With the Queen Anne, the St James’s Palace Stakes, the King’s Stand Stakes and the Coventry all on one card, day one of Royal Ascot can claim to be the best day’s racing of the entire year, and the renewed rivalry of Irish 2000 Guineas first and second, Phoenix Of Spain and Too Darn Hot, in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes sets the tone for a fabulous five days at the Berkshire track.

Some say pleasure deferred is pleasure enhanced but that is very much not the case when it comes to Royal Ascot.

Breed the best to the best and hope for the best is an ideology that has been knocking around racing for years.