PADDINGTON can win the St James’s Palace Stakes (British Champions Series) (Colts) (4.20pm) on the opening day of Royal Ascot 2023.
Aidan O’Brien’s Irish 2,000 Guineas hero can land the Group One feature on day one at the Berkshire track. Paddington can win the clash of the 2,000 Guineas winners and deny Newmarket scorer Chaldean. Unlike Chaldean – who won the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket last October – O’Brien’s son of Siyouni didn’t make a big mark during his juvenile career. He only won his maiden on his second start at the Curragh in October. But he has progressed rapidly this season, having scored at Naas in March before landing the Listed Tetrach Stakes at the Curragh at the start of last month. He improved again for his first start in Group One company when running out a fine winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas, beating stable-mate Cairo by a comfortable two lengths with the second, third and fourth behind Chaldean – Hi Royal, Royal Scotsman and Galeron – all further adrift than they had been at Headquarters.
Paddington should progress again from that first success at the top level and looks the one to be on. Chaldean is clearly a talented miler and it should be a excellent match-up but Paddington may just be able to come out on top with the Brian Meehan-trained Isaac Shelby looking to hold a decent each-way chance.
While Paddington can give the Coolmore operation a win at the top level at Ascot, their great rivals Godolphin can also score with MODERN GAMES able to land the opening Group One contest, the Queen Anne Stakes (British Champions Series) (2.30pm). The Charlie Appleby-trained Modern Games, who will again be ridden by Liverpool FC fan William Buick, looks set for back-to-back successes in Group One contests following his victory in the Al-Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury last month. That was his first win at the top level in Britain but the globetrotting son of Dubawi had already won plenty all around the world. He took the Grade One Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar in November 2021 before landing the French 2,000 Guineas at ParisLongchamp the following May. He was then third in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) the following month when stepped up to 1m2½f. He is clearly better at a mile and although he could only finish second in both the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and also in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on home soil, he did win the Grade One Woodbine Mile Stakes in Canada. Last month he ran out a fine winner of the Lockinge and if he repeats that effort Modern Games can score again ahead of stable-mate Native Trail and last year’s Coronation Stakes heroine – John & Thady Gosden’s returning Inspiral.
Last year Aussie raider Native Strip blitzed his rivals in the Group One King’s Stand Stakes (British Champions Series) (3.40pm) and another from Down Under, COOLANGATTA, may be able to triumph this year. From the Melbourne Cup-winning stable of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, the three-year-old filly may give her trainers a first Royal Ascot winner. Already a dual Group One winner in her homeland, the Written Tycoon filly was also victorious in the second of those on her most recent start in the the Black Caviar Stakes at Flemington in February. She has won three times in four starts over the minimum distance of five furlongs. And despite mixed reports over her homework leading into Royal Ascot the speedy filly can score ahead of those from the home team – John Quinn’s talented mare Highfield Princess and the Karl Burke-trained Dramatised – who won at Royal Ascot as a juvenile and warmed up for her return to Berkshire with victory in the Group Two Temple Stakes at Haydock Park last month.
Irish trainer O’Brien can land record-extending 10th victory in the Group Two Coventry Stakes (3.05pm) with RIVER TIBER. The Wootton Bassett colt has won both his starts so far in fine style, scoring by 10 lengths on his debut over five-and-a-half furlongs at Navan in April and two-and-a-half furlongs at Naas last month. He looks an exciting juvenile and can come out on top stepped up to six furlongs and into Group company for the first time ahead of George Boughey’s impressive Ripon scorer Asadna and the Dominic French Davis-trained Thunder Blue.
Ian Williams’ LAW OF THE SEA can win the Ascot Stakes (Heritage Handicap) (5pm). Williams has won the 2m4f contest twice in the last four years with The Grand Visir (2019) and Reshoun (2021) and always does well in these type of long-distance races. Law Of The Sea finished fourth in the Chester Cup and then second to the reopposing Solent Gateway at Haydock recently, having also been fifth in the Group Two Queen’s Vase at last season’s Royal Ascot. He looks likely to go close to victory this time despite not having won in more than two years.
Boughey’s RAADOBARG can win the Listed Wolferton Stakes (5.35pm). The five-year-old gelded son of Night Of Thunder, owned by Amo Racing, is on his third trainer having been with Johnny Murtagh in Ireland and Roger Varian. He probably hasn't lived up to early progress when winning three times, including at Haydock Park, and finishing eighth in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2021. In two runs for Boughey, when he finished third in the Group Three Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket and the same position over a mile at Ascot last month, he has hinted that the ability is still there. Boughey has been landing some nice handicaps prizes with bigger priced horses in recent weeks and may be able to take this Listed event with Raadobarg stepping up to 1m2f for the first time.
Willie Mullins’ Grade One-winning hurdler VAUBAN is a fascinating runner in the finale, the Copper Horse Handicap (6.10pm). The five-year-old Rich Ricci-owned gelding has won at the Cheltenham, Punchestown and Dublin Racing Festivals in the past and may have too much class over 1m6f for his rivals. Fellow Irish raider, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Point King, may give him most to think about.
Wright Ones
ROYAL ASCOT DAY ONE
2.30pm Modern Games
3.05pm River Tiber
3.40pm Coolangatta
4.20pm Paddington
5pm Law Of The Sea (NAP)
5.35pm Raadobarg
6.10pm Vauban
