Eldar Eldarov will be bidding for a second successive Royal Ascot success in next week’s Gold Cup following his narrow verdict in the Queen’s Vase 12 months ago.

Roger Varian’s four-year-old also claimed the St Leger in a fruitful season and returned to action in the Yorkshire Cup when narrowly failing to reel in Giavellotto, to whom he was conceding 5lb.

He will be running over a trip further than two miles for the first time in his career at Ascot, but that is the only question mark regarding a horse who has won on quick and slow ground and could potentially even improve for racing over further.

“He ran well at York and has done everything right since,” said Chris Wall, former trainer and now racing manager to owners KHK Racing.

“Obviously he is going into the unknown over that distance but he’s nothing but a competitor, he’s a tough horse, he likes the challenge and if he gets the trip I think he’s going to be a player.

“Roger is very happy with how everything is so it’s fingers crossed, really.

“Four-year-olds have a great record in the Gold Cup and while the trip is the unknown, he certainly gives the impression that he will stay those distances well.

“His work at home has been very satisfactory, he looks well, so we’ll just keep everything crossed that he puts up a good performance.

“We’re not too worried about the ground. I suppose like everybody we’d like a little bit of juice, so a few showers wouldn’t go amiss but he’s proved he’s effective on any ground, so we’re looking forward to it.”

The owners also hold leading claims in the Commonwealth Cup with Sakheer, the Mill Reef winner who finished seventh on soft ground in the 2000 Guineas.

“He must have a good chance. It was hard to tell whether he stayed a mile on that awful ground in the Guineas, but he acquitted himself well,” said Wall.

“He’s done nothing wrong in his preparation either, so we’ll go there and hope for the best and hope he goes and runs a good race.

“He’s going to have to prove himself exceptional if he’s going to beat Little Big Bear I think, but we’ll see how we go.”

Wesley Ward has saddled 12 Royal Ascot winners since the beginning of his American invasion. But it is No Nay Never whose legacy is still felt 10 years after the colt rocketed to Norfolk Stakes success.

The American first announced himself at the Royal meeting in 2009 when Strike A Tiger’s Windsor Castle triumph was quickly followed by Jealous Again romping to Queen Mary victory in the opening race of the following day.

Although then a regular bringing his string across the Atlantic to challenge, he had to wait four years for his next success when No Nay Never blitzed his way to Norfolk glory, attracting the attention of a very famous Ascot regular in the process.

“That was a great day,” said Ward.

“We were second in the Queen Mary the day before, it was a 28-runner field and we came second. My buddy Gatewood Bell, all his buddies and himself owned the filly. We had a big night out that night, a great dinner and a little bit too much wine, so when I came in the next day I was nice and relaxed and the first race of the day was the Norfolk.

“Shortly after that I was invited up to sit with the Queen for about half an hour and it was a great experience.”

Ward’s meeting with the late Queen gave the 55-year-old as much pleasure as No Nay Never’s victory itself and he was left amazed by her boundless knowledge of the sport he plied his trade.

He continued: “What was great about it was she did most of the chatting!

“When you first get up there you are nervous and she just starts firing questions at you and it puts you so at ease. She was just picking my brain and asking all these questions about how I train, how I came here and asking about all the success I had.

“It was unbelievable how much knowledge she had, not just of racing but myself – I couldn’t believe the Queen of England even knew who a trainer like myself from a different country like America was and what I had accomplished.

“You would think she would just be coming to the races and focussed on English racing and everything else she had going on in her life. She was just a wonderful person.”

No Nay Never would go on to give Ward his first European Group One when winning the Prix Morny at Deauville, a race in which he would wear the famous Magnier silks closely associated with the Coolmore operation.

“That was a great day as well,” added Ward. “John Magnier and the whole Coolmore team were there as well and we got the picture in the winner’s enclosure.

“The sales were going on so Mr Magnier was there with all his team and it was a great day along with my great friend Paul Shanahan and he is why I’ve been involved with them, so I can’t thank him enough for getting me in there and I’ve been fortunate enough to have some success for them.”

Following his on-track career, No Nay Never would prove just as proficient in the breeding sheds and the son of Scat Daddy’s progeny continue to keep his name in the spotlight at the season’s showpiece fixture.

Alcohol Free is perhaps his biggest winner at Royal Ascot so far, with Andrew Balding’s star filly landing the Coronation Stakes on a wet afternoon in 2021, while he is beginning to become a force to be reckoned with for Coolmore, especially in the juvenile ranks.

Meditate and Little Big Bear both carried No Nay Never’s genes to two-year-old triumphs at Royal Ascot 12 months ago and both are likely to return 10 years on from one of their father’s finest hours, with Little Big Bear a red-hot favourite for the Commonwealth Cup.

“He’s gone on to be a great sire as well as a very good racehorse,” said Ward.

“He was always one of those horses you always thought would go on to be a sire when you have them in your barn.

“He had a great personality and he was very fast, but his mind was something that you know when you were around a horse like him – you could see how smart and intelligent he is.

“You would think with his ability and all of that combined, those are the ones that go on to be good sires.”

Golden Mind will be given the chance to replicate his half-brother Perfect Power and get on the Royal Ascot scoresheet when he lines up in the Chesham Stakes.

Richard Fahey trained Perfect Power to win the Norfolk Stakes in 2021 before returning to add the Commonwealth Cup 12 months ago, and it is the Musley Bank handler who is responsible for the talented Golden Mind, who opened his account at the second attempt at Leicester recently.

Third over five furlongs at Hamilton on debut, the son of Galileo Gold relished the move up to six furlongs at the east midlands track when running on strongly to down Richard Hannon’s Fusterlandia, and he is now poised for another rise in yardage to race over seven furlongs at the Royal meeting – something his handler believes will suit.

Fahey said: “He’s a good hardy horse and one who stays well – I do like him.

“We beat the second (Fusterlandia) the other day at Beverley (with Bombay Bazaar) funnily enough. I think he’ll improve again and the step up to seven will suit.

“He will definitely run in the Chesham, that has always been the plan. He’s a laid-back character and just needed a bit of racing and I think you will see a different horse down at Ascot.”

Fahey is busy finalising his running plans for the meeting with recent Beverley winners Midnight Affair and Bombay Bazaar possibles to make the trip south, while Carlisle scorer Emperor’s Son is another set to get the call up to the Malton-based handler’s squad and holds an entry for the Coventry Stakes.

He continued: “We’re pleased (with the horses) and we’ll have a sort out this week who will go. The ground will certainly play a part in our decision, but we look to have a good bunch. If you can get one winner down there it would be great, we were very lucky last year with two.

“We’ll see how they (Midnight Affair and Bombay Bazaar) are since Beverley and they are both entitled to be there. It’s quite a good bunch of two-year-olds so we’ll work a few this week and see which way we go.

“Emperor’s Son, he won up at Carlisle, he will go down and he’s a decent horse and there is a couple of fillies who we’ll sort out and see if they are good enough to go.”

My Prospero is set to spearhead William Haggas’ Royal Ascot team in a mouthwatering edition of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Despite the defection of Desert Crown, the likes of Luxembourg, Adayar and Bay Bridge still lie in wait for Haggas’ four-year-old.

Beaten just a neck in the St James’s Palace Stakes last year, he went on to win a Group Two in France over 10 furlongs before once again being narrowly denied in the Champion Stakes behind Bay Bridge.

He reappeared back over a mile in the Lockinge when running on into fourth, but Haggas expects the step back up to a mile and a quarter to be much more up his street.

“He’s very well and I think it will be a great race,” Haggas told Sky Sports Racing.

“Newbury was a bit short for him and he was a bit fresh, but he stayed on nicely at the end and I’m sure he will enjoy the step up in trip.

“He ran very well in the St James’s Palace and ran very well in the Champion Stakes having been off for a bit, I think it was a couple of months after his previous run.

“At the moment I couldn’t have him better and we’re looking forward to it. I think there’s a lot of horses similar to him in that they might not have an electric turn of foot but they have good staying ability and I should think they’ll kick on from three out.

“I think he’s a lovely, big horse and it was probably an error running in the Lockinge, but it didn’t do much harm and he stayed on well having been outpaced. I think he’s come forward for that and I think this is going to be his year.”

Another returning to Ascot following a good run 12 months ago is the mare Sacred, beaten just a length into fifth in the six-furlong Platinum Jubilee Stakes.

This year Haggas has given her a run prior to Ascot, over her preferred distance of seven furlongs at Lingfield where she won with ease.

“She’s a very good filly. One day at Newbury she was excellent and she was pretty good at Lingfield the other day,” he said.

“She’s a very smart filly with a pretty good turn of foot but the problem is she’s a specialist over seven, so we either go over a mile or six. The only seven-furlong Group One is the Foret and that is invariably on soft ground, so there’s nothing for her.

