VISION D’ETAT can take the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (3.45pm) at Royal Ascot today.
French raider Manduro won the 1m2f Group One contest and Eric Libaud’s four-year-old looks capable of doing likewise.
Sir Michael Stoute’s Tartan Bearer looks the one to beat, but despite being placed in the Derby and Irish Derby last season, he is yet to win at the top level.
Vision D’Etat has proved himself in Group Ones, winning the French Derby last year, before ending his campaign with a creditable fifth to the mighty Zarkava in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Third on his seasonal debut, Vision D’Etat took the Prix Ganay last time and this slight drop trip and track should suit.
LUSH LASHES was a winner at the Royal Ascot last year and could be hard to beat in the Group Two Windsor Castle Stakes (3.05pm).
Jim Bolger’s four-year-old Galileo filly is very versatile as regards trip and rarely runs a bad race over contests ranging from a mile to a mile and a half.
She landed the Group One Coronation Stakes 12 months ago over a mile and after finishing third in heavy conditions on her seasonal return in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, a return to the shorter distance and to quicker ground can see her back in the winners’ enclosure.
Richard Fahey’s ROSE BLOSSOM is one of several exciting fillies in the Queen Mary Stakes (4.55pm) and can build on her debut success.
The unbeaten Lady Of The Desert, Don’t Tell Mary and Caipercaillie all look capable of taking a hand in the finish, but Fahey’s filly scored in fine style at Hamilton and could be very smart.
The Royal Hunt Cup (4.20pm) is competitive as ever. But William Haggas has his horses in fine form and under Liverpool jockey Liam Jones ROARING FORTE looks to hold strong claims of victory.
Others of interest are GALLAGHER in the Jersey Stakes (2.30pm) and ROSE DIAMOND in the Sandringham Handicap (5.30pm).
ROYAL ASCOT (Day Two):
2.30pm Gallagher
3.05pm Lush Lashes
3.45pm (Prince of Wales’s Stakes) 1 VISION D’ETAT 2 Tartan Bearer 3 Never On Sunday
4.20pm (Royal Hunt Cup) Roaring Forte
4.55pm Rose Blossom (NAP)
5.30pm Rose Diamond
