Royal Ascot - Thursday

GOING: GOOD TO FIRM (Good in places; GoingStick: Stands' side 9.2, Centre 9.4, Far side 9.3, Round 8.4) (Rail on round course approx 3yds out from 9f to home straight, adding approx 6yds to old mile, 9yds to 1m2f & 12yds to races of 1m 4f and further). (Showers)

STALLS: Straight course - Centre; Round course - Inside

2.30 NORFOLK STAKES (GROUP 2) (CLASS 1) (2yo) Winner £45,368 14 runners 5f Good To Firm CH4
A two year old sprint gets us underway on Thursday at Royal Ascot. Aidan O'Brien is running the very smart coach House, who could go off a very short favourite. The Oasis Dream colt has won his last two outings impressively and should go well again here. Wesley Wrad runs No Nay Never, probably his best chance of the week. Richard Hannon runs COULSTY who bolted up in a Leicester maiden in a quick time and that race has see other winners come from it. Olly Stevens' Green Door has to be respected after Extortionist's win on Tuesday as does the Godolphin horse Emirates Flyer. Surely the name gives a hint of the horses ability.

3.05 RIBBLESDALE STAKES (GROUP 2) (FILLIES) (CLASS 1) (3yo) Winner £85,065 12 runners 1m4f Good To Firm CH4
Alive Alive Oh finished third behind Magician on her debut last season before following up with two easy wins this term. WINSILI won an Oaks trial very nicely at Newbury last month beating the Oaks third, The Lark, and has been laid out for this race by connections. The Lark has claims on her Epsom run but will need to improve again to beat the John Gosden filly. Aidan O'Brien runs Just Pretending, third in the Irish 2000 Guineas, and could be capable of running up a sequence over the summer.

3.45 GOLD CUP (BRITISH CHAMPIONS SERIES) (GROUP 1) (CLASS 1) (4yo+) Winner £198,485 18 runners 2m4f Good To Firm CH4
ESTIMATE runs for the Queen in the Gold Cup and would be a very popular winner. The filly has won twice over 2m at Ascot including at last year at the Royal meeting. She is a half-sister to previous Gold Cup winner Enzeli. Rite Of Passage won this in 2010 and has to be respected for Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen. Johnny Murtagh has a very good record in this race and rides twice Ascot winner Simenon. Colour Vision won this last year for Godolphin but has lost his way since. Last Train for Andre Fabre is unexposed and an interesting runner from France.

4.25 BRITANNIA STAKES (HERITAGE HANDICAP) (CLASS 2) (3yo 0-105) Winner £74,700 30 runners 1m Good To Firm CH4
Wentworth will be the likely favourite for Richard Hannon here. Running in the colours of Mrs J Magnier, the colt made an unlucky return at Goodwood last time out when third to Piscean. Cape Peron won his last two starts nicely for Henry Candy but may want some give in the ground. So Beloved for Roger Charlton and James Doyle will be popular in the betting ring and could go well. EBN ARAB has some decent bits of form and could run a good race at around 28/1.

5.00 TERCENTENARY STAKES (FORMERLY THE HAMPTON COURT STAKES) (GROUP 3) (CLASS 1) (3yo) Winner £42,533 12 runners 1m2f Good To Firm CH4
This would have been a nice race for the Aidan O'Brien trained Mars but he was diverted to the St James's Palace Stakes after the scare with Magician last week. His connections now run Indian Chief who was a two length fourth behind Derby runner up Libertarian in the Dante Stakes at York. Chopin is closely match on that form through his run behind Ruler Of The World and Libertarian in the Derby. Remote goes for John Gosden here and could start favourite after two very impressive wins. The Dansili colt with have to step up on his previous form though. Paul Hanagan has been unlucky not to get in the winners enclosure on a couple of Hamdan Al Maktoum horse so far this week and ELKAAYED is another nice type.

5.35 KING GEORGE V STAKES (HANDICAP) (CLASS 2) (3yo 0-105) Winner £46,688 19 runners 1m4f Good To Firm CH4
BOLD SNIPER could end a very good day for the Queen (who has other fancied runners in Estimate and Sea Shanty). The New Approach colt has won his last two starts very nicely. Eshtiaal is another nicely bred colt for Paul Hanagan and should go well. Soviet Rock will likely try and take the race to the rest of the field and could stretch the race out.