Royal Ascot live on Sky Sports Racing: Tahiyra tops super seven in race to be crowned Coronation Stakes queen on Friday
Tahiyra looks tough to beat in Group One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on Friday with Mawj absent due to a dirty scope; Little Big Bear the star of the show in the Commonwealth Cup; watch every race from Royal Ascot all live on Sky Sports Racing
Wednesday 21 June 2023 11:33, UK
The top-class action kicks up yet another gear at Royal Ascot on Friday with two Group One prizes including the Coronation Stakes, all live on Sky Sports Racing.
Royal Ascot 4:20 - Irish star Tahiyra the one to beat in Coronation
With no Mawj to contend with this time around due to a dirty scope, Tahiyra looks a hot favourite to be crowned queen of the Coronation Stakes (4.20).
A half-sister to Breeders Cup winner Tarnawa, Dermot Weld's star filly was always destined to be top class and put her narrow defeat to Mawj in the English 1000 Guineas well behind her when landing the Irish equivalent in devastating fashion.
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Meditate is perhaps the forgotten horse of the race. A winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in November, she has since been beaten by both Tahiyra and Mawj in the English and Irish 1000 Guineas.
A return to a round track and on a quicker surface would be dangerous to ignore considering she's trained by Royal Ascot's new record holder Aidan O'Brien.
Jim Bolger's Comhra was third behind Tahiyra and Meditate at the Curragh and should give William Buick a good spin, while Jessica Harrington's Sounds Of Heaven steps up from Listed company after victory at York last month, beating Queen For You.
Mammas Girl (11th) and Remarquee (15th) were well down the field at Newmarket so will need a serious improvement.
Royal Ascot 3:05 - Little Big Bear tops Commonwealth Cup field
A race that has seen previous winners such as Muharaar, Caravaggio and Perfect Power, this year's Group One Commonwealth Cup (3.05) looks to have some potential superstars too.
Aiden O'Brien has always held Little Big Bear in the highest regard and last year's Windsor Castle winner left a disappointing run in the 2000 Guineas well behind when winning the Sandy Lane back down to six furlongs at Haydock last time out.
Sakheer looked to have the world at his feet when winning the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury in September. He ran well for a long way in the 2000 Guineas before his stamina ran out and a return to this trip will be massively in his favour.
James Doyle takes the ride on the fast-improving Shaquille, who goes from the front and has proven very hard to catch on his last four outings and if given a soft lead could be hard to peg back.
Royal Ascot 5:35 - Derby second King Of Steel stars in King Edward VII
This year's Group Two King Edward VII Stakes (5.35) looks a fascinating renewal with a number of contenders coming here off the back of efforts in both the English and French Derby.
Epsom runner-up King Of Steel showed an impressive turn of foot to put daylight between him and his rivals only for Auguste Rodin to wear him down close home.
He got withdrawn from the Dante at York after getting upset in the stalls so will be worth watching how he behaves at the start but, on song, he will be hard to beat.
Aidan O'Brien sends Dante third Continuous, who was last seen disappointing when well fancied for the Prix Du Jockey Club last time out and tries a mile and a half for the first time.
His half-brother stayed two miles so this extra distance could bring out that extra improvement needed to be challenging here.
Arrest disappointed when sent off favourite for the Derby but John and Thady Gosden will be hopeful he can bounce back under the legendary Frankie Dettori.
Friday racecards | Latest Sky Bet odds
Watch every race from day four at Royal Ascot all live on Sky Sports Racing on Friday, June 23.
