Having set Royal Ascot alight last year with a stunning performance in the Listed Chesham Stakes, Godolphin’s Pinatubo is one of the headline acts due to run in today’s Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes mile contest.
The unbeaten two-year-old made his seasonal debut in the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas where he finished third, one and a quarter lengths down to the eventual winner Kameko.
Wichita, who finished in front Pinatubo, is also among the field of seven for the 7f contest along with his Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemates Arizona and Royal Dornoch. The field is completed by dual Group 2 winner Threat, the unbeaten Palace Pier and Positive.
The Group 1 Coronation Stakes mile contest will also see Quadrilateral bid to regain the winning thread after she finished third to Love in the QIPCO 1,000 Guineas.
Her opponents include the O’Brien duo Love Locket and So Wonderful, the Jessica Harrington-trained Alpine Star and Cloak Of Spirits, who finished second behind Love in the fillies’ Classic.
The field is completed by Run Wild, an impressive all-the-way winner of the Listed Pretty Polly Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket this month, and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf heroine Sharing, who is trained by Graham Motion.
Completing the clutch of top-level races on offer at Ascot today is the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, where bargain buy Sceptical will look to add another chapter to his remarkable tale having been bought by owner James McAuley for just £2,800 last year.
The Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes and the Group 2 Coventry Stakes are also set to be staged at the Berkshire track today.
Away from Ascot, there are meetings at Kempton (all-weather), Newmarket, Ripon and Naas today.
Tiz The Law out to add Belmont Stakes to record
Usually the third leg of the American Triple Crown, this year’s Grade 1 Belmont Stakes is being run on Saturday due to the unprecedented situation of coronavirus that has affected the US racing schedule.
This year’s renewal looks likely to fall the way of the Barclay Tagg-trained Tiz The Law, who outclassed his rivals when taking the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park back in March.
Belmont’s card also features the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes and the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes.