Alan King expressed his delight after the victory of Westerton at Sandown gave him his 2,000th career victory.

Undoubtedly in the top echelons of dual-purpose trainers, the Barbury Castle handler has trained major winners over jumps and on the Flat.

His Cheltenham Festival heroes include the likes of Voy Por Ustedes, My Way De Solzen, Katchit and Edwardstone, while Trueshan has been a real star on the level of late – landing the Long Distance Cup on British Champions Day three times to go with wins in the Prix du Cadran and Goodwood Cup.

Sent off at 100-30, Westerton was given a positive ride by Ryan Moore in the Darley British EBF Maiden Stakes, making all to beat Middle Earth by an emphatic four and a half lengths, with Frankie Dettori and favourite A Dublin Lad back in third.

“It’s a bit special, as that’s number 2,000,” King told Racing TV.

“We’ve kept it quiet. We’ve been working away – it’s been a long time coming these last few weeks, and then suddenly we’ve had four winners in two days. I’m very proud of it.

“We’ve been lucky to have some great horses at Cheltenham, Royal Ascot, I can’t single any out. It’s a great achievement for everyone at home as well. We’ll have a few tonight.

“I think we’ve had about 350 on the Flat, everyone thinks it’s something fairly new but we’ve been on the Flat a long time.

“I’m delighted with today and this horse has wonderful owners, they flew down from Aberdeen this morning and are a delight to train for. I’m chuffed for them.”

Asked for his drink of choice when celebrations begin, the Scot quipped: “It will be a mix!”

Elsewhere on the Esher card, the feature Molson Coors Scurry Stakes saw another significant juvenile success for trainer Karl Burke, as Lady Hamana (9-1) took the Listed spoils in the hands of Clifford Lee.

Running Lion will bid for Classic redemption when she attempts to give John and Thady Gosden back-to-back victories in the Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly.

A daughter of Clarehaven’s multiple Group One winner Roaring Lion, she has been unbeaten in four since finishing fourth on debut last summer and took her form to the next level when claiming the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket last month.

That earned her a shot at the Betfred Oaks, but she got upset in the stalls and was ultimately withdrawn, meaning a frustrated Oisin Murphy could only watch on as stablemate Soul Sister stormed to Classic glory.

She is reported to be none the worse for that eventful few moments at the start at Epsom and will now get a second chance to secure Classic honours and follow in the footsteps of Star Of Seville and Nashwa, who have both won this race for the Gosden team in the past.

“It was a very unfortunate freak incident at Epsom when she kicked out and broke the back gate of the stalls which meant they weren’t able to open,” said Thady Gosden.

“But obviously she didn’t have a race there and came out of it with nothing serious fortunately. She has been in good form since.

“We are drawn 12 of 15 which isn’t ideal at Chantilly, of course, although in terms of ground it’s quick there at the moment and even though there may be some thunderstorms around Sunday, she is probably a versatile filly when it comes to ground.

“Her father liked top of the ground and she is out of a Dansili mare and they normally like top of the ground. However, she won the Pretty Polly really well on slower going.

“After her first run all she has done is improve and has done nothing wrong – she has a great mind on her and always puts her best foot forward.”

Fellow British raider Novakai brings solid Group-race form to the table having chased home Polly Pott and Commissioning in the May Hill and Fillies’ Mile respectively last term. She returned to finish second to Soul Sister in the Musidora Stakes at York.

This has always been the target for Karl Burke’s filly who runs in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and will attempt to give the Spigot Lodge handler his second triumph in the race after Laurens in 2018.

Joseph O’Brien’s Caroline Street finished second to Derby hero Auguste Rodin in the Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown as a two-year-old and has won her sole outing this season when upped to 10 furlongs at Naas.

Brother Donnacha and father Aidan have won this prestigious contest in two of the last three years and it would be fitting if he could add his name to the roll of honour with the talented daughter of No Nay Never.

“She’s in good nick and she got a very good draw,” said the Owning Hill handler. “It’s a super hot race, but she goes there with a chance.

“I thought it was a great run in Naas, she sat back and hit the line really well – I thought she was impressive. This race has been the target since then, it was going to be the Diane or the Pretty Polly (at the Curragh).”

Meanwhile, the all-conquering master of Ballydoyle saddles Poule d’Essai des Pouliches fifth Never Ending Story, with her big-race pilot Ryan Moore expecting her to improve on that showing now upped in distance.

“This is about as deep and competitive a Classic as you will find, with a lot of talent on show and of course, with 15 runners, you are going to need all the luck going in here,” he told Betfair.

“I don’t think we saw the best of my filly at all when she was fifth in the French 1000 Guineas last time. She didn’t run badly but she didn’t fire and pick up as I was expecting, as I thought she had a big shot at winning that race.

“However, I think she remains a Group One filly and I hope she can prove it over a trip that she is bred to get. She could just surprise some fillies with more obvious claims.”

Royal runner Circle Of Fire will be considered for both the Queen’s Vase and the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot next week.

