Royal Ascot ready for showpiece meeting

Racing’s astir glamorous fixture gets nether measurement connected Tuesday arsenic nan five-day Royal Ascot gathering starts.

More than 250,000 racegoers are expected during nan week astatine nan Berkshire way and warm, barren upwind is expected.

Three top-level Group One races characteristic connected nan first time pinch French challengers Facteur Cheval and Big Rock among nan contenders successful nan opening Queen Anne Stakes.

Big Evs lines up successful nan King Charles III Stakes, while nan St James’s Palace Stakes sees a rematch betwixt nan 2,000 Guineas 1-2 Notable Speech and Rosallion.

Unbeaten Notable Speech is seeking a 5th profession triumph for trainer Charlie Appleby and owners Godolphin.

He is expected to commencement favourite against Richard Hannon’s Rosallion, who went connected to win nan Irish Guineas. Rivals see Henry Longfellow, trained by Aidan O’Brien.

Royal Ascot starts connected Tuesday, 18 June and finishes connected Saturday, 22 June.

There are 7 races each time – 35 successful each – pinch full prize money of £10m connected offer.

Racing starts astatine 14:30 BST each day, pinch nan last title astatine 18:15.

Sunny spells and ray winds are forecast, pinch temperatures expected to scope astir 22C.

The going connected Tuesday was described arsenic bully to patient aft 5mm of watering to support crushed conditions.

14:30 Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) 1 mile

15:05 Coventry Stakes (Group 2) Six furlongs

15:45 King Charles III Stakes (Group 1) 5 furlongs

16:25 St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1) 1 mile

17:05 Ascot Stakes (Class 2 handicap) 2 miles, 4 furlongs

17:40 Wolferton Stakes (Listed) 1 mile, 2 furlongs

18:15 Copper Horse Stakes (Class 2 handicap) 1 mile, six furlongs

Wednesday: Auguste Rodin, victor of nan English and Irish Derbys for O’Brien past season, is favourite for nan Prince of Wales’s Stakes successful nan absence of White Birch, who hit him astatine nan Curragh past clip out. Inspiral has been rerouted present from nan Queen Anne Stakes.

Thursday: The Gold Cup is nan characteristic title connected Ladies’ Day, erstwhile O’Brien’s 2022 victor Kyprios will look to go nan first equine to regain nan title since Kayf Tara 24 years ago. The title will decorativeness astir half an hr earlier England’s Euro 2024 lucifer against Denmark kicks disconnected and large screens will show nan lucifer astatine nan course.

Friday: There's 2 Group One races connected nan penultimate day. Elite Status is among nan apical sprinters group to title nan Commonwealth Cup but Vandeek and Bucanero Fuerte person been ruled out, while Opera Singer and 1,000 Guineas victor Elmalka caput nan fillies successful nan Coronation Stakes.

Saturday: Kinross will bid to make it 3rd clip fortunate for trainer Ralph Beckett successful nan Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, having vanished eighth and seventh successful nan title previously. The Wokingham Stakes handicap title will erstwhile again beryllium a tricky puzzle for punters to solve.

It is not yet known whether King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be to watch immoderate of nan horses they own.

Desert Hero gave nan King his first victor astatine Royal Ascot pinch triumph successful nan King George V Stakes past year, and is entered for nan Hardwicke Stakes connected Saturday.

Jockey Frankie Dettori will beryllium backmost astatine nan meeting, but not riding this clip arsenic he promotes a edifice hospitality venture. He competed for nan past clip successful Britain astatine Ascot successful October earlier switching to nan United States.

His absence gives Ryan Moore, O’Brien’s unchangeable jockey, nan chance to go nan astir successful existent rider astatine nan gathering – he is 2 down Dettori’s people of 81 victories.

It is besides a large week for James Doyle, nan first rider for Wathnan Racing, who person been connected a spending spree earlier Ascot, snapping up nan likes of Haatem, Shartash and Space Legend.

Wathnan - owned by Sheikh Tamim, nan emir of Qatar – were successful pinch Gold Cup victor Courage Mon Ami and Queen's Vase victor Gregory past year.