Homecoming Queen, Samitar face-off in Coronation

Impressive Group 1 One Thousand Guineas heroine Homecoming Queen faces 11

rival fillies in Friday's Group 1 Coronation Stakes going a mile. The Aidan

O'Brien-trained three-year-old, who was last seen finishing fourth behind

Samitar in the Group 1 Irish One Thousand Guineas, is likely to be the trainer's

only representative, as Group 1 victress Maybe has suffered a stone-bruise.

Homecoming Queen was somewhat of a surprise in the One Thousand Guineas,

posting a runaway nine-length victory in the one-mile contest. The bay daughter

of Holy Roman Emperor will retain the services of jockey Joseph O'Brien with the

likely scratch of Maybe.

Samitar re-opposes for Mick Channon and is once again ridden by young jockey

Martin Harley. The Rock of Gibraltar miss earned her first win, and first

on-the-board placing, of the year in the Irish One Thousand Guineas.

Channon also has a strong second-string to his bow in the shape of Laugh Out

Loud, who has progressed through the spring and ran out an easy winner of the

Group 2 Prix de Sandringham in France last out. She will be ridden by Frankie

Dettori.

John Gosden appears to have a strong hand in this division and he runs three.

Elusive Kate makes her anticipated return to action having won the Group 1 Prix

Marcel Boussac last term. The Elusive Quality filly closed out her juvenile

campaign with an unplaced run in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in

November. Olivier Peslier, aboard for her win in the Group 3 Prix du Calvados

last year, takes back the mount.

Stable jockey William Buick has somewhat surprisingly stayed loyal to Fallen

For You, who was only sixth in a Lingfield Group 3, while Starscope, placed in

the One Thousand Guineas, will once again be ridden by Jimmy Fortune to complete

the Gosden trio.

Mickael Barzalona gets the leg up on the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained Irish

History, who was supplemented for the race by Godolphin, while William Haggas

runs the once-raced Cardigan. Trainer Chris Wall's Intense Pink, Sir Michael

Stoute-trained Russelliana and sole French challenger Bugie d'Amore complete the

Coronation line up.

Frankel's full-brother Noble Mission features among a field of seven declared

runners in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at 1 1/2 miles earlier on the

Friday card. An encouraging second on his sole juvenile appearance at Yarmouth,

the three-year-old made a winning return at Newbury before following up in a

listed heat at Newmarket.

The Galileo sophomore suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Thought Worthy

in his latest appearance and tackles that opponent again in the King Edward.

Noble Mission is one of two runners in the race for trainer Sir Henry Cecil,

with Thomas Chippendale stepping up in grade following an impressive handicap

win at Newmarket.

Gosden runs Group 1 Derby fourth Thought Worthy, as well as Shantaram, who

ran some fine races in defeat before getting off the mark at Newmarket last

time.

O'Brien will send out Derby third Astrology, with John Dunlop's Farhaan and

Jeremy Noseda's Initiator completing the line-up.

The Group 3 Albany Stakes going six furlongs will open Royal Ascot's Friday

program and has attracted 19 juvenile fillies, including Newfangled, a very

impressive winner for the in-form Gosden in her only start earlier this month.

The other Group 3 race is the Queen's Vase, run over two miles, and Athens,

who was placed at this level last time, could be a leading player.

Valencha has been promoted into the starting line-up for the Buckingham

Palace Stakes. The Hughie Morrison-trained five-year-old had been first reserve

for the seven-furlong handicap, but gets the chance to shine following the

withdrawal of Excellent Guest. Tariq Too could put his young trainer Amy Weaver

on the map with a fine run here.

The Wolferton Listed Handicap, contested over 10 furlongs, has attracted 16

runners, including American raider Hyper, who comes here on the back for five

straight wins.

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