There could be as many as eight horses carrying the famous purple and scarlet colours of the King and Queen at the five-day meeting, although connections are still weighing up the options for a couple of them.

Among those is the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Circle Of Fire, an unexposed three-year-old who finished third in the Lingfield Derby Trial on the second run of his Classic campaign.

The Almanzor colt holds entries in a pair of Group Two contests, Wednesday’s Queen’s Vase over a mile and three-quarters and Friday’s King Edward VII Stakes over a mile and a half.

The King and Queen’s racing and bloodstock adviser, John Warren, said: “We are going to look at the King Edward VII for Circle Of Fire, just because Sir Michael Stoute holds him in high regard. We think he is a stamina horse.

“He has just been a big, physical improver, so we think he is one of those horses, typically trained by Sir Michael, that has potentially got some improvement in him. He prefers to bring them along very quietly and nicely.

“He is a galloper and there is a great temptation to go for the Queen’s Vase, but before the commitment is made, we are just going to look at the Edward VII and get our heads around it.

“Hopefully, he is a horse on the up, as it were. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him. We hope he has a bright future.”

The rare prospect of two royal runners in the same race could occur, with Market Value also entered in the Queen’s Vase.

Trained by William Haggas, the daughter of Siyouni is out of Estimate, the mare who made history by becoming the first to win the Ascot Gold Cup for a reigning monarch, when famously obliging for the late Queen a decade ago.

“We have made an entry for Market Value in the Queen’s Vase,” said Warren. “She is the daughter of Estimate, but she is more of a free-going type. She is a filly who is only just coming to hand now.

“She is totally unexposed and she is only rated 82, so you could argue that on face value, she shouldn’t be qualified for anything at the moment. She is only on the up and learning her trade. She is a filly with plenty to come, we hope.”

Market Value has only had three outings in her career. Yet she has improved on each occasion and on her second run this term, the three-year-old relished the step up to 10 furlongs in romping to a three-and-a-half-length success in a fillies’ maiden at Ripon.

“The further she went, the more she looked like she was liking it,” Warren added. “If she wasn’t such a free-going sort, you’d have to feel confident she’d stay a mile and three-quarters, being a daughter of a Gold Cup winner and Siyouni, who is well capable of getting something to stay. That will be the caveat.

“This is the only real race for her and we are going to take it to the wire and see if she does get in.

“If William Haggas is happy with her on the morning of declarations, which at the moment he is, as she worked nicely on Thursday morning with an older filly, he’s confident she will run a nice race.

“She’ll take her chance if she can get in and if he’s happy running to the wire.

“So, we have potentially two for the Vase. There was a back-up plan for her to run somewhere else on Saturday if she doesn’t get in.

“It will be very interesting. She is on very good form, so wherever she goes, she’s going to run a nice race, but that’s the caveat, whether she will really stay if she is able. If she runs, she will almost certainly be ridden by Tom Marquand.”

Desert Hero, also trained by Haggas, will will head to the King George V Handicap on Thursday, on the back of being a beaten favourite in the London Gold Cup on his seasonal bow at Newbury last month.

“I think we think he wants a mile and a half,” said Warren. “He is by Sea The Stars and I think this race will suit him very nicely.

“He has the right profile for the race. I’d be hopeful he will run a nice race and I think Tom Marquand will ride, if he can do the weight.”

The John and Thady Gosden-trained pair Saga and Reach For The Moon will respectively run in the Wolferton Stakes on Tuesday and Royal Hunt Cup on Wednesday, with Frankie Dettori aboard.

There will also be a chance for young jockey and 3lb claimer Harry Davies, who comes in for the ride on the Andrew Balding-trained King’s Lynn in the Wokingham on Saturday. The six-year-old was seventh in the King’s Stand in both 2021 and 2022.

“Andrew is really happy with where he is,” said Warren. “He has run some very nice races at Ascot without getting right on top of them, but nothing would surprise us.

“It’s a handicap – anything can happen in a handicap. The horse is on good form, he likes the track well. He’s got lots of things going for him and a 3lb claimer might help.”

Educator represents Haggas in Friday’s Duke of Edinburgh Handicap over 12 furlongs.

Warren said: “He is in the Copper Horse, but we don’t really want to experiment over a mile and six furlongs, so if he can get into the Duke of Edinburgh that would be his race. Gelding has definitely helped him.

“He has been threatening for some time and his last race proved he does stay a mile and a half. I think he has grown up a lot now and I think he is a nice prospect, a lovely sound horse, who is just coming of age now.”

Candle Of Hope completes the royal team and goes over a mile in the Sandringham on Friday.

Her trainer Richard Hughes said: “She won her maiden at Newbury and then was Listed-placed when third in the Denford there. Then she was unlucky at Lingfield at the start of the year in the Listed Spring Cup.

“We go there claiming three pounds off a mark of 91. She might be competitive, although a stiff mile might catch her out.

