Royal Ascot Opening Day Entries Revealed: Notable Speech Tops St James’s Palace Stakes
Royal Ascot Opening Day Entries Revealed
In the lead-up to the prestigious Royal Ascot meet, all eyes are on the entries for the opening day on Tuesday. Topping the bill is the St James’s Palace Stakes, where 2000 Guineas champion Notable Speech will face up to 10 rivals as he looks to follow up his Classic triumph.
The Dubawi colt made a successful turf debut in last month’s Guineas at Newmarket, maintaining his unbeaten record with an impressive display. The form of that race has only strengthened, with the second and third-placed horses, Rosallion and Haatem, going on to finish first and second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.
Trainer Richard Hannon will be hoping Rosallion can turn the tables, although stablemate Haatem is more likely to run in the Jersey Stakes later in the week.
Aidan O’Brien has left in four contenders – Henry Longfellow, Mountain Bear, River Tiber and Unquestionable – with Longfellow seemingly the Ballydoyle stable’s first string as he looks to bounce back from his French Guineas disappointment.
The French challenge is led by Mario Baratti’s Guineas winner Metropolitan, who has been supplemented at a cost of £46,000, while compatriot Darlinghurst, a perfect four from four this year for Jerome Reynier, will also make the trip across the Channel. Newmarket fifth Alyanaabi and the lightly-raced Heron Stakes winner Almaqam complete the potential field.
Other Opening Day Highlights
Elsewhere on the card, last year’s Coronation Stakes heroine Inspiral headlines the entries for the Queen Anne Stakes. John and Thady Gosden’s star mare was a narrow runner-up in this race 12 months ago and will be fancied to go one better, although she’ll face stiff competition from the likes of Lockinge Stakes winner Audience and top-class milers Big Rock and Facteur Cheval.
In the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes, ante-post favourite Big Evs will look to follow up his Windsor Castle triumph last year and Breeders’ Cup success when he faces 18 other speedsters, including the Gosdens’ Crimson Advocate, winner of the Queen Mary Stakes at this meeting in 2022.
The opening two-year-old race of the week, the Coventry Stakes, has attracted 31 initial entries, with Joseph O’Brien’s Cowardofthecounty and Aidan O’Brien’s Camille Pissarro amongst the leading contenders.
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