G2 Ribblesdale Stakes

It is taking almost a crowbar to deny Joseph O'Brien at Royal Ascot this week, but luckily for Wathnan and James Doyle they had the equine equivalent as the operation's recent acquisition Earth Shot (Time Test) got up to deny the Owning Hill runner Johanna Walsh (Sea The Stars) late in a thrilling G2 Ribblesdale Stakes. Rated highly from an early point by William Haggas, the bargain 90,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 purchase who is a half-sister to Wednesday's Prince of Wales's pacemaker Devil's Advocate had been sold by Childwickbury...

Thursday, Ascot, post time: 16:20, THE GOLD CUP-G1, £650,000, 4yo/up, 19f 210y Field: Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Sweet William (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), Wonder Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Yashin (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). TDN Verdict: No Kyprios, but in Illinois Ballydoyle have a serious follow-up act with this trip looking within his compass. Getting better as the year progressed at three, the St Leger form is looking much better after the Coronation Cup and he...

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)...

Securing the outright record of Royal Ascot winners, Ryan Moore was at his determined best to win a war of attrition on Ballydoyle's Port Fairy (Ire) (Australia {GB}--Fabulae {Ire}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes. Not seen since finishing runner-up in the Listed Cheshire Oaks last month, the product of the Whisperview breeding operation was the pick of Moore of the stable pair and was prominently-placed from the outset. Temporarily swamped two out by the smooth-travelling Lava Stream (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), the 12-1 shot stayed...