The weather has come good for the first day of Royal Ascot where the ground will ride quick.

The festivities begin with The Queen Anne Stakes where Ribchester will go off a warm order to put the bookies on the back foot. He took the Lockinge in good style where he took command from the gate never relinquishing the lead finishing 3 3/4L in front of Lightning Spear. That was on soft ground unlike today’s test on good to firm. It’s a surface he’s only ever encountered once before when running third to The Gurkha in the Sussex Stakes last year. Will he continue to improve or will the ground catch him out?

If it does catch him out then the field can be narrowed to those how have shown form on a quick surface. American Patriot, Deauville, Cougar Mountain, Dutch Connection, Kool Company, Lightening Spear, Mutakayyef, Oh This Is Us, Toscanini and Miss Temple City all have won at varying levels on firm ground.

Of these American Patriot, Deauville and Miss Temple City have all won at Grade 1 level in America with Deauville doing it over a 10F and the other two winning over this mile trip.

Dutch Connection, Kool Company, Lightening Spear, Mutakayyef and Cougar Mountain have picked up Group 2 prizes in Britain with victories for the latter three at a mile.

Lightening Spear took the Celebration Mile at Goodwood in August. One has won at Ascot, Mutakayyef when he won the Summer Mile last July while Cougar Mountain has the most recent form over the distance when he took the Joel Stakes at Newmarket last September. He also has course form having come third in this in 2015.

If Ribchester is to be beaten then the question is does the American Grade 1 form measure up against the English Group 2 form.

The bookmakers view the American turf form weaker than the English Group 2 form with Deauville trading at 14/1, American Patriot at 25/1 and Miss Temple City as big as 28/1. The weakest form of the three is American Patriot who won the Makers Mile. Deauville won the Belmont Derby last June and Miss Temple City won the Shadwell Turf Mile in October, both very high class races on the American Pattern programme.

The possibility is Ribchester will find it too quick and have the bookies off to a flyer. If so then respect must be shown to the American turf form and both Deauville, who makes most appeal, and Miss Temple City are worth backing as alternatives to the favourite. Cougar Mountain could again run into a place also at a big price and a combination of all three in a small trifecta would be very rewarding.

In the Kings Stand Stakes Ardhoomey will also love the ground and is a sporting bet at 25/1 where some of the bookmakers have each way terms for the first four.

Recommendation : 

The Queen Anne Stakes: Deauville 12/1 ew

                                                    Miss Temple City  28/1 ew

                                                   Cougar Mountain 50/1 ew    

                                                  All Three in a small combination trifecta.                                 

The King Stand Stakes: Ardhoomey 25/1 ew