ROYAL ASCOT - DAY 2 (WEDNESDAY)

We preview all of Wednesday's seven race card from day two of Royal Ascot.

14:30 - QUEEN MARY

This highly competitive five furlongs for fillies opens day two with a bang and I look forward to the speed breeding of Zelaina to come to the fore. Karl Burke's filly beautifully bred by Mehmas and Oasis Dream delivered on debut and I see another big performance here. Burke has won this race twice in three years with once raced fillies and made all to win nicely at Nottingham. For place value I will side with Society Kiss. Ralph Beckett had the A'Ali filly in fine form last month with a facile win at course and distance. With Hector Crouch onboard I believe she deserves respect in the field. Ballydoyle run True Love who was placed twice in her homeland behind on one occasion to the Coventry Stakes colt Gstaad. The No Nay Never filly should be on the premises here.

ZELAINA (WIN)

SOCIETY KISS (E/W)

(John Arnold)

15:05 - QUEENS VASE

Difficult to gauge this race in terms of little race experience for majority of horses Shackleton will be popular given the trainer and jockey combo and looks a typical A O Brien runner in terms of needed first run and will be much better this time out. Dangerous to oppose but will no doubt be short.

Carmer's should enjoy what is predicted good to firm ground given the weather this week as well. However he has only had two runs in his career will that lack of experience hinder him? Plus the fact the runner up in his last win hasn't exactly helped the form finishing lowly down the field next time out.

Devils Advocate fourth in the Dante. Form looks incredibly patchy given how all the others finished who went from the Dante to Epsom derby they all finished lower down the field.

One I'm drawn to here and looks an each way play here is Asmarani the French raider. Looks like stamina is his game. His 2nd last time out has been boosted with the winner of that race backing up at Chantilly (Sunday) which suggests that piece of form is strong. only negative would be French jockeys don't always cover themselves in glory when they come over to England which would be a concern. However at a nearer double figure price is worth the each way play.

ASMARANI (E/W)

(Luke Tucker)

15:40 - DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE

Cinderella’s Dream is a model of consistency, having finished outside the top two just once in her career and that was in the 1000 Guineas. She’s been something of a globetrotter recently, but underlined her class when comfortably beating several of these rivals in a Group 2 last time out. While she does carry a penalty and drops back in trip, I don’t see that halting her momentum. A strong traveller who relishes quick ground, she should be right at home under today’s conditions.

Fallen Angel and Soprano look likely to fill the places. Soprano claimed the Sandringham over this course and distance last year and returned with a solid win this spring, beating the reopposing Crimson Advocate.

Fallen Angel took on the colts in the Lockinge last time out, and this is a slightly easier task. She’s entitled to come on for that run, but I suspect she may be vulnerable late on to the powerful finishing kick of Cinderella’s Dream.

CINDERELLA'S DREAM (WIN)

(Toby Darby)

16:20 - PRINCE OF WALES'S STAKES

Two proven performers and three potential improvers shape an intriguing race.

Anmaat travelled like the winner until late on when reappearing against the race-fit and tough Los Angeles, but the 7yo can exact revenge here, particularly if not eyeballing him at close range in a protracted battle.

Ombudsman made a pleasing reappearance under a considerate ride but isn't quite at Group 1 level yet and the similarly progressive Map Of Stars has a question mark over the ground. It is plausible the 4yo filly See The Fire has suddenly improved but those in her wake last time have done nothing since so at the prices Anmaat's overall record holds sway.

ANMAAT (WIN)

(Alan Morris)

17:00 - ROYAL HUNT CUP (RORY PADDOCK)

A 'sneaky' plan seems to be underway with the Joseph O'Brien trained The Liffey. Last seen competing in listed company he now lines up in his first ever handicap. It's interesting to see this relatively promising youngster switch yards from father Aidan now to son Joseph and with the additional positive of the booking of Ryan Moore it might be the case the horse was outlined for this contest all along. Plenty in its favour and one worth following.

Of the remainder the proverbial 'bridesmaid' Qirat deserves to win of this race but with three seconds in a row you have to wonder whether or not the horse has the desire to win. A consistent type who should make the frame once again.

At much bigger odds Charlie Hills' Galeron could do far better than expected after an eye-catching run in the Lincoln earlier in the year he could spring a shock.

Course and distance winner My Cloud deserves to be on any shortlist along with Bullet Point and Fox Legacy more than capable of making the frame.

THE LIFFEY (E/W)

QIRAT (E/W)

GALERON (E/W)

(Rory Paddock)

17:35 - KENSINGTON PALACE

Another royal winner at Royal Ascot would be a sight to behold and Rainbows Edge certainly has a good chance of achieving that. Given that and with such a large field, the best course of action is to look for some value. Queen Of Atlantis has been going well at Ascot and probably didn’t give the best account of herself at Kempton. She’s on a nice mark and could have potential place claims. Rockymountainway has been running well whilst conceding weight for most of her races. She in receipt of weight for the first time in a while and if she takes to the extra furlong, she could outrun her odds.

QUEEN OF ATLANTIS (E/W)

ROCKYMOUNTAINWAY (E/W)

(Kieran McHugh)

18:10 - WINDSOR CASTLE A five-furlong juvenile contest that looks sure to be run at a frantic gallop. Paddy Twomey's Rogue Legend is understandably popular in the market after his commanding success at Tipperary last time, but it could be the other Rogue, Rogue Supremacy, that comes out on top for the David O'Meara team. A son of multiple Group 1 winner and outstanding two-year-old St Mark's Basilica, he looked to have bundles of natural ability when making virtually all of the running to score readily on debut at Wetherby sixteen days ago, despite being pestered in the early stages. The speed he showed that day suggests this drop back to the minimum trip will not pose any problems, while the forecast quick conditions should also be a plus. He can make it two from two in his short career to date, with Old Is Gold and Jan Steen viewed as the chief threats. 

ROGUE SUPREMACY (WIN) (Sam King)