Spearheaded by a pair of top-class milers in Field Of Gold and Lead Artist, we get the latest on John & Thady Gosden’s Royal Ascot team. John & Thady Gosden were on Newmarket July Course shortly after 7.00am on Wednesday morning (June 11th) as new Juddmonte-retained rider Colin Keane had his first sit on Lead Artist in his preparation for the Queen Anne Stakes. Lead Artist looked in firm control in his gallop under Keane, but there was no gallops activity for the St James’s Palace contender Field Of Gold who has recently returned from his exertions in the Irish 2000 Guineas and merely needs only to be kept ticking over.   Sweet William will join fellow Gold Cup contender and stablemate Trawlerman in the jewel of a fascinating five-day extravaganza on Thursday as we edge ever closer to Flat racing’s greatest week.   Here, John Gosden kindly guided Tony Elves of attheraces.com through his main contenders for the week. Older Horses  LEAD ARTIST  Reporter comment: Winner of four of his nine starts and currently rated 120. Badly in need of the run when last of eight, beaten 13 lengths, to Dancing Gemini in the Group 2 Sandown Mile at Sandown on his reappearance in April and left that effort well behind when scoring by a neck from Dancing Gemini in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury (1m) in May.  Trainer quote: Colin (Keane) hasn’t ridden him before and it was good for him to come here this morning as you don’t want him to see the horse for the first time in the paddock. The July Course is in beautiful condition and it was very kind of Newmarket to let us work here. He does hold his condition extremely well but that’s his sire line and they do hold their condition. I am pleased with him and he has had a nice blow. It should set him up nicely for the Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday. He has the enthusiasm in his races which I like and you can put him anywhere in a race. It is a long time since the Lockinge and we have had no rain; they have obviously watered the course here and it was good to get him on the grass as we have been stuck on All-Weather all Spring. He got stuck in the ground in the Sandown Mile and he doesn’t like that (soft ground) and, all being well, he will get ground that he likes at Ascot where he can bounce off it. He was also in need of the race at Sandown and came there nicely and then struggled in the ground. He did turn it around in the Lockinge but it wasn’t a surprise - I thought he would run a huge race and he did. I think the stiff mile at Ascot rather than a slicker mile of Newbury will suit him well. It’s a wonderful race and the first four in the Lockinge look like reopposing again - will we finish in the same order again? That’s the exciting thing (we don’t know) but they are fabulous horses.     OMBUDSMAN  Winner of four of his five starts and currently rated 117. Lost his unbeaten record when runner-up, beaten a length and three quarters, to Almaqam in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown (1m 2f) at the end of May.  He got tired in the ground in the Brigadier Gerard and I think the winner is very smart. The winner was getting 3lb and he got the run of the race. Ombudsman must come off the pace but Ryan (Moore) was very pleased with him and he will go to the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.  ROI DE FRANCE  Winner of two of his 10 starts and currently rated 105. Finished sixth, beaten three and three quarter lengths, to Hickory in the Victoria Cup Handicap at Ascot (7f) in May off a mark of 106.  He is in the Hunt Cup too but will more than likely go for the Buckingham Palace. (Editor’s note: This horse got coltish before his last run when sixth in the Victoria Cup)  SARDINIAN WARRIOR  Winner of four of his six starts and currently rated 117. Made a winning turf debut when beating Docklands half a length in the Listed Paradise Stakes at Ascot (1m) in April and lost no caste in defeat when runner-up, beaten a length, to Sosie in the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp (1m1f) in May. He is in good form and going to run in the Queen Anne Stakes. He ran a very nice race in France and it’s nice to have a second string. I think Sosie outstayed him in France but he is a very good horse.   SWEET WILLIAM  Winner of five of his 16 starts and currently rated 116. Most consistent sort who has never been out of the first three in all starts. Finished third, beaten six lengths, to Kyprios in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot (2m 4f) last year and put in a hallmark performance when third, beaten a length, to Rebel’s Romance in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup on his reappearance at York (1m 6f) in May.  He put in a great run at York (on seasonal debut) as a mile and six is on the short side for him and obviously on a flat track. He enjoys the climb at Ascot but I think the distance leaves him a bit in no man’s land; he’s a solid at two and a quarter miles horse, but we are pleased with his preparation.  TORITO  Winner of two of his seven starts and currently rated 109. Last seen out when finishing third, beaten three and a quarter lengths, to Israr in the Listed Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot (1m 2f) last year.  All being well he will return in the Wolferton and all he should get in off his rating of 109. He has been off an awful long time but he worked nicely this morning and he is a bigger stronger horse. He will run a good race.  TRAWLERMAN  Winner of eight of his 20 starts and currently rated 118. Finished runner-up, beaten a length to Kyprios in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot 12 months ago. Returned to winning form in the Group 3 Henry II Stakes at Sandown (2m) at the end of May when beating Coltrane by five lengths.  Trawlerman won the Henry II Stakes and is pointing towards the Gold Cup again. It will still be a good contest without Kyprios in the race but it will still take plenty of winning.  Three-Year-Olds  DETAIN  Winner of three of his six starts and currently rated 113. Finished credible third, beaten three quarters of a length, to Camille Pisarro in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly (1m 2½f) this month.  He obviously ran a very good race in the French Derby. We will see how he is but he could possibly run in the Listed Hampton Court Stakes.  DEVIL’S ADVOCATE  Winner of one of his four starts and currently rated 107. Finished fourth, beaten three and a quarter lengths, to Pride Of Arras in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York (1m 2 ½f) in May.  I was pleaded with his run in the Dante - we didn’t expect to be in front and they all came to him and then he stayed on again. The Dante form took a bit of a knock in the Derby but it was completely different ground (at Epsom) - the problem is the watering and then rain and it was fairly dead ground. He is a horse for which something like the Queen’s Vase will suit him.  FIELD OF GOLD  Winner of four of his seven starts and currently rated 123. Impressive three and a half length winner from Wimbledon Hawkeye on his reappearance in the Group 3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket (1m) in April and looked unlucky not to follow up in the Group 1 2000 Guineas when failing by half-a-length behind Ruling Court. Gained ample compensation when slamming Cosmic Year three and three quarter lengths in the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh (1m) in May.  There was no need for him to come over here today as he obviously just ran in the Irish 2000 Guineas not that long ago. The horses I worked this morning had been off a month and in one case a year. He is fine and set to take his chance in the St James’s Palace. It‘s exciting that he is taking on Ruling Court again after he missed the Derby and that’s what Royal Ascot is all about. There is a fabulous line up for all the races and we start with a mouthwatering clash in the Queen Anne. We will see how the draw goes (for the St James’s Palace Stakes) as you can get stuck on the inside and never see any daylight.