“I’m very honoured to be training for the King. I’m the first Irishman to train for him, which makes me very proud.”

Frankie Dettori would “love nothing better” than to ride a winner for the King and Queen at Royal Ascot.

Racing’s poster boy, in his last year in the saddle before retirement, will wear the famous purple and scarlet colours at least twice at the five-day meeting which starts on Tuesday.

And he hopes to raise the roof in front of the royal party, who are expected to attend each day.

“It was an honour to ride for the (late) Queen. I always wore those silks with pride and nothing has changed,” said Dettori.

“I am excited to ride for King Charles and Queen Camilla. I would love nothing better than to ride a winner for them next week. A royal winner would raise the roof. It would be fantastic and I’m obviously really looking forward to the meeting.”

One of the late Queen’s greatest loves was the thoroughbred and she took a keen interest in racing and breeding throughout her life.

She had 24 winners at Royal Ascot, the last of which came in 2020 when Tactical landed the Windsor Castle Stakes. Her first came just days after her coronation in 1953 with Choir Boy beating 20 rivals to land the Royal Hunt Cup.

Following her death in September, this will be the first Royal Ascot for the King and Queen, with the potential for eight runners in the 35 races.

John Warren, the King and Queen’s racing and bloodstock adviser, says the excitement is building in royal circles.

“We are hopeful the King and Queen will race through the week and they will be very much following their runners. They are really very much looking forward to a wonderful week’s racing, which is tremendous,” Warren told the PA news agency.

“Everyone is excited by their participation and the fact they are really engaged and looking forward to it.

“The King understands the bigger picture. He is more than interested in racing. It is something he’d heard in osmosis all his life.

“What with the Queen’s enthusiasm, racing is lucky to have two great advocates, people who are engaged in the sport we all love.”

Dettori will ride royal runners Saga and Reach For the Moon, who are trained by John Gosden in partnership with son, Thady.

At last year’s meeting, Saga ran a cracker under Dettori in the Britannia Stakes, finishing a head second to Thesis.

The son of Invincible Spirit is again among the main hopes for the royals, having opened his four-year-old campaign with a head defeat to King Of Conquest over nine furlongs at Newmarket.

Warren said: “On day one, we have Saga in the Wolferton Stakes.

“It was a nice run last time at Newmarket. It will be interesting. We don’t have too many fears about him staying a little bit further, so we feel the mile and two (furlongs) should be fine for him.

“The Royal Hunt Cup was a back-up as we didn’t know he would get into the Wolferton, as there are only 16 who can get in, so you have to give yourself a second string to the bow.

“He ran jolly well last year, so he is a capable horse.”

Dettori will also partner Reach For The Moon, who was expected to land the Hampton Court at the meeting last year, only for the 2-5 favourite to be downed by Claymore. He was also second at Royal Ascot in 2021, to Point Lonsdale in the Chesham.

After being gelded over the winter, the one-time Derby hope was last of seven on his seasonal bow in the Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket.

He drops back to a mile for the Royal Hunt Cup on Wednesday.

“He will take his chance,” said Warren. “He has been rusty in a way and we just haven’t quite got him where the trainer wants to have him, but is on very good form now, so we are hopeful.

“Probably a mile is the right trip for him. A big field might help him, cover him up and be kidded along a little bit, and hopefully he’ll just get into his rhythm and then use his ability when it matters. Frankie will ride both.”

Richard Kingscote is looking forward to arguably his best ever book of rides at Royal Ascot.

Despite having originally being overlooked for Desert Crown – who now does not run – in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, he will be on Bay Bridge for Sir Michael Stoute as long as the ground is not considered too quick.

As well as the Champion Stakes winner, Infinite Cosmos is among the favourites for the Ribblesdale, Astro King heads the market for the Royal Hunt Cup and there will be several others trained by Stoute for Kingscote when Ryan Moore is required by Aidan O’Brien, including the promising Perfuse.

Kingscote said: “I’ve got plenty to look forward to next week, I’ll be very busy and hopefully I can get something on the board.

“I’ve got a few good chance, but I don’t know what is 100 per cent going to run.

“If Bay Bridge runs in the Prince of Wales’s he’ll run a great race and the filly in the Ribblesdale (Infinite Cosmos) would look to have a good chance.

“Then there’s the likes of Perfuse in the King George V and a few that look to have a good chance, but at this stage I’m just not sure if they’ll get in.

“I’ve got some nice rides, including the favourite in the Hunt Cup (Astro King) for Dan and Claire Kubler.”

Mawj and Tahiyra remain in the running for a Royal Ascot rematch after featuring in the nine fillies to stand their ground for the Coronation Stakes on Friday.

Saeed bin Suroor’s Mawj was a popular winner of the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, providing a welcome return to the big stage for her trainer, who has enjoyed so many great days in the past.

