged assault on the race via Charlie Appleby’s Classic heroes Modern Games and Native Trail.

Both landed versions of the 2000 Guineas as three-year-old milers last term and Modern Games appears to be the Moulton Paddocks first string after adding to his impressive haul in the Lockinge Stakes last month.

“His record is very good and he won the Lockinge well last time, so I’m looking forward to riding him again,” said his big-race pilot William Buick ahead of the British Champions Series event.

“It would be nearly a rerun of the Lockinge without Inspiral, who is a good filly. As any Queen Anne should be, it will be tough to win.”

Appleby, speaking to www.godolphin.com, added: “Modern Games came out of the Lockinge Stakes in good form and we have been delighted with his preparation. It was great to get a Group One win in the UK under his belt and, providing there is not a deluge of rain, he looks the one to beat again.

“Native Trail has definitely come forward since his run at Newmarket. He is a sharper, fitter individual now and benefited from a racecourse gallop last week. He is a Classic winner in his own right and goes to Ascot with a live chance.”

Richard Hannon’s Chindit gave Modern Games plenty to think about at Newbury – including when trying to bite his rival in the closing stages – and the handler is hopeful his course-and-distance winner can build on that second as he lines up alongside stablemate Lusail.

“He is a gentleman and has never done anything like that before. He only did it because Buick was in close to him,” said Hannon.

“I thought he would be shorter in the betting. He picked up better than Pat (Dobbs) thought he would and he is in the form of his life.

“We are going to ride Lusail a little handier (this time) as he seems to get flat-footed at a crucial part of the race.”

David Simcock saddles both Cash and Light Infantry after the latter went close in the Prix d’Ispahan last month, while Charlie Hills’ Mutasaabeq accounted for both Native Trail (second) and Light Infantry (third) when a good winner of the rearranged Bet365 Mile at Newmarket on his seasonal return and then had excuses when fifth in the Lockinge most recently.

“He’s going to have to run a career best to win this, but he won very well at Newmarket,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell.

“Some people felt Jim (Crowley) went a little bit quick (in the Lockinge) but he felt the horse was just a little bit flat and we ran him back relatively quick.

“He had been away for a stalls test so quite a lot happened in quite a short space of time for him, so we have concentrated on freshening him up and getting him to Ascot in the best shape he can be and we will see how good he is on the day.”

Having played a key role in the very start of Frankie Dettori’s love affair with Royal Ascot, Luca Cumani will be a keen observer when his compatriot bids for a fairytale ending to his association with the meeting.

It is 38 years since a then-teenage Dettori first touched down on British soil, at which stage his experience of riding thoroughbreds was almost as non-existent as his ability to speak English.

Cumani, by then an established trainer at Bedford House stables in Newmarket having previously served as assistant to the late, great Sir Henry Cecil, was tasked with showing his fellow Italian the ropes – and insists it did not take him long to realise he had a rough diamond on his hands.

“Frankie’s father was my father’s stable jockey in Italy, so that was the connection. His father decided that he wanted to send Frankie to England and that’s how it started,” said Cumani.

“When he arrived I knew I had a bit responsibility because this was a 14-year-old kid who couldn’t speak a word of English and had more or less ridden ponies and never really ridden racehorses before.

“But he was a very quick learner, he quickly learnt to speak English to a point and rode very well.

“It was not immediately obvious how much talent he had, but once he started get confidence on a horse and then he started riding work, you could see had a natural affinity with the job.”

It was four years after his arrival that Cumani gave Frankie Dettori his first taste of Royal Ascot, jocking up aboard his apparent second string Rain Burst in the 1989 Coronation Stakes.

Dettori, who at the time was still claiming 3lb, had steered the Sheikh Mohammed-owned filly to a win in lesser company at Goodwood just nine days earlier and she was a 12-1 shot stepping up in class.

Cumani also fielded Comic Talent, who lined up under stable jockey Ray Cochrane following a five-race winning streak in the Cheveley Park silks.

In the end neither were able to land a telling blow, but Rain Burst did outperform her better-fancied stablemate to finish fifth. Cumani had no doubt about giving Dettori his opportunity at the highest level, despite still being an apprentice.