“We’re plumping for six again, she’s had a run this year which she hadn’t last year when she ran well. It’s a competitive race but I’m not sure there’s a standout. The Australian horse (Artorius) might be, while the Hong Kong horse (Wellington) is a proven top sprinter but she should run a good race.”

Khanjar had been a leading fancy for the Wokingham but was surprisingly beaten at Hamilton recently leaving Haggas to reassess his claims.

“I was pretty disappointed (with his Hamilton run). In his first run at York he was too enthusiastic, so me and Jim were keen for him to have another, but we probably overdid it a bit and let the winner get away,” he said.

“I thought he’d win but he’s going to run in the Wokingham. I think he likes small fields and if they split up, that might suit him.”

Stable stalwart Hamish appears unlikely to get his favoured soft ground for he Hardwicke Stakes at this stage.

Haggas said: “He wants soft ground so we need to debate whether to leave him in. We’ll see what the forecast is but I think there’s every likelihood he won’t be running. There’s a Group Three at York he might go for, but it all depends on the ground. Chester last time was very good, arguably his best bar his Irish Leger second.”

One horse definitely not running is Maljoom, but Haggas did offer encouragement that he would be back in action soon after being forced to rule him out of the Queen Anne.

“It’s a shame, he’s a lovely horse but he has soundness issues. We were getting well down the road to run at Ascot then he met with a problem,” said Haggas.

“I’m so grateful he’s got a patient owner and he will be more frustrated than we are, but we’re getting there and there’s still a long season ahead. He’ll get entries in everything and with a straightforward run, hopefully he’ll get to the Summer Mile (Ascot, July 15).”

Truthful looks set to have her sights raised later this summer after maintaining her unbeaten record in the Jewson Wigan EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes at Haydock.

A field of five runners went to post for the £40,000 contest, with the William Haggas-trained Truthful opposed by another debut winner in William Muir and Chris Grassick’s Shagpyle.

Truthful, a 120,000 guineas purchase for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, was the 10-11 favourite to supplement a narrow introductory success at Salisbury, with Ascot scorer Shagpyle – a half-sister to her Coronation Cup and King George-winning stablemate Pyledriver – rated the biggest threat at 2-1.

Montevideo took the quartet along for much of the mile-and-a-half journey, but Sea The Stars filly Truthful picked up well for Tom Marquand once in the clear and had almost three lengths in hand over the staying-on Shagpyle at the line.

Highclere’s managing director, Harry Herbert, said: “She was quite impressive, wasn’t she?

“She’s a classic William Haggas, big filly who was too immature to run as a two-year-old – she was a bit of a goose who suddenly turned into a swan. The trainer got more and more positive about her and said ‘I think we might have one’!

“What was lovely today is that with one slap she quickened really well and put the race to bed. She’s extended, hit the line with her ears pricked and galloped out strong.

“We’ll take it one step at a time, but she’s in such good hands with William. She could be anything.”

The winner will not take up her entry in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot next week, but will be stepped up in class on her next start.

“She’s very much a work in progress still, so it was right not to go to Royal Ascot for the Ribblesdale – that was considered,” Herbert added.

“She’s a beautiful filly with a lovely pedigree as a full-sister to a filly of William’s (Sea On Time) who won three races and was about to step up into Listed and Group company and sadly went wrong.

“This filly is much bigger than her sister and still a work in progress, but a very exciting one.

“If she can stay in one piece, hopefully she’s going to take her owners to some wonderful places.”

Truthful’s win is a tasty appetiser for the Highclere team ahead of Royal Ascot next week, with leading Albany Stakes hope Soprano set to be part of a strong squad on the penultimate day of the meeting.

Herbert said: “It looks like we might have a big day on Friday. Obviously Soprano goes for the Albany, Believing will go for the Commonwealth Cup and in the Sandringham we have Pastiche and Eximious, who are both very nice fillies.

“Believing is a very fast filly who blew the start the other day in France, but she’s very useful and we’re going to give her a roll in Group One company.

“It’s always a very big time of year, we look forward to it every year and this year’s it’s just rather weird that all our runners could be on the same day.”

The British Horseracing Authority refuses to be “coerced into any activity by threats of protests” ahead of Royal Ascot, which gets under way next week.

Activist group Animal Rising reportedly stated at a press conference on Wednesday that it would not disrupt the Royal meeting if leaders from racing took part in a televised debate.

