Aidan O'Brien will be among the significant absentees at Royal Ascot this week, but the master trainer’s horses will remain a threat to all and his classy colt Japan is fancied to win the feature race on day two tomorrow, the £250,000 Prince of Wales's Stakes.
Quarantine rules have made it impractical for O’Brien to travel from his base in Ireland for the behind-closed-doors meeting but his raiders are proving as potent as ever. Love was a brilliant winner of the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket nine days ago, just 24 hours after Wichita had been beaten a neck in the 2,000 Guineas.
A close fourth in last year’s Derby, Japan subsequently won in Group 1 company in France before pulling out plenty to beat to the top-notch Crystal Ocean in the Juddmonte International at York and he was far from disgraced when fourth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
He can get his new campaign off to the perfect start, perhaps at the main expense of front-running Mehdaayih.
Japan’s jockey, Ryan Moore, can also click on First Receiver in the Hampton Court Stakes. The Queen’s colt is up in class but may be a stronger stayer than Juan Elcano.
Hollie Doyle has prospects of becoming the third female Royal Ascot winner aboard Mighty Gurkha in the Windsor Castle Stakes, while Afaak should make another bold bid in the Royal Hunt Cup.
Maydanny, who romped home on his return at Yarmouth, looks well placed in the Silver Hunt Cup, Arthurian Fable is capable of a big run in the King George V Stakes, while Alright Sunshine is worth a second look in the Copper Horse Handicap.