He said: “He was only claiming 3lb and that was a fraud really because he was better than that.”

Dettori rounded off 1989 by being crowned champion apprentice and by the time the following year’s Royal Ascot came around, he was a fully-fledged jockey and Cumani’s main man.

The showpiece fixture got under way with the Queen Anne Stakes, in which Cumani and Dettori teamed up with Markofdistinction, who had previously finished fourth as a hot favourite for the Lockinge Stakes.

Cumani admits that while it was not entirely easy viewing, Dettori was at his brilliant best as he threaded the eye of the needle to secure the first of his 77 Royal Ascot wins to date.

“I remember it well because he took the daring route on the inside, going between runners and against the stands rail,” Cumani recalled.

“As he was poking his head in there I thought ‘good God, I hope he’s done the right thing here!’. Thankfully he burst through and won the race very well.

“We were hopeful of a good performance, never confident because with such high-class races you can’t be confident, but we were hopeful and he delivered.”

No one could have envisaged the glittering career Dettori would go on to enjoy, but Cumani added: “We had an inkling. The fact that he’d only just come out of his apprenticeship and we made him stable jockey was a big vote of confidence.

“We had a good idea that he was going to be around for a long time and was going to be very successful.”

Cumani brought the curtain down on his own illustrious racing career in 2018, retiring from the training ranks after saddling two Derby winners in Kahyasi (1988) and High-Rise (1998) and countless other big-race winners over the course of 43 years.

He will not be travelling to Ascot but would love Dettori to bag at least one winner on his final Royal meeting performance, even if he believes he was hasty in his decision to announce his impending retirement late last year.

“I won’t be going at all this year because my wife has had a foot operation and is hobbling about, so we’ll be watching from home,” Cumani said.

“I send Frankie a message every time he wins a big race and tell him he’s making a mistake in giving up and should carry on!

“He will be a big loss to racing and I’m sure he’s thought about it (changing his mind), but he seems to be determined this will be his last year, or so he tells me!”

Connections of Laurel will look to the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes after she was frustratingly ruled out of the Duke of Cambridge Stakes with a late setback.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the daughter of Kingman was towards the top of the market for the one-mile Royal Ascot Group Two – a race which had been her main target for the first half of the season – but her name was missing from the 10 declarations on Monday.

A winner of three of her five starts, she would have had a fine chance of bouncing back from a below-par effort in the Lockinge where she was tasked with taking on colts for the first time.

However, she suffered an issue over the weekend which will keep her on the sidelines during the Royal meeting, with the focus now switching to getting her back to full fitness for her next assignment, which could come on July 14 at Newmarket’s July Festival.

“She’s just had a little setback over the weekend and this morning John and Thady weren’t 100 per cent happy with her, so unfortunately we couldn’t declare her,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“It’s just a bit of wear or tear and it was 50-50, but you are on the big stage and when you are not 100 per cent happy it’s not worth taking the risk. So we said we will give her an easy few days and probably aim for the Falmouth at the July meeting.”

Mahon added: “It’s frustrating as this is the race we had in mind for her all year, but the filly’s welfare always comes first and once the trainer wasn’t 100 per cent happy that was it, there was no question.”

Adayar, Luxembourg and Bay Bridge will clash in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.

A field of six line up in the day two feature, which promises to be a mouthwatering affair despite the enforced absence of last year’s Derby winner Desert Crown.

Winner of the Epsom Classic himself in 2021, the Charlie Appleby-trained Adayar looked as good as ever on his return in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Newmarket.

Aidan O’Brien’s Luxembourg, meanwhile, was an all-the-way winner from Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge – who beat Adayar in the Champion Stakes at Ascot – in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.

Born To Rock (Jane Chapple-Hyam) and Beautiful Diamond (Karl Burke) head the market for the Queen Mary, which also features intriguing American challengers in the shape of Bundchen (Wesley Ward) and Crimson Advocate (George Weaver).

In the Royal Hunt Cup, Frankie Dettori will carry the silks of the King and Queen aboard the John and Thady Gosden-trained Reach For The Moon.