A daughter of Exceed And Excel, Mawj held off Tahiyra by a determined half-length under Oisin Murphy – form well advertised when the Dermot Weld-trained runner-up lifted the Irish equivalent at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien still has Breeders’ Cup winner Meditate in contention, after she finished sixth at Newmarket and immediately behind Tahiyra at the Curragh. Jackie Oh is another for Ballydoyle, with Mammas Girl (Richard Hannon), Queen For You (John and Thady Gosden), Remarquee (Ralph Beckett), Sounds Of Heaven (Jessica Harrington) and Comhra (Jim Bolger) also in the mix.

Star attraction in the 16 left for the Commonwealth Cup promises to be O’Brien’s Little Big Bear, who showed he is set to be a real force over sprinting trips when winning at Haydock, having returned to action over a mile in the 2000 Guineas.

In the 20-strong King Edward VII Stakes, all eyes will be on King Of Steel – second only to Auguste Rodin in the Derby.

Among the rivals to Roger Varian’s charge could be Arrest, who was sent off favourite at Epsom for Frankie Dettori and the Gosdens, but failed to handle the track on the fast ground and finished down the field in 10th place.

Dubai Mile (ninth), Adelaide River (eighth), Artistic Star (seventh), Military Order (14th) and San Antonio (11th) also ran at Epsom and could return next week.

The exciting Enfjaar could drop back to seven furlongs for the Jersey Stakes on the final day of Royal Ascot.

The Roger Varian-trained son of Lope De Vega downed Charlie Appleby’s Military Order amongst others over that trip in a red-hot Newmarket maiden in October – and confirmed the promise of that debut performance on his seasonal return when upped to a mile at Chelmsford, galloping to a professional six-length victory.

It was thought the Shadwell-owned son of Lope De Vega would head up in distance at the Royal meeting, with the Hampton Court mooted as a possible option.

But his name was missing from the six-day entries for that contest and with his handler keen to utilise the unbeaten colt’s proven speed, connections are considering a tilt at the seven-furlong Group Three which takes place on the Saturday of the summer showpiece.

“We didn’t feel it was the right time to go up in trip,” said Varian.

“You will see him in the entries for the Jersey and he is probably a miler as things stand. But having only had two runs he doesn’t qualify for the Britannia and he wasn’t in the St James’s Palace.

“He looks promising and he’s not short of pace and that is why we were reluctant to go 10 furlongs straight away with him. If he is a miler I think you get a kinder experience dropping back a furlong rather than racing over too far. Only time will tell if that is the right decision or not, but if he runs at Ascot it will be in the Jersey.

“You will see him entered for the race on Monday morning, but we’re still nine days away from the race and that is quite a long time in a horse’s life and a lot can change. I wouldn’t say it’s quite confirmed, but is possible you could see him in the Jersey.”

Meanwhile, The Platinum Queen will not be seen until next month at the earliest following a disappointing return at Haydock in the Temple Stakes.

Last year’s Prix de l’Abbaye winner did hold an entry for the King’s Stand Stakes on the opening day of the Royal meeting, but will be given all the time she needs following her lacklustre display on debut for the Carlburg Stables handler.

Varian continued: “She’s fine, she obviously didn’t run very well at Haydock and the feeling is for whatever reason she needs a bit of time to get her racing head and her racing body back to where it needs to be.

“She might run in July, but she won’t run again in June.”

Aidan O’Brien is confident Emily Dickinson will be better the further she goes as he prepares a two-pronged assault on the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Though last year’s winner Kyprios has been ruled out through injury, the Ballydoyle maestro runs both Broome and Emily Dickinson in Thursday’s feature, which he has won on a record eight occasions.

The latter will have to recover from a lacklustre display when finishing a disappointing sixth as a 2-5 favourite in the Saval Beg at Leopardstown.

But O’Brien believes the four-year-old daughter of Dubawi will benefit from stepping up to two and a half miles, having previously won over two miles in testing ground at the Curragh in October – her first time at that distance.

“We always thought this race would suit her well, because we think she stays very well,” O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing.

“Obviously, she handles some ease in the ground well and when there is ease in the ground, stamina comes into it more.

“We think the trip will suit her and even though she handles soft ground, we don’t think she minds fast ground.”

Winner of three of her 13 runs, Emily Dickinson is the general 6-1 third-favourite behind Coltrane and Eldar Eldarov in what is considered to be an open race.

O’Brien feels Ryan Moore’s mount had excuses in the Saval Beg, run over a mile and three-quarters.

He added: “When we stepped her up to two miles at the Curragh she kind of grew another leg, then she won in very soft ground in Navan.

“The ground was soft, so it made it a testing, demanding race, and then she went back to Leopardstown for her next run and it was fast ground, they went no pace.

“Ryan got left in front. He didn’t want to be putting the gun to her head in that race, because it was obviously being used as a trial for the Gold Cup. He wasn’t too hard on her when he knew the race wasn’t going to suit her.

“She ran a nice race, obviously she will have to step up a lot from that but we think she will, going that trip.”

