Jack Dawling
All eyes will be on Illinois in the G1 Gold Cup on day three at Royal Ascot to see if the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt has what it takes to fill the void left by the mighty Kyprios in the staying feature.
With the two-time Gold Cup winner retired after suffering a setback last month, O’Brien has turned to the unexposed Illinois, who kept on well to win the G3 Ormonde Stakes in May.
The Galileo colt has shown good stamina so far in his career but faces his sternest test yet stepped up to two and a half miles against the ever-consistent Trawlerman and the French raider, Candelari.
Trawlerman was a game second, beaten only a length behind Kyprios, in last year’s Gold Cup and returns to Berkshire with unfinished business after recording an impressive victory at Sandown last month. He is part of a two-pronged attack for John and Thady Gosden, who also saddle Sweet William.
Francis Henri-Graffard will be looking to spoil the party with Candelari. The son of Frankel brings genuine Group 1 form to the table after landing the spoils in the newly upgraded Prix Vicomtesse Vigier.
NAP: R6 #7 High Stock
David Morgan
Gstaad’s impressive victory in the G2 Coventry Stakes on opening day signalled that Aiden O’Brien’s two-year-olds are firing for the Royal Meeting and the trainer has another exciting colt, Charles Darwin, expected to be a warm favourite in the G2 Norfolk Stakes to kick-off day three.
The Norfolk also features the American raider Sandal’s Song, whose trainer George Weaver won the Queen Mary Stakes two years ago with Crimson Advocate. Sandal’s Song was purchased recently by big-spending Wathnan Racing, which ended day one with two winners and which also has the Karl Burke-trained Naval Light in this five-furlong speed test.
Hong Kong owner Bon Ho is pitching his progressive handicapper Wonder Legend into the deep end in the day’s feature, the G1 Gold Cup, but he has another improver in the G3 Hampton Court Stakes, the last start Listed winner Glittering Legend.
Ho is ahead of the game in the sense that Hong Kong owners always have a keen eye on the Hampton Court as a market-place for next season’s Hong Kong Derby. More so the Britannia Handicap, one race later, after which phones will be ringing with offers from Hong Kong: one such candidate is Parole D’Oro, a half-brother to the seven-time Hong Kong winner Golden Empire.
NAP: R1 #3 Charles Darwin
Andrew Hawkins
The Britannia is so often a race that produces horses for Hong Kong, but La Botte’s future may lie in Australia given he is owned by a group of prominent owners from Down Under. He races in the colours of Halo Racing, the outfit of the late Col McKenna whose blue and lime green silks have been worn by plenty of good horses in Australia – most notably Caulfield Cup winner Jameka.
Another race whose runners are often hunted by Australians is the King George V over a mile and a half. It has been 25 years since Give The Slip progressed from victory in this race to run second in the Melbourne Cup; while no winner has managed the double, 2018 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter came through the race. The King George V has also produced horses like Land Legend, Just Fine, Homesman, Shraaoh and Spillway who won at the highest level in Australia.
A runner like Omni Man is already owned by New Zealand syndicators Go Racing and one can expect that, within a year, far more of them will be owned and raced in the southern hemisphere.
Elsewhere on the card, the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes looks fascinating as always. It is arguably the race that differs most year on year in terms of quality and it is a factor that can only truly be assessed with hindsight.
Irish filly Catalina Delcarpio looks to have a very bright future and she is the latest in a line of top contenders across the week being sent out by Tipperary trainer Paddy Twomey.
NAP: R3 #2 Catalina Delcarpio
Day 3 of Royal Ascot begins Thursday at 2:30pm (GMT). ∎