Although Laurel was not declared for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes, it could still be a big day for the Gosdens and Dettori, as they also have Gregory in the 14-strong Queen’s Vase – where the Stoute-trained Circle Of Fire is the royal representative with Richard Kingscote in the saddle.

After missing out on the 2000 Guineas due to injury, Huntsman signalled his readiness to challenge for the St Leger next month, as he won the Mr Lover Lover Trophy, a Restricted Allowance II event for native-bred three-year-olds (non-winners of two) and imported three-year-olds and upward (maiden), in impressive fashion at Caymanas Park on Sunday.

Trained by Ian Parsard, Huntsman, who was out for the third time in his budding career, dismantled the field by some 16 lengths and completed the nine furlongs and 25 yards (1,820m) journey in a respectable 1:58.2. The splits were 27.3, 53.1, 1:17.2 and 1:43.2.

This was Huntsman's second win, with his next performance being a second-place finish behind 2000 Guineas winner and leading St Leger contender, Mojito. As such, the 10-furlong St Leger to be contested on July 1, promises a great confrontation between the two and there are still some late-developing three-year-olds likely to have an impact.

Though he welcomed the win as a good indicator that Huntsman is more comfortable over distances, Parsard said it is still a wait-and-see approach with Huntsman regarding the St Leger, as his main target is the blue riband Jamaica Derby over 12 furlongs.

"I didn't think he had a realistic chance against Mojito in the Guineas, I think Mojito is way ahead of the three-year-old crop quite frankly, and I think coming out of the (eight-furlong) shoot, we wouldn't have had much of a chance," he said I'm reference to Huntsman's absence from the opening Classic event.

"We have to be a little bit gingerly with this horse, he has some issues, but we decided to take our chances coming two turns, so we will see, at least he won here so we will keep going. He is making good steady progress, he didn't have a lot of competition so he was allowed to dictate the pace, but in the Classic races, he won't have that luxury so hopefully we will see if he can progress from here.  If he comes out of this well, then we will shoot for the St Leger, but the main objective is the Derby," Parsard added.

Partnered with jockey Reyan Lewis, Huntsman left the gates well and was kept slightly outside Burlap (Dane Dawkins) in the clubhouse turn before gaining the ascendancy on the backstretch.

Despite being in a tight hold, Huntsman continued to widen the gap, especially after leaving the half-mile, and from there it became a mere formality as his rivals had no response to his devastating late kick.

Burlap was best of the rest in second position with From Sheer To Ben (Anthony Thomas) and Life Is Life, finishing third and fourth respectively. 

Huntsman was one of two winners for Lewis on the nine-race card, as the leading rider also won aboard Inspire Force for trainer Philip Feanny in the seventh race.

Also with two winners on the day were former three-time champion jockey Anthony Thomas and current champion jockey Dane Dawkins.

Thomas piloted Aava Jaelyn in the sixth race for trainer Donovan Thompson and Mrs Lyndhurst for trainer Steven Todd in the eighth race, while Dawkins won aboard Casual Peach for trainer Barrington Bernard in the fourth race and Get A Pepsi for trainer Errol Burke in the last race.

A bit of La Liga glitz and glamour hit Gowran Park on Sunday when Maxux made an impressive debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies & Mares Maiden.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained three-year-old is owned by Real Madrid player Álvaro Odriozola who recently tasted Copa del Rey glory with the Spanish giants but takes a keen interest in both racing and breeding in his spare time.

The daughter of Frankel is a sister to Cunco, the Group Three winner who was the first of the sire’s progeny to make the racecourse – and she went someway to justifying the 200,000 guineas she commanded at the sales, making good headway to work her way into the contest before pulling clear in the closing stages to register four-and-three-quarter-length victory at 12-1.

Assistant trainer Brendan Powell said: “She is very relaxed and chilled out at home. She is a typical Frankel. She has got an engine, will stay further and Mikey (Sheehy) said he thinks she could be pretty smart.

“She loved the ground and will stay up to a mile-and-a-half no problem. We will try and get a bit of black type with her and she will be a nice broodmare prospect for her owner down the line. His big passion is breeding so hopefully this is a smart one for him.”

Nostrum could return to action in the Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes during Newmarket’s July Festival.

