Watch every race at Royal Ascot live on Sky Sports Racing, from 2.30pm; Join the team at 11am every morning for Raceday Preview with on-track news and analysis; The Prince of Wales's Stakes promises to be the highlight on day two
Wednesday 16 June 2021 09:15, UK
The action keeps coming from Royal Ascot with four Group races on day two, headed by the Prince of Wales's Stakes.
Wednesday begins in fast and furious fashion with the Queen Mary Stakes (2.30), where Wesley Ward's US team are represented by Twilight Gleaming against the best of the UK and Ireland's two-year-old sprinters over five furlongs.
Then it is the turn of the three-year-olds as Wordsworth heads the hopes of Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien in the Queen's Vase (3.05).
It could be Lady's day on Wednesday as the William Jarvis-trained Lady Bowthorpe takes on her own sex in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes (3.40). Queen Power and Champers Elysees are among those hoping to burst her bubble.
And in the feature on day two, the Prince Of Wales's Stakes (4.20), 1000 Guineas, Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks winner Love returns for the first time this season.
Presenter Alex Hammond...
Lady Bowthorpe showed real toughness to finish second behind Palace Pier at Newbury last time out and a repeat of that, back against her own sex, should make her hard to beat in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes (3.40). She has an outstanding chance of giving trainer William Jarvis his first Royal Ascot winner since 1994.
We have not seen Love since August last year but the 1000 Guineas, Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks winner goes to the Prince of Wales's Stakes (4.20) instead of the Pretty Polly Stakes and she should prove hard to get by.
Matthew Flinders boasts a good record over a straight mile, including a decisive win at Doncaster's St Leger meeting and a fine third (from a problematic position) in this year's Spring Cup at Newbury.
He has just eight lifetime starts, meaning he still has improvement in him, as well as suggesting he is tailor-made for the Royal Hunt Cup (5.00).
His latest run is easily excusable, as he was drawn in stall 15 of 15 at York, around a bend, and in addition he went too freely without cover.
Factoring in his potential, a mark of 99 is surely beneath him, and Ascot promises to be right up his street, not forgetting the further positive of the booking of champion jockey Oisin Murphy.
It could be a great day for Wesley Ward's American team, starting off with Twilight Gleaming in the Queen Mary Stakes (2.30). She clocked a mightily impressive time of 56.49 seconds over five furlongs at Belmont Park last month. Ward's record speaks for itself - 11 Royal Ascot winners to his name - and this filly has a great chance to make that a dozen.
Another filly going the right way is Chris Wall's Double or Bubble, who is an attractive each-way price for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes (3.40). With just four runs in her career to date, she is hugely unexposed and has done nothing wrong, winning three of those starts and finishing a close second on debut.
The trainer does well with this type of filly and she can go on improving, with no better man on board than jockey James Doyle.
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