Last year’s Hardwicke winner Broome advertised his credentials with a Group Two success at Meydan in March, before finishing a close-up third to Giavellotto in the Yorkshire Cup last month.

The seven-year-old has yet to race beyond two miles, and O’Brien admits it will be “interesting” to see if he can handle the extra half-mile.

He added: “Obviously, we were delighted with him in Meydan and delighted with him the last day.

“I suppose the Gold Cup is an unusual race because a lot of horses get two miles, but when you go past that two miles, a lot of different stuff happens, especially in the last quarter of a mile, so it will be very interesting.

“Obviously he is a classy horse. Ryan gave him a brilliant ride in Dubai and he was very happy with him again the last time at York and he was staying on again, so it is going to be very interesting – will he get the trip?

“He is a very good-natured horse – he should relax. He should have no problem with the track or ground, so it will be interesting to see if he gets trip or not.”

Hopes are high Little Big Bear, who reverted to sprinting at Haydock after a disappointing experience in the 2000 Guineas, can back up his Group Two Sandy Lane success when he runs in the Commonwealth Cup.

He has already shown a liking for Ascot, winning the Windsor Castle at last year’s meeting.

“He is a big, powerful, classy horse,” added O’Brien. “We were delighted with him at Haydock. He is a big traveller. He looks like a big sprinter.

“Obviously, we tried him at a mile and we didn’t have time to go back again – the whole Guineas just went wrong on us and that was it.

“But we knew to go to Ascot that it would be a nice thing to have a run into him at this trip, rather than throwing him straight back in from his Guineas run.

“Frankie (Dettori) rode him and was very happy with him. Wayne (Lordan) has been riding him work since and seems very happy with him, so we’re hopeful.”

Richard Kingscote lamented the fact Keith Dalgleish plans to leave the training ranks having partnered his Chichester to victory in the Seat Unique Ganton Stakes at York.

Dalgleish announced earlier this year he planned to do something else and was not leaving the profession for financial reasons. And with results like this he will clearly be a loss.

A talented former rider, Dalgleish is closing in on 1,000 winners. Chichester (15-2) has provided him with six of them, but this was by far the biggest with the Listed event carrying an almost £40,000 first prize.

When odds-on favourite Shining Blue hit the front he looked sure to collect for Saeed bin Suroor, but Kingscote had been biding his time on Chichester who stayed on strongly to win by a length and three-quarters.

“It was a great bit of placing by connections, they found a five-runner Listed race for good money so fair play,” said the Derby-winning jockey.

“I always thought I was getting there, we actually went a decent pace for once because in general of late we’ve been going steady but he was able to get into a nice rhythm.

“He found plenty. He’s a funny old boy, he’s more than capable as we’ve seen but sometimes he needs things to go his way. He stays this trip well, he ran over 10 furlongs the last day.

“Keith knows what he’s doing and it’s a great shame he’s handing in his licence – he can certainly do the job.”

The improvement of the David Evans-trained Radio Goo Goo (11-2) shows no signs of stopping after she won her fourth race in a row in the British EBF Supporting Racing With Pride Fillies’ Handicap.

She won first time out this year at Wolverhampton off 72, was beaten on Good Friday at Lingfield and then rattled off a treble at Chester, Haydock and back at Chester.

Racing off a career-high 86 she looked beaten, but just got the better off Al Simmo by a nose under Ben Curtis.

“To be honest she wasn’t really travelling so I had to sit on her a bit longer than I wanted to fill her up,” said Curtis.

“I didn’t think I was going to win, but the last few strides her ears went back and she really wanted it.

“She finished second a fair few times last year, but that was over five and she kept bumping into one. She’s stronger this year and is better suited to six and Dave’s horses are flying at the moment. Hopefully she can keep rising.

The most valuable race of its kind every season is the SKF Rous Selling Stakes which went the way of Ollie Pears’ Celestial Flight (7-1) in a photo finish.

James Sullivan’s mount prevailed by a head from Up The Jazz on his second start and was bought back in for £25,000.

“We always like to target this. For an inexpensive horse it gives the owners a fantastic day out and the chance to run for a big pot,” said Pears.

“I bought him back in as there would have been an awful lot of disappointed people here if I hadn’t.

“We think he’s a horse who should go on and he’s a horse who should get seven furlongs.”

Karl Burke saddled his 11th individual juvenile winner of the season when Harvanna (5-1) won the Juddmonte British EBF Fillies’ Restricted Novice Stakes after finishing third on her debut.

Clifford Lee was on top and said: “She learned a lot on her debut and we saw the benefit of that.

“We’ve got some nice two-year-olds, hopefully I’ll be on a couple next week and we’ll just see how the ground is and everything before finalising.”

Mick and David Easterby’s Menelaus (15-2) followed up a recent win at Thirsk when stylishly pulling clear in the Andy Thornton Hospitality Furniture Apprentice Handicap under Connor Planas.

It was a third success in his last four rides for Planas, who is enjoying a breakthrough season.