Sir Michael Stoute’s talented colt was unbeaten in his first two starts as a juvenile, including when impressing in the Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket in September, and was last seen finishing third to fellow Juddmonte-owned 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean in the Dewhurst last autumn.

He was likely to return with Classic aspirations in the early part of the season, but any hope of that was scuppered when meeting with a setback in the spring, and having lost the race to be fit in time for a Royal Ascot run, connections are now pencilling in the Listed event Baaeed won in 2021 on July 13 for the Kingman colt’s comeback.

“He’s in good nick and is getting close,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“A loose plan is that he will run in the Henry Cecil at Newmarket’s July Meeting. It’s the one-mile Listed race that Baaeed won a couple of years ago.

“We were probably about two weeks short of being ready for Ascot and Sir Michael said let’s take our time and start off slow. So that looks like the plan as long as everything continues to go OK between now and then.”

Although unable to make an appearance in either the Classics or at Ascot’s summer showpiece, Mahon believes there is plenty to still look forward to and is backing Nostrum to make his mark in the second half of the season.

He continued: “It’s not the be-all and end-all (missing the start of the season). If you are a Group One horse then there are plenty of races in the second half of the season and even next season if he is a Group One horse, he’ll be able to showcase his talent.

“From a commercial point of view, you would love to be there for the Guineas and Ascot etc but I suppose you have to remember that with Chaldean as well, we would probably have been trying to keep them apart anyway.”

Craig Kieswetter is dreaming the next stage of the Echoes In Rain journey leads to an Ascot Gold Cup triumph as the former England international cricketer has eyes for only one trophy at Royal Ascot.

Kieswetter was named man of the match in the World Cup Final when England conquered the cricketing world at the 2010 T20 World Cup. But since crossing the boundary for the final time at the tender age of 27, he has gone on to play a major role in Barnane Stud and now stands on the brink of reaching the pinnacle of Flat racing when the standard bearer of his family’s racing operation lines up in Thursday’s main event.

Trained by Willie Mullins, Echoes In Rain has raced 23 times in a dual-purpose career that has seen her win nine times, striking at Grade One level twice – including on her most recent outing at the Punchestown Festival when she arguably produced a career best, romping to an imperious nine-and-a-half-length victory.

Her record could be even more impressive if not racing in the era of Honeysuckle, but it is somewhat fitting that the Barnane stalwart could provide her owners with their biggest triumph on the ultimate stage.

“She’s an incredible horse and all the credit has to go to Peter, Ross and Anna Doyle who purchased her for us and Willie and his team for the way they have looked after her,” said Kieswetter.

“She’s one of those horses that doesn’t come around too often and she has given us so much pleasure over the jumps and on the Flat for a good few years.

“As grateful as we are for the great times and the journey she has taken us on, at times it has been frustrating because she has come up against Honeysuckle. It’s been an amazing journey and it would be great to continue that journey on Thursday.”

Mullins is seeking his own slice of history and he attempts to become the first man to win both the Cheltenham and Ascot versions of the Gold Cup in the same year.

Vincent O’Brien is the only man to win both races, but it was not in the same calendar year – showing just how remarkable Mullins’ achievement would be.

The Closutton handler came close to Gold Cup glory 10 years ago, when Simenon was narrowly denied by the late Queen’s Estimate in the week’s premier staying contest.

Kieswetter continued: “Willie is happy with the mare and hopefully he can create a bit of history for himself and become the first trainer to win both Gold Cups in the same year – that would be one hell of an achievement.

“He’s a genius and he knows what his plan is. He is hungry to give the race a good crack and is sending a good team of horses for the week. It’s extremely exciting, the Gold Cup is the Gold Cup and we’re just hoping the mare gives a good account of herself and if she does, we will be happy with that.

“After chatting to Willie, he did mention a couple of options for her at the Royal meeting and some other Flat races throughout the season, but I think he must be quite chuffed with her and confident after her last performance.

“Willie isn’t going to just enter a horse for the sake of entering it, so he must be confident and that in turn gives us confidence.”

Barnane Stud broke their duck at the Royal meeting when the William Haggas-trained Candleford stormed to success in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes 12 months ago, a result that simply whetted Kieswetter’s appetite to return in search of further glory during one of the biggest weeks of the racing year.

