A winner of the Fillies’ Mile at two and the winner of the Coronation Stakes on her reappearance at three, INSPIRAL also won the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois last season. The daughter of Frankel brings high-class form to the table as she makes her much-awaited comeback in this competitive Queen Anne Stakes. She should go very close if in the same form as this time last year.

I know I get into trouble for mentioning Hong Kong - I used to work there you know! - but I cannot ignore WELLINGTON in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. He is a four-time Group 1 winner in the territory at both 1200 and 1400 metres and his great run of success has only been halted by the emergence of Lucky Sweynesse, now rated the best sprinter in the world.

Lasy year's race

Winner: Rising Star

Jockey: Neil Callan

Trainer: Marco Botti

Owner: Mamba Racing & Partner

Age: 4

Weight: 9st 1lbs

Starting Price: 40/1

Season Form Figures: 51395

Previous Best: 3rd - All-Weather Fillies' And Mares' Championships Conditions Stakes, Newcastle (April 2022)

By Paul Jones

Last year's race

Winner: Little Big Bear

Jockey: Ryan L Moore

Trainer: Aidan P O'Brien

Owner: D Smith, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, Westerberg

Age: 2 Weight: 9st 5lbs

Starting Price: 6/5

Season Form Figures: 21

Previous Best: 1st - Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, Naas (May 2022)

By Paul Jones

Nine American runners, including four from perennial participant Wesley Ward, are slated to start during the five-day Royal Ascot meeting that begins Tuesday. And there is more America to the world’s most famous racing meeting than just the horses that recently shipped overseas. 

Last year's race

Winner: Dark Shift

Jockey: James McDonald

Trainer: Charlie Hills

Owner: Mr H Frost

Age: 4

Weight: 9st 1lbs

Starting Price: 13/2

Season Form Figures: 01

Previous Best: 1st - Class 2 Handicap, Nottingham (May 2022)

By Paul Jones

Last year's race

Winner: State Of Rest

Jockey: Shane M Crosse

Trainer: Joseph P O'Brien

Owner: State Of Rest Partnership

Age: 4

Weight: 9st 2lbs

Starting Price: 5/1

Season Form Figures: 13

Previous Best: 1st - Prix Ganay Stakes (Group 1), ParisLongchamp (May 2022)

By Paul Jones

Last year's race

Winner: Saffron Beach

Jockey: William Buick

Trainer: Jane Chapple-Hyam

Owner: Mrs B V Sangster, J Wigan & O Sangst

Age: 4

Weight: 9st 7lbs

Starting Price: 5/2

Season Form Figures: 4

Previous Best: 1st - Sun Chariot Stakes (Group 1), Newmarket (October 2021)

By Paul Jones

Royal Hunt Cup

DAWN OF LIBERATION shaped encouragingly in the circumstances on second run back from wind surgery last month and may be peaking at the right time for the Royal Hunt Cup.

Richard Hannon’s four-year-old made the cardinal sin of missing the break round Chester’s tight turns but stayed on well from rear under top-weight to finish fourth over the extended seven furlongs.

That was a big improvement on his reappearance effort at Newmarket’s Guineas Festival where he looked badly in need of the run after a ten-month absence.

Wins have been scarce for the Irish-bred gelding Numerian since a victory in the Group 2 Q22 Stakes in Australia in June 2022.

Numerian is winless in his last nine starts, including a narrow loss by slightly less than a half-length in the Group 1 Doomben Cup on May 20. More recently, Numerian was fifth in the Q22 Stakes on June 10.

Those losses against tough company have left the 7-year-old favored to end his losing streak in the $137,480 Ipswich Cup at about 1 5/16 miles at Ipswich Racecourse near Brisbane on Friday evening.