Today's racing tips: extreme distance is likely to suit progressive Technician

The each-way players will be out in force to side with Technician in the Ascot Gold Cup, particularly if there is any further softening of the ground to inconvenience odds-on favourite Stradivarius.

The latter is seeking a hat-trick of wins in the Group 1 and John Gosden’s horse had a perfectly satisfactory comeback run in third behind Ghaiyyath in the Coronation Cup over a mile and a half. The winner is a top-class sort and runner-up Anthony Van Dyck won last year’s Epsom Derby.