Timeform provide an overview of the key things to note on day one of Royal Ascot.
Three points of interest
Rosallion expected to build on Lockinge effort
Rosallion was beaten by Notable Speech on his reappearance in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket last season, but he went on to land the Irish version before producing a high-class performance to win the St James’s Palace Stakes at this meeting 12 months ago.
He suffered a setback afterwards which kept him off the track for the remainder of last season, but he ran a race full of promise on his return when third behind race-fit rivals Lead Artist and Dancing Gemini in the Lockinge at Newbury last month.
There was plenty to like about the way Rosallion travelled there, but he was seemingly just lacking for fitness at the business end of the race on his first start for 11 months.
Rosallion's reappearance run earned him Timeform's Horse In Focus Flag, marking him out as one likely to be of interest next time, while he’s also two from two at Ascot and has the Horses For Courses Flag to highlight his effectiveness at this venue.
There's not much to split the principals on Timeform's ratings, but Rosallion narrowly heads the figures based on his St James's Palace Stakes form, and Coronation Cup winner Jan Brueghel (128) is the only horse in Britain or Ireland rated higher.
Moore and Mullins have excellent record at Ascot
Ryan Moore and Willie Mullins can boast an excellent 32% strike rate when teaming up together at Ascot, and that rises to 35% at this meeting, so Reaching High looks a very interesting runner in the Ascot Stakes (17:00), a race the trainer and rider have combined to win three times.
Reaching High made history as the first Irish-trained runner of a reigning British monarch when runner-up over a mile and a half at Leopardstown last month, showing plenty to work on having his first outing since leaving Sir Michael Stoute.
He found one who was ridden more prominently too strong, but only narrowly so, as he was in front a stride after the line, and he has been the subject of an ante-post gamble since making that encouraging start for the yard which earned him the Horse In Focus Flag.
He had some useful form last season, but that was a career-best effort at Leopardstown, and the manner in which he stayed on in the closing stages suggests he’s well worth a try at this mile-longer trip. His pedigree strongly suggests that, too, being out of Gold Cup winner Estimate, and he could make a mark of 94 look lenient if the extra emphasis on stamina helps bring about a bigger performance.
French Master a handicapper to follow
It looks a typically competitive edition of the Copper Horse Stakes (18:10), but French Master very much stands out as a horse who will be graduating out of handicap company sooner rather than later.
He was progressive last season, winning a couple of novices at Doncaster and Kempton, the latter one very impressively under a penalty, and he shaped well when runner-up on his reappearance and handicap debut at Newmarket last month.
The patiently-ridden French Master couldn't get on terms with one who dictated a steady pace, but he kept on encouragingly to finish clear best of the rest, leaving the impression he would benefit from a stiffer test of stamina. He was duly suited by the step up to this trip when going one place better at Goodwood last time, proving value for more than the winning margin of a neck after racing in snatches and overcoming some interference in the straight.
French Master, who has since been purchased by Wathnan Racing, looks well treated following a 4 lb rise in the weights for his Goodwood effort, especially as the addition of first-time blinkers should sharpen him up. He is the only runner in this race with the Timeform 'small p' to show improvement is expected.
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