Anthem tunes up for Royal Ascot in style

The weather may have made it feel more like January than June for Royal Ascot trials day at Naas yesterday, but there were plenty of clues on offer for those who braved the wind and rain, not least in the shape of Anthem Alexander.

Winner of the hottest Queen Mary seen for many a year 12 months ago, she was making her seasonal reappearance in the Racing Post Lacken Stakes and despite the lack of a recent run and racing on ground softer than she cares for, Eddie Lynam’s filly was a ready winner.

Favourite Toscanini was sending out distress signals from an early stage so Pat Smullen switched his sights to Aidan O’Brien’s The Happy Prince and she was pushed out to win the Group Three by a length at 5-2.