Now, like their horses, the close-knit family operation is ready to make the step up to the highest level and – win, lose or draw – they are determined to enjoy the day to its full potential.

“Last year we had a nice result with Candleford in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes,” added the South African-born owner-breeder.

“Just to have a runner is great, but to have a winner is very special. It’s an incredible week of racing.

“The Gold Cup is steeped in history and tradition. The whole week of racing is amazing, but the Gold Cup is the pinnacle of the week and to have a runner the trainer is confident in is very exciting.

“We have the whole team over from Barnane and South Africa and we will be racing with a lot of friends, so it will be a fun day.

“If she wins the Gold Cup, I’m pretty sure we will open up the local pub to the whole of the town and drink them out of Guinness.”

A Gold Cup victory would make Echoes In Rain a valuable broodmare proposition for Barnane Stud with Kieswetter tentatively mooting they could decide to pull stumps on her racing career there and then in the Ascot winner’s enclosure if big-race success came her way.

There is, of course, plenty of water to cross through Swinley Bottom before a date with the breeding sheds is inked into the diary, but it appears Kieswetter’s mating plans are as aggressive as his exploits with cricket bat in hand as he suggests he would not be shy in pointing Echoes In Rain the way of Frankel amongst others.

He said: “If she does happen to do something special, she will undoubtedly be going to the best Flat stallion. It would make sense being a Gold Cup winner or placed mare, so she would be deserving of the full treatment and we certainly wouldn’t hold back on her.

“Frankel is most probably on the cards. He’s a superstar and his results are outstanding. But that is something we will sit down as a team and no doubt discuss the options. Although it is important we don’t get carried away and we need to get through Thursday first before we can sit and decide anything.

“The fact we are able to even have these dreams is what the sport is all about and we are grateful for.

“We’ve got a beautiful team, both over here and in South Africa, and what we want to do is breed top quality racehorses and that is what the goal is.”

Mick Fitzgerald has paid tribute to Paul Barber following his death at the age of 80, describing his Cheltenham Gold Cup victory aboard the leading owner’s See More Business as “one of my proudest days in the saddle”.

The landlord of 14-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls, Barber was a passionate supporter of jumps racing and enjoyed numerous big-race successes, both in his own name or in partnership with others.

The Nicholls-trained duo See More Business and Denman both landed Cheltenham Gold Cup glory for Barber, while in recent years, he was a joint-owner of dual King George VI Chase hero Clan Des Obeaux.

Barber was also known for the family’s dairy and cheese production business, but it was See More Business who took him to the pinnacle of National Hunt racing in 1999 when Fitzgerald steered the first real staying star of Nicholls’ Ditcheat operation to a one-length success over Go Ballistic.

“I was very lucky to ride a Gold Cup winner for Paul and I know what it meant to him,” said Fitzgerald.

“Being on top of See More Business when Paul was leading him into the winner’s enclosure that day after winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup is a memory that will live forever for me. It’s one of my proudest days in the saddle and I was just privileged to be allowed to ride the horse.

“I know what it meant to him to have a Gold Cup winner and I think that is how I would like to remember Paul Barber.

“He was a man who loved what Paul Nicholls did at Ditcheat, he was very proud of what Paul achieved – I know that. They were very good friends as well as Paul being a tenant and I know it meant an awful lot to him to have Paul as his trainer and he took a lot of pride in Paul being champion trainer so many times as well.

“I feel for (his wife) Marianne and the whole Barber family at this time.”

Sam Thomas was the man aboard Denman when he stormed to the Cheltenham Gold Cup for Barber and co-owner Margaret Findley, mother of pro-punter Harry, in 2008 and remembers a “gentleman” who was “a pleasure to ride for”.

“My thoughts are with his wife and all the immediate family and friends,” said Thomas.

“My association with Mr Barber was obviously through Paul (Nicholls) and you couldn’t wish to meet a nicer gentleman, he was a pleasure to ride for and a real honour to ride for him.

“He had See More Business as well (as Denman) and I’m sure they both would have given Mr Barber an enormous thrill and he was always such a pleasure to ride for.”