Despite claiming they would not attempt to enter the racetrack at Epsom once the Derby was under way, one member did so and was remanded in custody until July 6 after pleading not guilty to a public nuisance charge.

This followed on from disruption to the Grand National and attempts to delay the Scottish National, with 19 protesters accused of trying to stop the Ayr race due to stand trial in September.

BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said: “At a press conference today, Animal Rising said they will cease their protest activity this summer if British racing agrees to take part in a public debate about ‘the morals of horseracing’. We will never allow British horseracing to be coerced into any activity by threats of protests.

“Animal Rising have shown by their reckless actions at the Epsom Derby that their public promises cannot be trusted. They have demonstrated they are prepared to commit reckless and potentially unlawful acts and to directly threaten the safety of horses and people to generate publicity around their wider aims. These aims include the end of all use of animals by human beings.

“Spokespeople for the sport have already taken part in well over an hour of televised debate since April. Throughout those debates the message was clear – that British racing is a sport which is proud of its welfare record, which provides an unparalleled quality of life for the 20,000 horses that compete each year, and which constantly works to minimise the levels of avoidable risk.

“Once again I call on Animal Rising to end their reckless acts against a sport legally enjoyed by millions of people every year.”

Epsom had secured an injunction prior to the Derby Festival after it said protesters from the group had made it “explicitly clear” they intended to breach security, but last week officials at Ascot said they would not be following suit “at this time”.

Brilliant miler Modern Games, popular sprinter Highfield Princess and 2000 Guineas heroes Chaldean and Paddington are just some of the stars set to be in action on the opening day of Royal Ascot.

As usual the five-day extravaganza starts with a bang, with the Queen Anne Stakes the traditional curtain-raiser.

The Charlie Appleby-trained Modern Games, a dual Breeders’ Cup winner and successful on his reappearance in the Lockinge at Newbury last month, is the marginal favourite for the Queen Anne over John and Thady Gosden’s top-class filly Inspiral, who is set to make her belated reappearance.

Appleby has a second string to his bow in the form of Native Trail, while Richard Hannon’s Chindit will renew rivalry with Modern Games after finishing best of the rest at Newbury.

David Simcock’s pair of Cash and Light Infantry and Mutasaabeq from Charlie Hills’ yard also feature among 13 confirmations.

The second Group One on Tuesday afternoon is the King’s Stand Stakes, for which John Quinn’s mare Highfield Princess heads the market.

The six-year-old enjoyed a fantastic campaign in 2023, completing a hat-trick of wins at the top level, and she can be expected to improve from her comeback second at York last month.

Karl Burke’s Dramatised and John Ryan’s Manaccan are other contenders for the home team, as is the Archie Watson-trained Bradsell who has been supplemented for the race.

A strong international challenge includes a pair of Australian runners in Coolangatta and Cannonball, both of whom were put through their paces at Ascot on Wednesday morning.

James McDonald was one of the leading riders at Royal Ascot last year with three winners, headlined by Nature Strip’s dominant display in the King’s Stand, and the New Zealand-born rider is confident Coolangatta has what it takes to get him back in the famous winner’s circle.

“Royal Ascot is one of the greatest weeks in racing. I definitely circle it every year and, if I am lucky enough to come here, then I am on the plane straight away,” said the jockey.

“With the racing and the whole atmosphere, it is one of the best carnivals in the world. It is hard to get rides at Royal Ascot but I should have maybe 11 or 12 rides over the week.”

Reflecting on Coolangatta’s workout, McDonald added: “She handled the track beautifully. She ticked a lot of boxes and I was delighted the way she stretched and extended.

“I let her breeze through the line and she pulled up extremely well. She is a strong five-furlong horse and an extremely talented filly.

“She is a dual Group One winner and the quality she beat that day in the Lightning was simply sensational – any of those sprinters could travel anywhere around the world and be competitive.

“Nature Strip was a champion racehorse but Coolangatta is getting there and I have no doubt she will run well on Tuesday. This morning has given me a lot of confidence.”

Wesley Ward’s American challenger Twilight Gleaming is also on the list of 20 still in contention.

Perhaps the most mouthwatering of the three Group One races up for grabs on day one is the St James’s Palace Stakes, which is set to stage a clash between Classic victors Chaldean and Paddington.

Andrew Balding’s Chaldean provided Frankie Dettori with victory in his final 2000 Guineas at Newmarket last month, while Paddington won the Irish equivalent for Aidan O’Brien.

