The three classy older horses all met in the Tattersalls Gold Cup last month and there was not much between them.
It was hoped another clash would light up day two at Royal Ascot, but the quick conditions have ruled out John Joseph Murphy’s White Birch.
A stellar field of 9 declared for a thrilling renewal of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes on Wednesday, including ANMAAT, LOS ANGELES, and MAP OF STARS:🏇Anmaat🏇Certain Lad🏇Continuous 🇮🇪🏇Facteur Cheval 🇫🇷🏇Los Angeles 🇮🇪🏇Map Of Stars 🇫🇷🏇Ombudsman🏇Royal Champion🏇See… pic.twitter.com/JGuCNtgzxD
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 16, 2025
George Murphy, assistant to his father, said: “It looks like it’s going to be a dry week, so we’ve decided to give it a swerve.
“We were looking forward to it, but it looks like it’s going to be a proper quick ground and we’ve got put him first.”
On the next plan of attack with the top-class grey, he added: “The Eclipse at Sandown will probably be more than likely.
“He’s in super form, we’re really happy with him.”
Andrew Balding’s filly See The Fire adds a new layer of interest to the Prince of Wales’s Stakes after being supplemented on the back of a runaway success in York’s Middleton Stakes.
John and Thady Gosden’s Ombudsman has only lost once in his career and steps into Group One company for the first time while Francis-Henri Graffard’s Map Of Stars was only beaten a neck by the high-class Sosie in the Prix Ganay.
Certain Lad, Continuous, Facteur Cheval and Royal Champion complete a field of nine.
A field of 25 have been declared for the opening Queen Mary, headed by Karl Burke’s Zelaina after her impressive Nottingham debut.
Burke is looking for a third win in four years in the Group Two having won with Dramatised in 2022 and Leovanni last year for the same Wathnan ownership as Zelaina.
Lennilu adds American interest for trainer Patrick Biancone while Spicy Marg will have her followers based on her impressive debut success at Newmarket.
Burke also holds leading claims in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes with Fallen Angel, winner of the Irish 1000 Guineas last season.
She is among eight fillies that also includes Roger Varian’s Elmalka, successful in the Newmarket equivalent last year.
Cinderella’s Dream, Crimson Advocate and Paddy Twomey’s One Look also run.
A total of 11 go to post for the Queen’s Vase, won by this year’s Gold Cup favourite Illinois last year.
Aidan O’Brien runs two, Scandinavia and Shackleton, while Twomey’s unbeaten Carmers has also been declared.
One of the leading ante-post fancies, Ralph Beckett’s Amiloc, does not run but he also has the option of the King Edward VII later in the week.
Graffard’s Asmarani will attempt to become the first French-trained winner of the race since Andre Fabre’s Infrasonic in 1993.
A maximum field has been declared for the Royal Hunt Cup with the list headed by Charlie Appleby’s Arabian Light.
Rainbows Edge, trained by the Gosdens and owned by the King and Queen, tops the weights in the Kensington Palace Stakes while 24 will line up in the Windsor Castle.