Tajalla will put his sprinting credentials to the test as Roger Varian seeks back-to-back victories in Sandown’s Molson Coors Scurry Stakes.

The speedy son of Kessaar burst on to the scene at Newmarket last spring, but injury soon struck meaning he was ruled out of the rest of the season and was not seen again until making a successful reappearance at Hamilton last month.

Having confirmed his powerful engine remains intact during that venture north of the border, the Carlburg Stables handler has now decided to try the three-year-old in Listed company at the Esher track and in a race he claimed 12 months ago with the progressive Mitbaahy.

“It’s a nice race, it’s competitive and we will learn a bit more about him tomorrow because he has only run in two novices,” said Varian.

“He’s a promising young sprinter, I think the stiff five furlongs at Sandown should suit him and we’ll see how we go.

“He’s only really had one setback which was quite a major setback and came a few weeks after his debut at Newmarket. It meant he had to miss he rest of last season, but he’s come out this year and won nicely at Hamilton and I think that form is solid with the second well regarded.

“We never planned to take him to Ascot and this looked a nice race so we have hung on. It’s a nice race for those horses who don’t quite hit that Ascot window. I don’t know if he will win or not but we will find out more about him.”

Richard Fahey’s Great State claimed the Listed Westow Stakes at York last month and attempts to extend a three-race winning run, while also looking to continue a consistent run of form is George Boughey’s Perdika.

The filly claimed her second Chantilly Listed race of the season in the Prix Marchand d’Or in between her two triumphs in France has gone close in three other Listed and Group events.

“She likes soft ground, but she won on quicker ground on French Derby day on her latest start so she is pretty versatile,” said Boughey.

“She has come out of her last race in super shape. She doesn’t do much at home and we’ve never opened her up here. We like to save her for the track.

“It is a credit to her and the guys in the team here that look after her as she is trained like a real sprinter.

“I’ve had very few horses like her and she is coming into the Oscula category now. My long-term plan is to run her in the Prix de l’Abbaye back at Longchamp in the autumn.”

Karl Burke’s Yahsat returns from 344 days off the track and was last seen chasing home The Platinum Queen on the Knavesmire, with Clive Cox’s Katey Kontent also on the comeback trail following over 300 days on the sidelines.

The daughter of Havana Grey, who shaped like a useful prospect at two, missed an intended engagement at York last month but is now reported to be back in tip-top condition.

“She had a little hold up ahead of going to York with a pulled muscle which was one of those things but I’m pleased to say we are back on track now,” said Cox.

“She is a filly that we hold in good regard and we hope she shows the promise she did early in her career.

“She has got bags of speed and showed a lot of class early on last year, but everything happened quite quickly for her.

“She has matured and developed well over the winter and we are looking forward to seeing her back in action. We feel she is in that Listed bracket hence her entry here.”

Ante-post favourite Coltrane heads 15 contenders for Thursday’s Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Winner of the Sagaro Stakes on his seasonal bow over two miles at the Berkshire track, the six-year-old lifted the Ascot Stakes at the Gold Cup trip of two and a half miles at last year’s fixture before going on to finish fourth in the Goodwood Cup, second in the Lonsdale Cup and win the Doncaster Cup.

His trainer Andrew Balding also has Nate The Great among the contenders, with the Roger Varian-trained Eldar Eldarov another towards the top of the market after winning last year’s St Leger and taking second in the Yorkshire Cup.

Aidan O’Brien has the choice of Emily Dickinson, Broome and Changingoftheguard, with last year’s victor Kyprios sidelined by injury, while John and Thady Gosden, trainers of three-time race winner Stradivarius, have lightly-raced Goodwood scorer Courage Mon Ami in contention this time.

Subjectivist, winner of the race in 2021, the Charlie Appleby-trained Yibir and Willie Mullins’ Echoes In Rain are other key names, with Sagaro second Wise Eagle, Trueshan Tashkhan, Lone Eagle and French raider Big Call also in the mix.

As expected, Al Asifah has been supplemented for the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes.

The Gosden-trained filly made a huge impression with a Listed win at Goodwood last Sunday and owners Shadwell paid £13,125 to add her to the field.

Stablemates Ghara and Lmay also feature in the list of 22 possibles, with the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Infinite Cosmos another leading player after finishing third to subsequent Oaks winner Soul Sister in the Musidora at York.

Be Happy and Red Riding Hood could represent O’Brien in an Irish challenge that also includes Azazat, Lumiere Rock and Village Voice. The Fabrice Chappet-trained Crown Princesse provides French interest.

National Stakes winner Elite Status is one of 33 in the Norfolk Stakes, where Wes Ward’s American Rascal – a son of dual Royal Ascot winner Lady Aurelia – is another popular pick. George Boughey’s Asadna is also entered.

Newbury winner Bertinelli tops 46 in the King George V Stakes with the 19 contenders for the Hampton Court Stakes including the likes of Epictetus, Torito, Waipiro and Oaks third Caernarfon.