There is no disputing a huge week awaits Andrew Balding at Royal Ascot. But equally it is very much a feeling of “good pressure…the pressure you want” for the Kingsclere trainer, as he prepares to send out a team captained by Classic winner Chaldean.

Balding arrives in Berkshire with a string in fine form, boasting a near 20 per cent strike-rate in the last two weeks, and with leading chances in two of the real showpiece events of the meeting.

The 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean will head his formidable team, as he takes on Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Paddington and unbeaten Cicero’s Gift in a mouthwatering St James’s Palace Stakes on Tuesday.

“Obviously, we were thrilled with his Guineas win. That was his main objective for the early part of the season and this will be his second target. This, we always hoped, would be the plan,” said Balding.

“He had a little break after Newmarket. He has freshened up well and his work has been as solid as ever and we’re looking forward to it.

“There’s pressure, obviously, he is wearing the crown at the moment and that gives you added pressure.”

Balding will run Berkshire Shadow in the curtain-raising Queen Anne Stakes, the first of three Group One races on the opening afternoon.

Beaten just under two lengths in a bunched finish in the St James’s Palace last year, he opened his four-year-old campaign with a Listed win at Wolverhampton and another success in the valuable All-Weather Mile Championship at Newcastle.

Bookmakers appear to be overlooking the Dark Angel gelding, making him a general 33-1 chance.

“He ran well when finishing third in the Lockinge next time,” said Balding, as he ran through his team sitting on a bench opposite the weighing room at Newbury, where he waited to saddle a three-year-old. “We think he’d have an each-way chance again.

“It is a tough division, but he is a high-class horse, who won a Coventry a couple of years ago.”

Dante Stakes winner The Foxes, who subsequently failed to see out the Derby trip, will not be among the yard’s runners, although Oaks eighth Sea Of Roses will take her place in the Ribblesdale.

Kempton’s Magnolia Stakes winner Foxes Tales and Notre Belle Bete, who has placed three times this year and landed over £100,000 when scoring in the All-Weather Easter Classic at Newcastle, are Balding’s contenders in the Wolferton Stakes.

“He (Foxes Tales) has a (3lb) penalty. He is in the Wolferton.” said Balding. “We have Notre Belle Bete in that too. He’s had a great season.

“We run some two-year-olds, but we don’t quite know what to expect there,” admitted Balding, before citing two horses who may fly under the radar in Imperial Fighter and Sandrine.

The former was beaten two and a half lengths by Native Trail in the Irish 2,000 Guineas last year, but has not hit the same heights subsequently.

Fifth to Regal Reality in the Diomed at Epsom on his last start, Balding feels he has started to come to hand again.

“Imperial Fighter will go in the Royal Hunt Cup,” he added. “He was third in the Irish Guineas last year but has just taken his time to find a bit of form this year, but I’m happy with him now. I think he’d have an each-way chance.”

Sandrine, owned by Kirsten Rausing, is a dual Group Two winner who landed the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood last July.

She won the six-furlong Albany on heavy ground two years ago and is equally effective on a quicker surface.

Having run over seven furlongs and a mile last season, she dropped back to six furlongs at Salisbury last month and was beaten a length and a half. She is a 16-1 chance for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on Saturday, yet her trainer remains hopeful.

Balding said: “Sandrine could be overlooked in the Jubilee, because she is high class.

“The return to sprinting will suit her. She was a bit disappointing at Salisbury, but I think there were legitimate excuses for that.

“She seems in great nick at home and she goes there, as long as the ground is not too quick, with what we think is a great each-way chance.”

By then, he will know whether it has been a successful Royal meeting or not, particularly since he has another plum chance with Coltrane, who is a general 11-4 chance for the feature on Ladies Day – the Gold Cup.

With Aidan O’Brien’s crack stayer Kyprios unable to defend his crown through injury, Balding feels Mick and Janice Mariscotti’s six-year-old – who won the Ascot Stakes, Esher Stakes and Doncaster Gold Cup last season – has every chance of backing up his recent Sagaro success as he steps back up to two and a half miles.

“It looks an open Gold Cup,” Balding said. “The good thing about Coltrane is we know he stays and we know he loves the track. That has go to be a massive plus.

