GIVEN the blue-bloods who attend the meeting, someone of his relatively lowly aristocratic standing wouldn't normally be able to pull rank at Royal Ascot, but Duke Of Marmalade can reign supreme this afternoon.
Aidan O'Brien's runner already has a couple of Group 1's to his name this season and the hat-trick looks his for the taking in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, one of the few big races the trainer has yet to win.
Such are the array of riches house
d at Ballydoyle, Duke Of Marmalade spent his earlier career in the shadow of some of his more illustrious stablemates, even, on one occasion, being used as a pacemaker at Ascot last year. Since then, however, the Duke has shown he doesn't need to travel on the coat-tails of others and is now a star in his own right.
The opening Jersey Stakes is a tight affair that's open to many an interpretation and for what's worth, mine is that Aqlaam is the one to be with.
None of the other races on the card look any easier to solve than the opener, with the Windsor Forest boasting several runners who all hold claims to be in there fighting when things get down to the nitty-gritty.
Majestic Roi's form figures may not look that appealing but Mick Channon's charge has been running better than those would suggest and she already has a Group 1 success to her name. Unfortunately, that victory means she now has to carry a penalty and at this grade, giving up-and-coming rivals 5lbs doesn't exactly make life easy.
Gerrard Butler's Baharah is another with a big shout but Heaven Sent has a perfect record this term and can ensure it remains unblemished in the hands of Ryan Moore, for whom she could become a first ever Royal Ascot winner.
Moore was out luck on the opening day, finishing third on 15-8 favourite hotpot Fleeting Spirit in the King's Stand Stakes as Spanish sprinter Equiano bagged the rail early on under Olivier Peslier and never saw another rival. Trained by Mauricio Delcher Sanchez, Equiano (22-1) put his rivals to the sword with Australian veteran Takeover Target grabbed second close home.
Henrythenavigator emulated dual Guineas winner Rock Of Gibraltar when adding the St James's Palace Stakes to his Group 1 haul.
The winner of the English and Irish 2,000 Guineas, trained by O'Brien and ridden by Johnny Murtagh, did so in style when quickening away from a field packed with quality to collect as the 4-7 favourite.
Although anchored at the rear alongside runner-up Raven's Pass turning into the lush home run, Murtagh's mount travelled sweetly and weaved a passage through runners to lead over a furlong out.
Rock Of Gibraltar six years ago was the first British Classic winner to land the St James's Palace Stakes since 1981, and O'Brien heaped praise on his latest hero. "You saw what he did in the English Guineas and he improved from there to the Irish Guineas," said O'Brien. "The only thing we weren't sure about today is that he had never raced around a bend before, and things can change when you have to do that. Johnny rode him with extreme confidence and was never in any doubt."
Today's Royal Hunt Cup is normally on of the biggest and most open betting events of the week but this time round, things are rather different thanks to the presence of Bankable. Despite the fact there are thirty-runners in the race, the favourite is a best-priced 7-4 and anyone who wants to dabble at those skimpy odds should feel free to do so.
Handicap snips such as Bankable have a nasty habit of coming unstuck however and bearing in mind the quantity, and quality, of his rivals, he looks worth taking on. Docofthebay is blinkered for the first time which might help his cause but at 50-1, how's about an interest in Overturn?
At Hamilton, meanwhile, Coleorton Dancer is fast becoming one of those horses yours truly will follow, lemming like, over a cliff. Robert Winston's mount has already cost me a few quid this season but one of these days, he'll strike gold so I wouldn't like to miss out when he does.
Mick Channon's Grit pulled off a big price shock last time out but could be up to proving that triumph wasn't a fluke while fellow Southern raider Lizzie Wiggins can win the fillies' contest.
The in-form Wizard Looking rates the bet of the afternoon at the Lanarkshire track, with Honey Monster the bet of the day when heading for Kempton this evening if you catch my drift.
