Royal Ascot kicks off on Tuesday with a stellar renewal of the Queen Anne Stakes and a battle of the Guineas winners in the St James's Palace Stakes.
Five-time Group One winner Notable Speech headlines Royal Ascot's opening Queen Anne Stakes, kicking off a pulsating week of action from the Royal racecourse.
Charlie Appleby's colt comes here in tip-top shape after bolting up in the Group One Lockinge at Newbury last month. Well-backed that day, he kicked clear of the field in eyecatching fashion and reopposes four of the same rivals this time around. William Buick's mount was caught in behind runners on the far side in last year's renewal and a clearer run this year would see him trouble the judge.
In front that day was Docklands, who returns to his favourite track - where he boasts three victories (including two Royal Ascot successes). Harry Eustace's colt comes here off the back of victory in the Doncaster Mile and a subsequent third in Sha Tin's Champions Mile back in April.
Opera Ballo represents Godolphin and is the ride of Billy Loughnane. He is the highest rated horse in the race and arrives in good form having won the Group One Jebel Hatta and Bet365 Mile - where he carried a penalty.
A highly-touted horse is William Haggas' More Thunder. This lad makes the trip to Berkshire following a great run in the Lockinge on his seasonal reappearance, which saw him get out late to roar home in second. Connections will relish another go at the hot favourite. Having shown real promise in Group Two company, the Karl Burke-trained Zeus Olympios will look to open his account at the highest level under Clifford Lee.
Overpass has made the long journey from Australia to take part in the King Charles III Stakes, where 26 runners go in pursuit of the £396,970 top prize - the biggest field since the 2006 renewal.
Bjorn Baker's seven-year-old gelding is well tried at the top level, with this being his 15th start in a Group One. A three-time scorer at the top level, he was fourth in behind the world's best horse Ka Ying Rising in the Everest in October and a repeat of that display would see him go very close at the least.
Last year's winner American Affair suffered a setback after winning here but recently returned to form at Haydock, finishing second behind the ever-improving Night Raider - who is two from two after being gelded. Karl Burke's charge will ping the gates and have them at it from the off for Wathnan Racing and Karl Burke.
Connections of Overpass will be looking to follow in the footsteps of Asfoora, who won this race in 2024. Henry Dwyer's star mare will look to rediscover her mojo against the likes of Rayevka, Big Mojo and Rumstar.
The most exciting clash of the day comes at 4.20pm, with the 2000 Guineas winner Bow Echo and Irish Guineas hero Gstaad re-opposing in a blockbuster St James's Palace Stakes.
Bow Echo is four from four and was scintillating at Headquarters the last day, dispatching a quality field in the 2000 Guineas, and will be hard to beat as George Boughey thinks he will have improved. He was given an official rating of 126 after that, putting him among the top horses in the country.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Gstaad is not ruled out, despite being three lengths behind Bow Echo in their aforementioned Newmarket meeting. The Coolmore team say their colt has improved - a statement underlined by success in the Irish Guineas. Aidan O'Brien's three-year-olds do tend to improve as the season goes on and if Gstaad can close the gap on Bow Echo coming into the home straight, we are in for a classic.
Talk Of New York remains very unexposed having appeared just the four times - winning three of those. Those victories include him bolting up in the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown. He is a massive contender if there is more under the bonnet.
Ballydoyle duo Confucius and Great Barrier Reef head the betting for the Group Two Coventry Stakes at 3.05pm, with debut winner Royal Heritage also in situ in the Wathnan Racing silks. Night In Vegas is also a big contender, despite being drawn in stall 21.
HM The King and Queen are represented through Reaching High, who tops the market for the 5pm Ascot Stakes. Fresh from being awarded an MBE last week, Ryan Moore takes the ride. Later on the card, Haatem bids to go back to back in the Listed Wolferton Stakes before Valiancy goes for gold in the Copper Horse Stakes for Haggas.