French Guineas runner-up Isaac Shelby (Brian Meehan) adds further intrigue, as does the presence of Al Riffa (Joseph O’Brien), not seen since winning last season’s National Stakes, as well as progressive colts Cicero’s Gift (Charlie Hills) and Mostabshir (John and Thady Gosden).

A total of 32 juveniles have been entered for the Group Two Coventry Stakes, with George Boughey’s Asadna, O’Brien’s River Tiber and Ward’s Fandom three of the leading contenders.

The 43 entries for the two-and-a-half-mile Ascot Stakes include last year’s runner-up Bring On The Night, whose trainer Willie Mullins also has top-class hurdler Vauban as one of 56 entered for the Copper Horse Handicap, with Ryan Moore booked to ride both.

Sandwiching those two races is the Listed Wolferton Stakes, which has attracted 23 possibles.

Karl Burke is confident Elite Status will take some stopping when he puts his unbeaten record on the line in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot next week.

A 325,000 guineas purchase at the Book 2 sale at Tattersalls in October, the juvenile has so far lived up to his hefty price tag with two facile victories.

A son of Havana Grey, who won six times for Burke including a Group One success in the Flying Five Stakes in Ireland, Elite Status followed up a Doncaster debut success by emulating his sire with a stunning display in the National Stakes at Sandown.

The Spigot Lodge handler has been delighted with the youngster since and is relishing the prospect of stepping up to Group Two level in the opening race on day three of the Royal meeting – one which will see Burke’s runner clash with Wesley Ward’s exciting American Rascal, among others.

“Elite Status came out of the National stakes well,” Burke told Tattersalls.

“We were confident going to Doncaster first time out and he improved again going into the National Stakes. It obviously looked a very hot race on paper and, if I’m honest I didn’t expect him to do it the way he did, but it didn’t surprise me he won.

“He has a great attitude; he’s always had that great walk to him, as Havana Grey himself had.

“This colt has more scope than his sire and is a bigger model. He does his work, walks home, eats, sleeps, and that’s all you want in a racehorse.”

Burke saddled juveniles Dramatised and Holloway Boy to win at Royal Ascot last year and looks set to send another strong squad of two-year-olds on the journey south.

None have made a bigger impression than Elite Status, though, who appears the stable’s biggest hope.

“I want to get him there in the best shape I can. If I do, I think he’s the one they’ve got to beat,” Burke added.

“You need everything to go right on the day. I’m confident he’ll stay six furlongs and the way progeny of Havana Grey are training on from two to three-year-olds, I see him getting further as well.

“I see him as a six-furlong horse this year and who knows, we may be trying the 2000 Guineas next year with a bit of luck.”

Australian raiders Coolangatta and Cannonball warmed up for Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes with separate workouts on Ascot’s straight track on Wednesday morning.

Coolangatta will be looking to enhance the formidable record of Lightning Stakes winners at Royal Ascot, with Choisir, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti, Scenic Blast, Black Caviar and Nature Strip all winning the five-furlong highlight prior to the the summer showpiece meeting.

With co-trainer Ciaron Maher in attendance, Coolangatta and big-race jockey James McDonald worked over just shy of five furlongs and the duo were comfortably clear of lead horse So Chic at the finish.

Maher said: “The idea was to bring Coolangatta here and have a look at the whole surrounds. We did a bit of paddock schooling and then had a nice look at the track.

“She stretched nicely to the line and James said she took quite a while to pull up. He was beaming about the work and it was everything I wanted to see.

“She has really thrived since being here – she is in the very quiet surrounds of Lambourn – and she was in need of a nice hit out to keep a lid on her.”

Coolangatta’s compatriot Cannonball, who represents the training partnership of Peter and Paul Snowden, was last seen finishing third in the Group One Galaxy Handicap at Rosehill in March.

The Capitalist colt also enjoyed an Ascot blowout over just short of five furlongs, after which Peter Snowden expressed his satisfaction.

“Cannonball did a routine piece of work. He is quite a gross colt and he needed that,” he said.

“He arrived here on Friday and had a few easy days, which he had taken the benefit of. The gallop today will bring him back up to the mark somewhat. He will do a bit more on Saturday morning and then he will be ready to go.

“My expectations are always exceeded. He is an inexperienced horse but, in his two starts for me, he has shown that he is well above average.

“He won the Maurice McCarten in a very fast time and backed up a week later in a Group One, when he probably could have won. He is climbing up the ladder pretty quickly.”