Royal Ascot live on Sky Sports Racing: Gold Cup contenders Coltrane and Eldar Eldarov take centre stage on day three
The superstars just keep coming at Royal Ascot this week with the Gold Cup contenders taking centre stage on day three, all live on Sky Sports Racing.
Royal Ascot 4.20 - New Gold Cup hero could be crowned
In the absence of the sadly injured 2022 winner Kyprios, there is likely to be a new name on the Gold Cup (4.20) roll of honour this year as Coltrane and St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov top a 14-runner field.
The former looks to hold rock-solid claims following what appeared to be a career-best performance in Ascot's Sagaro Stakes on May 3 and is the mount of three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy.
New kids on the block Yibir and Courage Mon Ami provide interest but perhaps the most compelling claims lie with 2021 winner Subjectivist, nursed through a remarkable recovery from serious injury to continue his glittering racing career.
Aidan O'Brien has two in the field with Emily Dickinson leading his hopes ahead of stablemate Broome.
Frankie Dettori has won a remarkable eight Gold Cups and is represented in the race for the final time by John and Thady Gosden's Courage Mon Ami.
Royal Ascot 3.40 - Unbeaten Al Asifah the one to beat in the Ribblesdale
Strong numbers are a theme at Royal Ascot this week and we get a maximum field of 19 fillies for the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40).
The race is typically a wide-open contest, however, with the presence of a possible superstar, this may be no ordinary year.
Following hot on the heels of Shadwell stars of recent years in Battaash and Baaeed, that potential comes from John and Thady Gosden's filly Al Asifah, who was supplemented for this contest at a cost of £13,150 off the back of an electric Listed win at Goodwood.
Should she fluff her lines, Aidan O'Brien's Warm Heart and Ralph Beckett's Bluestocking face off once again having finished first and second in Newbury's Oaks Trial.
Neither went to Epsom due to their lack of experience and are sure to play a part here. The latter will be the mount of Dettori during his final Royal Ascot meeting.
Royal Ascot 5.35 - Drumroll features in wide-open Hampton Court
Another race, another maximum field as 16 go to post for the Group Three Hampton Court Stakes (5.35) including Classic runners dropping in class.
Oaks third Caernarfon is among the group for trainer Jack Channon, seeking his first winner at the Royal meeting since taking over the licence at their West Ilsley Stables from father Mick.
Having looked a likely winner two furlongs from home at Epsom, the drop in trip could be the catalyst for her breakthrough at Group level.
Ed Walker's Waipiro represents the Derby form, with similar comments regarding the drop in trip applying for the exuberant front-runner.
Recent winners Drumroll and Torito are sure to be popular for powerful connections in a wide open contest.