“He seems in great heart and I couldn’t be more thrilled with his Sarago win. I thought that was his best performance ever.”

Acknowledging what is to come, he said: “Of course there’s pressure. But it is a good pressure. This is the pressure you want.

“You are always happy if you get just one winner at the meeting, so fingers crossed.”

Modern Games will face 11 rivals as he bids for a sixth Group One win in Tuesday’s Queen Anne Stakes, the opening event of Royal Ascot 2023.

Charlie Appleby’s charge struck at the highest level in France, Canada and America last year and secured his first Group One on home soil when winning the Lockinge at Newbury last month.

He had the Richard Hannon-trained Chindit behind him that day and he reopposes along with the third Berkshire Shadow, fifth Mutasaabeq, sixth-placed Lusail and the seventh Light Infantry.

Modern Games’ main rival appears to be the John and Thady Gosden-trained Inspiral, winner of the Coronation Stakes at this meeting last year and making her seasonal bow here.

Angel Bleu, Cash, Pogo and Triple Time complete the field along with Appleby’s second runner Native Trail.

Chaldean and Paddington provide a mouth-watering clash in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Winners of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Irish equivalent for Andrew Balding and Aidan O’Brien respectively, they are the star names among a nine-strong field.

Isaac Shelby, who was narrowly beaten in the French Guineas, represents Brian Meehan with Charlie Hill’s Cicero’s Gift an interesting contender as he makes the leap to top-class company after winning each of his three career starts.

Hills also runs Galeron, with Charyn, Indestructible, Mostabshir and Royal Scotsman making up the field.

A high-class field of 19 goes to post in the King’s Stand Stakes, with Highfield Princess currently heading the market for John Quinn.

Australian raider Coolangatta, trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, is also a popular pick for the five-furlong affair, with her compatriot Cannonball another towards the head of the betting for Peter and Paul Snowden.

The Karl Burke-trained pair of Dramatised and Marshman are in the line up along with the likes of Manaccan, Twilight Calls and Twilight Gleaming.

George Boughey’s Asadna is one of 22 for the Coventry Stakes with Willie Mullins holding leading claims in both the 20-runner Ascot Stakes and the Copper Horse Stakes via Bring On The Night and Vauban, with the latter one of a maximum field of 16.

Frankie Dettori will ride Saga for the King and Queen in the Wolferton Stakes, with the Gosden-trained runner having come within a head of victory for the late Queen at last year’s meeting.

Dale Murphy's American-bred Runaway Algo rebounded from a dismal performance last time out to post a facile 14-1/4 length victory in a three-year-olds and upward Open Allowance event for the Thunderbird Trophy over seven furlongs (1,400m) at Caymanas Park on Saturday.

The performance, by all indications, demonstrated that the four-year-old chestnut colt will always be a force to reckon with going anywhere beyond six furlongs and, as such, his recent fourth-place finish attempting the five-furlong straight course for the first time on local soil, can be forgiven.

 With last year's Mouttet Mile winner Excessive Force, who was expected to be the main challenger to Runaway Algo, scratched from the event, that made the Lanmark Farms-owned charges task that much easier, and he duly obliged in his usual gate-to-wire show.

Away cleanly under Raddesh Roman from the wide number six draw in the small field, Runaway Algo briskly assumed pole position with Duke (Reyan Lewis) briefly keeping his company, before the former gradually opened up and posted an opening quarter-mile in 24.1 seconds. 

Though being tightly restrained by Roman, Runaway Algo breezed through a half-mile 1in 46.4, as Duke and Laban (Abigail Able) tried desperately to keep pace, particularly upon approaching the homestretch, but their efforts were futile.

With only a mere change of hold by Roman, Runaway Algo covered six furlongs in 1:10.2 and later opened up in the final furlong, still under a canter, to complete his third victory from five starts this season, in a decent 1:24.3.

Money Monster (Sadiki Blake), Sistren Treasure (Dane Dawkins) and Duke, took the next three placing.

Runaway Algo was one of three winners for Roman, who also won aboard I Am Interested in the fifth race for trainer Joseph Thomas and Antarctica in the sixth race for trainer Errol Waugh.

