LAUREL lacks a recent run but that’s rarely much of an issue these days, particularly when dealing with a stable like the Gosdens’, and the daughter of Kingman has the look of a Group 1 filly in a Group 2 race here. She was only narrowly denied in top-class company when second in the 2022 Sun Chariot and was back with a bang at Kempton last spring before picking up an injury in the Lockinge. Her record fresh is good and top-of-the-ground conditions will play to her strengths under Ryan Moore here.

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Ben Linfoot: Grosvenor Square – 3.05 Royal Ascot

Aidan O’Brien looks to have a strong grip on the Queen’s Vase as he bids to win it for an eighth time with Illinois and stablemate Highbury dominating the top of the betting. However, it’s the Ballydoyle third string, GROSVENOR SQUARE, that looks the bet. He went off 7/4 favourite for the Chester Vase, but it wasn’t a surprise to see him get turned over there after a spring in which O’Brien’s three-year-olds looked badly in need of their first runs of the campaign. That was certainly the case with this horse who was considerately handled by Ryan Moore on his way to third at Chester and he is expected to come on significantly for that run. Dashing Willoughby was third in the Chester Vase before he won the Queen’s Vase and Grosvenor Square’s half-brother, Santiago, won the Queen’s Vase on his first go at the 1m6f distance. Indeed, everything points to Grosvenor Square improving now he tackles a trip at three while he’s arguably the form pick anyway on his Group 3 win at two.

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Andrew Asquith: Elim – 5.40 Royal Ascot

ELIM is a lightly-raced four-year-old who has made a promising start to her career, and the way she won at Musselburgh last season suggests she has plenty more to offer, only doing what was required when hitting the front, but she travelled through that race like a quality horse. Elim shaped very well on her return from over a year off when hitting the frame at Redcar last month, looking a real threat before the lack of a recent outing seemingly told in the closing stages. She will have come on a bundle for that outing and remains potentially well handicapped, while she also couldn’t have a better partner in Jamie Spencer on the straight mile.

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ILLINOIS found only the subsequent Derby runner-up too good on his last start in the Lingfield trial where he seemed uncomfortable on the track and this step up in trip looks sure to suit. Aidan O’Brien has won this race eight times before and saddles four here, but Illinois is the choice of Ryan Moore, which is significant.

16:25 Ascot – Inspiral

The way INSPIRAL mowed down Warm Heart on her first go over this distance at the Breeders’ Cup suggests she wants ten furlongs these days and her potent turn of foot could be the difference around the bend here. Auguste Rodin and connections will want to make this a stamina test at the trip, but he’ll need to be at his best to resist Inspiral’s late surge.

17:05 Ascot – Wild Tiger

WILD TIGER missed the whole of last season but after a couple of runs in Meydan he returned to the UK better than ever, justifying strong market support to score at Yarmouth in first-time cheekpieces before following up at Goodwood with an impressive performance last month. He’s still progressing on that evidence and can defy a 6 lb rise in the weights under Oisin Murphy.

17:40 Ascot – Elim

ELIM was an impressive winner on her handicap debut at Musselburgh and ran a race full of promise on her comeback at Redcar last month after 13 months off the track. That will have put her spot on for this and she looks to be lurking on a good mark with Ascot straight course specialist Jamie Spencer taking over in the saddle.

Timeform race-by-race verdict

14.30 Queen Mary Stakes

Plenty of potential as expected for a 2-y-o event at Royal Ascot but the 2 who have created the deepest impression are MAKE HASTE and Truly Enchanting. The former could be called the winner a long way out at Naas so is narrowly preferred to Truly Enchanting, who looked potentially smart when powering away at Tipperary. Wesley Ward has won this 4 times since 2009 and he’s represented this time by Ultima Grace, who was impressive at Keeneland and has the potential to rate much higher.

15.05 Queen’s Vase

Plenty of lightly-raced budding stayers tackling this sort of test for the first time line up and it’s HIGHBURY who looks the most persuasive option having bolted up in a Leopardstown maiden (strong form) last month. He can provide Aidan O’Brien with an eighth success in this race at the expense of stablemate Illinois, who found only subsequent Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly too strong last time, while Birdman, who beat the selection on debut, rounds off the shortlist.

15.45 Duke Of Cambridge

Low-mileage mare LAUREL has been absent since finishing down the field in the Lockinge 13 months ago but she’d looked one to keep firmly on side in landing 3 of her 4 previous starts. All the more significant her leading connections opt to keep her in training as a 5-y-o, she’s selected to enhance her good record fresh and strike. Last year’s winner Rogue Millennium had little go right on return/yard debut and is feared. Ocean Jewel and Breege are others to consider.

16.25 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes

INSPIRAL is sure to be all the better for her reappearance and the style of her win at Santa Anita back in November strongly suggests she still has unfinished business at this trip, so she’s narrowly preferred to Auguste Rodin, who took a big step back in the right direction when runner-up in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last time. Royal Rhyme could be the one to fill the places on just his second try at the top level.

17.05 Royal Hunt Cup

BESHTANI showed that he’s still improving when an excellent second at Epsom on return and, with that form having been boosted by the winner since, he gets the vote to go one better at the possible expense of Wild Tiger, who is progressing fast. Sonny Liston is another big player and Real Gain still has some potential intact.

17.40 Kensington Palace Stakes

Having looked a handicapper going places last spring, ELIM had a year off the track but with her reappearance chock-full of promise, she’s fancied to build on that for her up-and-coming stable. Summer of Love and Doha are low-mileage 4-y-os for excellent yards so they demand respect, while Azahara Palace‘s much-improved showing at Leicester marks her down as another interesting contender.

18.15 Windsor Castle Stakes

TREASURE ISLE recorded a useful performance at Naas last month and is taken to provide the Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore combination with a fourth win in this since 2015. Richard Fahey’s juveniles have been going well and Shadow Army looked a nice prospect when edging out a subsequent French listed winner on his York debut in May. The selection’s stablemate Celtic Chieftain and sole filly Aviation Time, who looked unlucky at Beverley recently, complete the shortlist.

Suggested Placepot permutation

Leg 1: 13, 24

Leg 2: 1, 3

Leg 3: 6

Leg 4: 10

Leg 5: 6, 9

Leg 6: 20, 22

2 x 2 x 1 x 1 x 2 x 2 = 16 lines

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