Royal Ascot Festival Day One:The last two winners of the 2,000 Guineas, Cockney Rebel and George Washington, look set for centre stage on day one of Royal Ascot where 15 Irish-trained horses will take their place on a truly international afternoon.
With three Australians, two French and a runner each from New Zealand and Ireland in the Kings Stand Stakes, the Group Two sprint will be a focus of attention in its own right.
However, the Group One races look to follow more familiar lines, although there is nothing too familiar about the route that George Washington has taken to the Queen Anne Stakes.
Last year's mercurially brilliant champion miler was taken out of stud after being found to be sub-fertile and although much play has been made of how a former Queen Anne winner Radetzky did something similar in the late 1970s, Aidan O'Brien is dealing with a true individual in "Gorgeous George."
The four time Group One winner was by O'Brien's own admission "walking around on five legs, thinking he could cover everything" when he first returned to training and this will be a fascinating test of the champion trainer's skill.
Considering George Washington was beaten on his return from injury at Goodwood last year, there may not be much value to be had in taking short odds today but if the four-year-old is anywhere near his best then he would beat these readily.
If he isn't, then Red Evie will be the popular fancy to take advantage but Ramonti doesn't have much to find on Lockinge form and will be better for that run.
There's no question that his Guineas successor Cockney Rebel is coming to the St James's Palace Stakes in the form of his life and will attempt to emulate Rock Of Gibraltar by adding the Ascot feature to the English-Irish Guineas double.
The horses that finished behind Cockney Rebel at the Curragh are back for another crack, while Aidan O'Brien also pitches the French Guineas winner Astronomer Royal and Excellent Art into the fray.
However, Cockney Rebel's trainer Geoff Huffer, a St James's winner with Persian Heights in 1988, appeared far from intimidated yesterday and said:
"I think he is still improving and he will be better than he was at the Curragh. He'll settle better, that's for sure. I keep looking for chinks in his armour but I haven't found one yet!"
Dandy Man is the sole Irish hope in the Kings Stand as he tries to improve on last year's unlucky fourth to Takeover Target. This time round, Tracey Collins's star sprinter is drawn in stall one which should theoretically be a big advantage.
An even bigger advantage though would be fast going and with an uncertain weather forecast, there is no guarantee that conditions won't turn more testing than expected.
If that does happen, it could place the Anzac raiding party at a disadvantage and it may make the French three-year-old, Beauty Is Truth, an impressive Group Three winner at Chantilly last time out, a viable alternative.
Pencil Hill will be Collins's first ever Ascot runner in the Coventry Stakes but the unbeaten colt has been handed a very wide draw, as has the apparent Ballydoyle number one, Henrythenavigator.
Declaration Of War, highly regarded by Peter Chapple-Hyam will be hard to beat anyway.
Three Irish horses, including the 2005 winner Leg Spinner, line up in the Ascot Stakes where Fran Berry looks a significant booking for Princelet.
Achilles Of Troy was an expensive failure at the Curragh and a better option in the Windsor Castle may be the Chester winner, Dark Angel.
2.30 - Declaration Of War
3.05 - Beauty Is Truth
3.45 - Cockney Rebel
4.20 - Ramonti
4.55 - Princelet
5.30 - Dark Angel