The Britannia Stakes has 59 entries, with 58 in the final event on Thursday, the Buckingham Palace Stakes.

Israr has the chance to strike in Pattern company for the first time at York on Saturday when he heads a field of seven for the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Grand Cup Stakes.

John and Thady Gosden’s four-year-old got on the scoresheet twice last season, progressing expertly through the handicap ranks and picking up valuable prizes at both Newbury and Doncaster.

He then took a rise in grade in his stride when returning in the Group Three Al Rayyan Stakes at Newbury last month, forcing the now-retired Haskoy to pull out all the stops as he went down by a short head to a filly who was given single-figure quotes for the Ascot Gold Cup.

“Israr ran well first time out this year,” said Thady Gosden.

“He’s stepping up in trip which should suit him and they do a great job with the ground at York, so hopefully conditions won’t be too quick. He’s quite versatile, but like most he wouldn’t want it lightning fast.

“He’s improving and he took the step from handicap to stakes company well last time.”

William Haggas’ Roberto Escobarr won this two years ago and returns to the Knavesmire on the back of victory in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown, while Hughie Morrison’s Lonsdale Cup hero Quickthorn is another with course experience on his side.

Also engaged is the Archie Watson-trained Hambleton Racing stalwart Outbox who is out to snap a near two-year losing run on home soil at the track he almost scooped Group Three honours behind Hukum in 2021.

“His career-best effort is over course and distance,” said Cosmo Charlton, head of racing for the owners.

“He’ll enjoy the quick ground. We’re hopeful of a good run. Everything’s right for him – ground, trip and track.”

It could be a big afternoon for Hambleton, who are doubly represented in the supporting Oakmere Homes Supporting Macmillan Sprint Handicap with Kevin Ryan’s Washington Heights and another of Watson’s string, Garner, who goes handicapping following a pair of taking victories in maiden and novice company.

“Washington Heights has done brilliantly this season so far,” continued Charlton.

“He has run a cracker on each of his last two starts and we’re hoping for another big run. We think York suits him well. He has some solid course and distance form to his name. He ran well in the sales races last year and we’re hoping he has a good each-way chance in a strong race.

“Garner is more of an unknown quantity. His inexperience could be an issue in a very competitive race, but he’s in good form at home and he won easily at Lingfield in a novice, his first start for us. We’re hoping his mark is fair and that he can make an impact in a race of this nature.”

Alan King will send at least three runners to Royal Ascot next week, with big gun Trueshan ready to fire in the Gold Cup, should there be sufficient cut in the ground.

With the current spell of hot weather expected to break down over the next few days, the Barbury Castle handler is “hopeful” the three-time Ascot Long Distance Cup winner can bounce back from a seven-length Sagaro defeat by Coltrane, who heads next Thursday’s showpiece event over two and a half miles.

The dual Group One winner Trueshan will be hoping to make it third time lucky in the race after being declared a non-runner in the last two renewals on account of unsuitable ground.

“We will have to hope for a few thunderstorms,” said King. “He needs to get his toe in, as we all know. It is an open Gold Cup and we’ll keep an eye on the weather and see what happens.”

Tritonic will try two and a half miles for the first time on the Flat when he lines up in the Ascot Stakes.

Runner-up in the 10-furlong Golden Gates in 2020, he subsequently won a juvenile hurdle and a Grade Three handicap hurdle at the Berkshire track.

He has only been out of the frame in once in four runs at Ascot, when fourth, beaten just over seven lengths by Quickthorn, in the heavy-ground Duke of Edinburgh in 2021.

King said: “Three will run at the meeting for us anyway.

“Tritonic will run in the Ascot Stakes. Whether he wants that trip I don’t know, but we thought we’d go that route and learn. If he ran there, you’d have to try to train him for a Cesarewitch or something.”

There is plenty of confidence behind eight-year-old Raymond Tusk, who would also appreciate some easy ground when he lines up in the Copper Horse Handicap, the final race on Tuesday’s card.

King said: “He ran in it last year. He was only beaten four lengths, finishing seventh.

“The old boy is in really good form. Obviously, we’d like a drop of rain for him, but it was fast last year and I hope he will run a really nice race again.”

HMS President had a string of runner-up efforts in decent handicaps last year for Eve Johnson Houghton.

Now with King, the HP Racing colours were carried to success on his second start for King, when taking a valuable handicap at Newmarket, having finished runner-up in the Rosebery at Kempton on his stable debut and seasonal bow.

“He’s shown he has been pretty consistent last year and is trip versatile,” said King. “It was nice to see him get his head in front at Newmarket.

“We have a small team, but we’re looking forward to the meeting, as always.”

Archie Watson is gearing up to send his biggest team to Royal Ascot next week, with King’s Stand Stakes contender Bradsell expected to fly the flag for the Upper Lambourn yard.

Last year’s winner of the Coventry Stakes on only his second start, he has run twice this term since finishing fourth in the Group One Phoenix at the Curragh last August.

