Royal Ascot racing tips: Field Of Gold can win thrilling clash

Times

4 hours ago

High fashion will be the order of the day in the grandstand at Royal Ascot, but the real bluebloods will be on the track, with three group one races on the opening day, headed by a mouth-watering clash of three classic winners in the St James's Palace Stakes (4.20). Field Of Gold, trained by the father-and-son team of John and Thady Gosden, can come out on top.
Field Of Gold looked unlucky when a half-length second to Ruling Court in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, caught out when the tempo quickened before finishing strongly. Kieran Shoemark, who rode him there, lost the mount as a result and Field Of Gold was then an impressive winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh under new partner Colin Keane last month.
He is a son of Kingman, who was also narrowly beaten in the 2,000 Guineas for the Gosden team before winning in Ireland en route to an easy success in this race. Connections have left nothing to chance, with the front-running Windlord, who carries the same silks, in the field to ensure a true test. Field Of Gold can follow in his sire's hoofprints with victory here.
Ruling Court has not raced since giving trainer Charlie Appleby a third win in four years in the Newmarket classic. He is unexposed after being beaten just once in four starts and his turn of foot makes him a dangerous rival, while Aidan O'Brien's French 2,000 Guineas winner Henri Matisse is really tough and will not go down without a fight in a race to savour.
2.30 Queen Anne Stakes
Notable Speech beat Rosallion in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket last year and he can confirm his superiority here. Appleby's charge was a little hit-and-miss after that, running badly in the St James's Palace Stakes here, but he was a comfortable winner of the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, while he was a little unlucky when a close third in the Breeders' Cup Mile. He travelled well for a long way when fourth to Lead Artist on his reappearance in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, not given a hard time as lack of a recent outing told, and that should have put him spot on for this test.
3.05 Coventry Stakes
The powerhouse owners of Coolmore and Godolphin look set to dominate this group two prize, with the O'Brien-trained Gstaad taken to see off stablemate Warsaw and Military Code, from the Appleby yard. Gstaad sprang a surprise on his debut at Navan a month ago when beating odds-on favourite True Love, who is a leading fancy for the Queen Mary Stakes on Wednesday. He had to overcome trouble in running there, picking up well to lead close home, and there should be plenty more to come.
3.40 King Charles III Stakes
Night Raider has been crying out for a drop to this five-furlong trip and this front-runner could be tough to pass. He was tried over as far as a mile in the 2,000 Guineas last year, clearly failing to stay, but looked a classy sprinter when impressively making all the running twice over six furlongs at the end of the campaign, showing bright early pace. Night Raider shaped well on his return to action at York, looking to have some classy rivals in trouble before fading in the closing stages. Subsequently bought by the shrewd Wathnan Racing team, he looks tailor made for this sharper test.
5.00 Ascot Stakes
Willie Mullins is better known for his domination of jump racing, but he has saddled four of the past 13 winners of this staying contest and he can strike again with Reaching High, who carries the royal silks. Trained last year by the now-retired Sir Michael Stoute, Reaching High was a close second on his debut for Mullins at Leopardstown and, as a son of Gold Cup-winning mare Estimate, he is open to any amount of improvement now that he tackles a marathon trip for the first time. Stablemate Poniros, who was a 100-1 winner of the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, will be a threat if he copes with this trip.
5.35 Wolferton Stakes
Meydaan can spring a surprise. He was fourth in the Queen's Vase over a half-mile further here a year ago, but this trip looks to be his optimum and he returned to form when a neck second to Liberty Lane at Goodwood last time. He meets that rival on 3lb better terms and, likely to get the strong early pace that suits his hold-up style of racing best, he looks decent each-way value at the 16-1 generally on offer.
6.10 Copper Horse Stakes
The lightly raced French Master looks a solid favourite. A son of the brilliant Frankel, he won on his first try at this trip at Goodwood last time, despite being unsuited by the slow early pace and meeting trouble in running. The way that he picked up in the closing stages suggested that he is capable of much better given a truly run race and, fitted with blinkers for the first time to help him to concentrate, French Master will be tough to beat.