Leading Fancies Declared For Tuesday

All the major protagonists have been declared for the three Group 1 races on the opening day of Royal Ascot on Tuesday. The meeting gets underway in exciting fashion with the
G1 Queen Anne S. worth £685,000, in which Richard Fahey's Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) looks set to go off a hot favourite to supplement his impressive win in the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury last month. Tactics will certainly be interesting; Ribchester jumps from stall one, while stablemate Toscanini (Ire) (Shamardal), who didn't assume pacemaking duties in the Lockinge is in stall 10. Lighting Spear (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) (stall 14), who chased home Ribchester last time out is among 15 other runners set to take him on, but has a 3 1/2-length deficit to bridge on Tuesday. The American-trained Tepin (Bernstein) took the race last year and U.S. based trainers Todd Pletcher and Graham Motion will field American Patriot (War Front) and Miss Temple City (Temple City), respectively. The latter finished fourth in last year's G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. American Patriot has drawn the highest in 16 while Miss Temple City will jump from stall four.
A field of 18 has been declared for the G1 King's Stand S., including the winners of the last two renewals in Profitable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (stall one) and Goldream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (stall 12). However, they will have to be at their very best to contain the two flying fillies Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) (stall nine) and 'TDN Rising Star' Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy). Although Lady Aurelia receives both a weight for age and sex allowance her draw from stall 18 could have been kinder. Further international interest is provided by the French challenger Signs Of Blessing (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (stall 13) who won the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest last year and the Ger Lyons-trained Ardhoomey (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) who tackles Group 1 company for the first time and jumps from stall five.
Dual Guineas winner Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the star attraction in the G1 St James's Palace S. with eight runners scheduled to go to post. Among them are the two colts who chased Churchill home in his last two Classic victories at Newmarket and The Curragh, namely Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) and Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}). However, both colts are rated 5lbs inferior to Churchill and it will be a surprise if either manages to turn the tables on the Aidan O'Brien-trained 3-year-old.