Both of those outings have seen him finish third, in the Commonwealth Cup Trial at Ascot and the Sandy Lane at Haydock.

Though each of his five career starts have come over six furlongs, Watson is rolling the dice and going back in trip with the son of Tasleet.

He said: “We supplemented him for the King’s Stand. I thought on both his runs this season he travelled very strongly and shaped like a five-furlong horse. He’s run two very solid races and has really sharpened up.

“That is the route we are going and it is very sporting of Sheikh Nasser to supplement him and I’ve been delighted with him at home. Hopefully, he will have a campaign over five furlongs for the rest of the season.”

In only his seventh full season with a licence, having previously been an assistant to William Haggas, Watson has built a formidable CV which includes Ascot victories in the Windsor Castle Stakes, British Champions Sprint and the Coventry.

Glen Shiel provided Watson with his first Group One winner in 2020, two years after Soldier’s Call had scored in the Windsor Castle. And he will send another top juvenile team to the Berkshire venue, with Army Ethos tackling the Coventry, carrying the same colours as Bradsell for Victorious Racing and Fawzi Nass.

An easy three-and-a-quarter-length winner on debut at Ayr, Watson said: “He is a very nice colt. Ayr was always the plan and he won his race nicely.

“I think a lot of him. Obviously it looks a very strong Coventry on paper with Aidan’s horse (River Tiber), but I’m sure he will run a very good race and then go on to be a proper six-furlong stakes horse this year.”

Action Point, the first winner for first-season sire Blue Point, will run in the Windsor Castle, having won on debut and then finished runner-up to Maximum Impact at Ascot.

Watson said: “He’s a very nice horse, who has come on a lot physically from his last run.

“Reveiller, who won at Salisbury a couple of weekends ago, will go to the Norfolk and Lightning Leo, who won a strong-looking seven-furlong race at Yarmouth, goes to the Chesham, all being well.

“Aaddeey will go to the Copper Horse. He has done nothing wrong and won nicely on his first start for us. He probably would prefer a bit of cut in the ground, but I’m sure it will be lovely racing ground there.

“We are very lucky to have 15 or so horses going there. None of them are going to be favourites. They are 12-1 to 20-1 shots at a minimum, but I’m very happy with them all and they all deserve to be there, so fingers crossed.”

Charlie Appleby’s 2021 Derby and King George hero Adayar will face a maximum of seven rivals in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.

The son of Frankel was brilliant in winning at Epsom and Ascot respectively a couple of years ago, but endured an interrupted four-year-old campaign last season, making it to the track on only two occasions.

Adayar readily dispatched of a couple of rivals on his Doncaster comeback before finishing second in the Champion Stakes – and proved his ability remains very much intact when beating subsequent Group One winner Anmaat in last month’s Gordon Richards Stakes at Newmarket.

The five-year-old disputes favouritism for the Group One feature on day two of the Royal meeting with Aidan O’Brien’s Luxembourg.

The Camelot colt is following a tried-and-tested route, having won the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on his most recent outing, his third win at Group One level.

He looks set to renew rivalry with Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge, who beat Adayar in the Champion Stakes in October and was only half a length behind Luxembourg in Ireland a few weeks ago.

O’Brien’s apparent second string Bolshoi Ballet, the William Haggas-trained pair of Dubai Honour and My Prospero, John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf and Kenny McPeek’s American raider Classic Causeway complete the potential field.

The seven-race card gets under way with the Group Two Queen Mary Stakes, which has attracted 33 speedy juvenile fillies. Leading contenders include Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Born To Rock, Karl Burke’s Beautiful Diamond and Crimson Advocate, a trans-Atlantic challenger for George Weaver.

Joseph O’Brien appears to have a particularly strong hand in the other Group Two on the card – the Duke of Cambridge Stakes.

The Owning Hill handler is responsible for three of the 15 fillies still in contention, with ante-post favourite Jumbly joined by Goldana and Honey Girl.

John Gosden is hoping Laurel can show her true colours in the one-mile contest after disappointing against the boys in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.

“I think she somewhat over-raced and was too fresh (in the Lockinge),” he told Sky Sports Racing.

“The Shadwell horse (Mutasaabeq) went a blistering gallop, she didn’t think that was fast enough and started taking Frankie on and naturally paid the price between the two and the one.

“I think having got that behind her now – that exuberance and that freshness – I hope she will run more of a race where she builds a rhythm and finishes strongly.

“She was a filly who was really immature as a two-year-old and only came to herself really late on. She’s a filly who I think has improved again between three and four and I’m hopeful of a big run.”

A total of 33 entries have been made for the Kensington Palace Fillies’ Handicap, while 61 have horses have stood their ground for the Royal Hunt Cup, with Migration heading the weights and the King’s Saga also in the mix.

Arrest, a Derby disappointment for the Gosdens, heads 22 contenders for the Queen’s Vase and 46 go forward for the concluding Windsor Castle Stakes.