An absolute humdinger of a race awaits in the St James’s Palace Stakes at 4.20 on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports Racing. We have the winners of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and it’s Irish and French Guineas equivalents all lining up in what is a very worthy contender for the race of the entire week.    The Derby’s loss is the Royal Ascot’s gain with 2000 Guineas hero Ruling Court rerouted on account of the rain softened Epsom ground to a track that is unlikely to see anything but the clerk’s watering can by way of moisture between now and Tuesday afternoon. Watch every race of Royal Ascot 2025 live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 519) from Tuesday 17th June to Saturday 21st June. Forecast fast conditions thus dictates that fans of the sport will be treated to three Classic-winning milers facing off in the colours of the three most influential owner breeder operations of the last four decades.   Juddmonte versus Coolmore versus Godolphin will set the turf alight in the day one feature setting the tone for the battles of the superpowers to come this week.    Will Field Of Gold exact revenge over his Newmarket conqueror Ruling Court and are we in danger of underestimating the economical Henri Matisse?   Whilst it does look a three-horse race on paper the support team have a vital role to play in setting the stage for a truly-run race, one in which the champion of the this hugely exciting division can be anointed.   1. FIELD OF GOLD (5) Jockey: C T Keane | Trainer: J & T Gosden Narrowly defeated in the 2000 Guineas in arguably explicable circumstances, Juddmonte’s star miler went on to make defeat a distant memory with a commanding victory in the Irish equivalent.  The stiff mile at the Curragh seemed to bring out the best in him and the stiff uphill finish is sure to play to his strengths here.  Versatile on any ground and with the likelihood that he hasn’t yet reached the ceiling of his immense ability, he can further enhance his reputation by following in the hoof prints of his sire Kingman, who took this race in 2014.  2. FIRST WAVE (3) D McMonagle | A P O'Brien Representing the same connections as Henri Matisse and Officer.  A frontrunning maiden win at Gowran Park last time is a far cry from the level required here but he may adopt a similar position here to set the desired pace for stablemate Henri Matisse.  3. HENRI MATISSE (1) R L Moore | A P O'Brien A strong pace and as late a delivery as possible are the boxes that need ticked to see the French 2000 Guineas winner at his best. The bingo card was full at ParisLongchamp last time out when winning over the mile for the second time from as many runs and for all he has a few pounds to find on the top two in the market, he is unexposed over this trip and a fast-run mile on quick ground around the bend will be the perfect set up for him to excel.  He is drawn in stall one so will likely have to take back and rely on the pace setters to tow him into the race. 4. OFFICER (7) W M Lordan | A P O'Brien Comes here as the second string for the same connections as Henri Matisse, he was put firmly in his place in the Irish 2000 Guineas when he ran below expectations given his position in the market.  He boasts a first-class pedigree out of Group 1 winner Hydrangea from the family of Hermosa.  Although he was progressive in three starts at the Curragh before his last outing, he still needs to prove he can cut it at Group 1 level let alone in company as spicy as this. 5. RASHABAR (6) S M Levey | B J Meehan An 80-1 winner of the Coventry at this meeting last year, the pick of his two-year-old form, including when finishing in front of Field Of Gold in the Lagadere proved it was no flash in the pan. An encouraging comeback in the Greenham when needing the run was soon in the rear-view mirror however after a five-length defeat in the Irish 2000 Guineas by Field Of Gold making it hard to envisage him taking the necessary chunk of improvement required to turn the tables here. 6. RULING COURT (2) W Buick | C Appleby The prevailing view seems to be that the 2000 Guineas winner was lucky to beat Field Of Gold having been better positioned to get first run on his rival on a speed favouring track that weekend.  Whilst a perfectly acceptable view to take, I am reluctant to underestimate this horse and his prospects of taking another huge step forward to pose a formidable challenge to his rival.  The negative might be the reroute to this race having been trained to peak ten days earlier over the longer distance of the Derby.  For all he is clearly an extremely talented horse with scope to improve, the last-minute change to his schedule is a less-than-ideal preparation to take on the opposition he’ll face here. 7. WINDLORD (4) Oisin Murphy | A M Balding Placed efforts in minor Group company is not the level of form needed to figure here and likely to occupy a similar role to when leading the field and the fellow Juddmonte owned Field Of Gold in the Irish 2000 Guineas before dropping away.  GINA BRYCE’S VERDICT With the potential pace angles drawn in stalls three and four the favourite FIELD OF GOLD is ideally berthed to get the perfect run round in a race in which the bend can occasionally present problems for jockeys jostling for positions. Whilst Field Of Gold is a prohibitively short price against high-class opposition he has everything going for him in a small field from a good draw and it is hard to see anything stopping him from emulating his sire with an impressive win.  I am reluctant to underestimate Henri Matisse and will play him for the forecast for a trainer who seeks a tenth win in this day one feature. Watch every race of Royal Ascot 2025 live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 519) from Tuesday 17th June to Saturday 21st June.