By Tom Frary
Aidan O'Brien will seek a 10th Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on Thursday, with his prospects whittled down to just Illinois (Galileo) in the meeting's prestige feature. Last year's G2 Queen's Vase winner will take on the Aga Khan Studs representative Candelari (Frankel) from the Francis-Henri Graffard stable and that G1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier winner is like him a newcomer to these Cup races. Old stagers Trawlerman (Golden Horn) and Sweet William (Sea The Stars) are back again, while the All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap winner Wonder Legend (Sea The Stars) is an interesting contender.
In the G2 Norfolk Stakes, Ballydoyle are represented by TDN Rising Star Charles Darwin (No Nay Never) as 16 stand their ground, while the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes has attracted 11 fillies including Robert Moran's TDN Rising Star and G3 Salsabil Stakes runner-up Catalina Delcarpio (Lope De Vega). There are 14 engaged in the G3 Hampton Court Stakes, with Juddmonte's G1 Prix du Jockey Club third Detain (Wootton Bassett) looking for quick compensation.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
