Europe

Only established in its current guise in 2002 and now firmly entrenched as a feature part of Royal Ascot, the G3 Tercentenary S. has two subsequent Group 1 winners on its honour roll in Glass Harmonium (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}) and Cannock Chase (Lemon Drop Kid), and another who is surely only in-waiting in last year's scorer Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). It is no coincidence that the two top-level winners were trained by British racing's overlord Sir Michael Stoute, and he supplies the likely favourite here in Al Shaqab's Abdon...

Now that sprinting is a truly international affair, Royal Ascot's G2 Norfolk S. is one of the starting points for the category's future a-list celebrities, and in Global Applause (GB) (Mayson {GB}) it spotlights a valid contender for that status on Thursday. Impressive on debut at Newmarket May 1 and in the Listed National S. at Sandown 25 days later, Dr Johnny Hon's bay lost out in between to Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) when returning with a bad blood picture in Newbury's Olympic Glory Conditions S. over six furlongs May...

No match for Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) but in command of all else in the G1 Epsom Oaks, Lael Stable's acquisition Architecture (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) is the latest to emerge from that Classic in a quick bid for ample compensation in Thursday's G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot. Making a leap forward from her prior second in the May 7 Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial, she had upwards of eight lengths to spare over the rest of her rivals in the 12-furlong Classic and any further progression will see her emerge...

Further boosting the form of the Apr. 30 G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) got Godolphin off the mark at the 2016 Royal meeting with a smooth success under a five-pound penalty picked up as a result of his win in Newbury's G2 Mill Reef S. in September. It was prior to that smooth performance in the six-furlong Newbury contest that Sheikh Mohammed had become involved, purchasing the bay from Mayson's owner David Armstrong on the back of a second in York's G2 Gimcrack S. also over...

Before he began his current tenure at Ballydoyle and changed the modern face of racing as a result, Aidan O'Brien was transforming the careers of jumpers at Piltown, and it is that original affinity with the long-distance horses that has now made him one of the most notable names in the story of Royal Ascot's centrepiece G1 Gold Cup. Run on Thursday in honour of the Queen's 90th birthday, the race remains for many second to none as the apex of the week, and the place where history and legacy...

Trainer Hugo Palmer said Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) looked like "a trillion dollars" the morning after his win in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot. The Al Shaqab colourbearer, who was adding to his G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas score when besting fellow Guineas winners The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) on Tuesday, is now on course for the G1 Sussex S. against elders at Goodwood July 27. "It's been extraordinary in that every stride he's taken, he's improved physically," Palmer...

Last year's European 2-year-old champion Air Force Blue (War Front), who was over the weekend supplemented to Friday's G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, was removed from that six-furlong contest at Wednesday's declaration stage. Also withdrawn was last year's G2 Queen Mary S. winner Acapulco (Scat Daddy), who was also scratched from Tuesday's G1 King's Stand S. by trainer Wesley Ward on account of the soft going. Air Force Blue's Aidan O'Brien-trained stablemate Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was not among the 13 declarations for Friday's G1 Coronation S., but the...

Godolphin supply a potentially high-class filly in Anamba, who registered a first black-type success in the Listed Owenstown Stud S. over seven furlongs at Naas last time May 29. Favourite at present is Cheveley Park Stud's unbeaten Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who took her second handicap in succession over this trip on Chelmsford's Polytrack at the start of the month, with The Queen's Diploma not far behind after her impressive York handicap win over 10 1/2 furlongs last time May 21. Adding depth are the June 4 Listed Prix...

Sent to post just six days after a smooth debut win at Yarmouth, Ardad made a mockery of his long odds, instead giving off the kind of air of an odds-on shot with this highly impressive success to close the opening day. Held up behind the leaders on the far side early by Robert Havlin, the bay tracked the leader Big City Dreamin (Iqbaal) and his owner's positively-ridden recent acquisition Mister Trader (Ire) (Hellvelyn {GB}) through and was full of running passing the two-furlong marker. Sweeping to the front soon...

Ascot's Royal Enclosure has been in existence since 1822, when King George IV built a two-storey stand, primarily to entertain his friends, with access granted by his invitation only. Today, the Queen's first in command at the course, otherwise known as Her Majesty's Representative, is Johnny Weatherby, whose forebear James Weatherby was in 1773 given permission by the Jockey Club to publish the racing calendar. The family firm also oversees the General Stud Book and continues to be racing's administrator. In these customer-friendly days, it's likely that Weatherby takes a...

GOLD PROSPECTED Under-rated in the betting but expertly ridden by Frankie Dettori, Al Shaqab's Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) came out on top of the triumvirate of 2000 Guineas winners in a memorable showdown for Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S. on Tuesday. Sent off what can only be seen as an insulting 6-1 in hindsight, the Apr. 30 G1 2000 Guineas hero had a perfect bullseye to aim at in the Godolphin pacemaker Cymric (Kitten's Joy) and after moving ahead of him passing the quarter pole had...

With Acapulco (Scat Daddy) and others scratched due to unsuitable rain-softened turf, it was left to new kid on the block Profitable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) to enhance a banner day for jockey Adam Kirby in this furious dash. Wins in Newmarket's Apr. 30 G3 Palace House S. and Haydock's May 21 G2 Temple S. prompted Darley to secure breeding rights in recent days and he immediately repaid that faith here. The bay was handily placed in the second rank from the outset as Take Cover (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and...