Jerome Innis rode two winners on the day in Badgyalriri for trainer Howard Jaghai in the fourth race and Sabina for trainer Owen Sharpe in the seventh race.

No trainer won more than one race.

Racing continues on Sunday with another nine-race card on offer, featuring the Mr Lover Lover Trophy. Post time is 12:15 pm.

Quickthorn has proved a real money-spinner for owner Lady Blyth in the past few seasons and he took his earnings over the half-million mark when landing the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Grand Cup Stakes at York.

In typically gritty fashion, the Hughie Morrison-trained six-year-old led after three furlongs of the mile-and-three-quarter Listed contest under Jason Hart.

Despite looking like a sitting duck throughout the last half-mile, he had plenty in reserve to fend off market leader Israr and score by a length and a half.

Morrison was cautious about running the crack stayer on quicker ground, but having his hand reluctantly forced, admitted the 7-4 second-favourite coped with the surface at a track on which he was so brilliant in last year’s Lonsdale Cup.

“I think what York do is produce level ground,” said the East Ilsley handler. “You didn’t see any dust kicking up today.

“A lot of horses, jointy horses, you can get away with level ground. They can get jarred up, but you don’t injure them.

“When it is rough fast ground, that is when you can get problems with these horses.

“He likes a bit of cut in the ground and you want to do right by the horse.

“At least he’s won a stakes race this year. He drilled them really. He outstayed the second, I think. He went away in the last 20 yards.”

Quickthorn is set to follow a similar path to last season after recording the eighth success of his 21-race career.

“I would imagine we will look at the (Group Two) Prix Maurice de Nieuil, a race which he won last year at Longchamp, then I think back to York. Then he deserves a rest, I think.

“I’d love the handicapper to drop him 3lb and then we’d go to the Ebor. I suspect that won’t happen, though!

“I thought Jason gave him a really good ride today. He let the horse find his rhythm, not force him.

“Over a mile and six, given that two miles is his trip really, he found the right rhythm.

“I thought he was good and I thought he was going to get swallowed up several times, but he just kept going.”

Quinault (15-2) made it a five-timer for Stuart Williams, taking the Oakmere Homes Supporting Macmillan Sprint Handicap.

Connor Planas’ mount had a head to spare over Washington Heights as he continued his upward curve.

His winning spree started in a lowly Class 6 handicap at Chelmsford in April, and after wins at Brighton and two more at Newmarket, he overcame his biggest test thus far with flying colours.

Though entered in the Palace of Holyrood House Stakes at Royal Ascot next week, he is unlikely to make a quick return.

Explaining his improvement, Williams said: “He was in the Horses In Training Sale after Godolphin bought him from the breeze-ups for quite a lot of money.

“He was very difficult to settle and basically ran away in his only race for them.

“He was being awkward at home. I think they gelded him and tried to start with him again, but he was still being awkward, so they put him in the sales – rightly, in my opinion. They have so many good horses, they don’t want one who is being a pain in the backside.

“We quite liked him, so we decided to take a punt on him. We spent two months on the treadmill with him and took baby steps, trying to settle him.

“It was the same in his first two races for us, tearing away. He was keen early and not relaxing at all, but we have just taken things very quietly and now it is paying off. He is repaying us handsomely.

“He is getting better and it was a big day for him today, with a big crowd, walking across the middle of the track and it was a big field.

“His run at Newmarket helped him, but it wasn’t like the hustle and bustle of York.”

Options are no open for the son of Oasis Dream, although a trip to the Royal meeting looks doubtful.

“It is very unlikely he will run next week. It was just to tick a box in case we didn’t manage to get to the races,” Williams added. “He is in the Bunbury Cup and he’ll definitely get seven furlongs, no problem. Seven furlongs on the July course might suit him.

“But I might try to find another three-year-old race for him before we step him up to older company.”

Saeed bin Suroor advertised the good form of his yard ahead of Royal Ascot when Wild Lion (8-1) took the seven-furlong Sky Bet Handicap by half a length under Kieran O’Neill.

“It was a good performance,” said the trainer. “I think the cheekpieces may have helped him today.”