Tartan Bearer tops possibles for Prince of Wales's

Ballymacoll Stud Farm's homebred TARTAN BEARER (Spectrum), runner-up in last

term's Epsom Derby (Eng-G1), heads a maximum cast of nine possibles for the June

17 Prince of Wales's S. (Eng-G1) at next week's Royal Ascot meet following

Thursday's latest forfeit stage.

Successful in the Gordon Richards S. (Eng-G3) at Sandown in his seasonal

return last time on April 25, he faces the dual French challenge of Prix

d'Ispahan (Fr-G1) victor NEVER ON SUNDAY (Sunday Break [Jpn]) and last year's

Prix du Jockey-Club (Fr-G1) hero VISION D'ETAT (Chichicastenango), who has

already garnered this season's Prix Ganay (Fr-G1). The latter will be partnered

by Olivier Peslier instead of Ioritz Mendizabal, who has been replaced by owner

Jacques Detre after an injudicious ride aboard Feels All Right (Danehill Dancer)

in last Sunday's Prix du Jockey-Club.

"This whole affair is most disagreeable and regrettable, but you must respect

the decision of the part-owner," trainer Eric Libaud told Racing Post.

Other notable entries include Cheveley Park Stud's Lockinge S. (Eng-G1)

winner VIRTUAL (Pivotal), Godolphin's Prix d'Harcourt (Fr-G2) winner TRINCOT

(Peintre Celebre) and last year's Premio Roma (Ity-G1) winner ESTEJO (Johan

Cruyff).

In other Royal Ascot news, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's English One

Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) heroine GHANAATI (Giant's Causeway) will bid to double

her top-level tally in the June 19 Coronation S. (Eng-G1). Connections are

confident the bay homebred can reproduce her classic form in the one-mile

contest.

"She's a big filly in terms of her physique, so she is only going to improve

as she gets older," said Angus Gold, Sheikh Hamdan's racing manager. "She

certainly looks a stronger filly and she's done almost too well since the

Guineas, as she's really developed. Everyone is happy with her at home and the

Coronation is a fascinating race as you get the various Guineas winners like

(Irish One Thousand Guineas [Ire-G1] heroine) AGAIN (Danehill Dancer) and

(French One Thousand Guineas [Fr-G1] queen) ELUSIVE WAVE (Elusive City), who

looks a very high-class filly indeed.

"It won't be easy and our filly will have to be at the top of her game, but

she will improve physically as the year goes on. If we can get her there in as

good a form as she was at Newmarket, they will have to go pretty quick to beat

her."

On the opening day of the Royal Ascot meet, trainer Paul Cole is hopeful NO

HUBRIS (Proud Citizen) can make a successful transition to pattern company when

tackling the June 16 Coventry S. (Eng-G2). Fitri Hay's bay juvenile made a

hugely impressive debut at York on May 14 and will go postward as one of the

favorites for the six-furlong contest.

"He's on target for the Coventry and I think he'll put up a good

performance," Cole told PA Sport. "He had been going well at home before his

debut, but you still have to go the racecourse and do it, so that was good to

see (him win). I think he has improved again since then and I think the fast

ground should suit him well. These races are always hard to assess as there are

five or six in there that could be really good two-year-olds. We will just have

to see. The horse is in good form and I'm hopeful he will run a good race."

Also on June 16, Poilin Good's English Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1)

runner-up DELEGATOR (Dansili [GB]) will be reunited with jockey Jimmy Fortune,

who replaces Jamie Spencer, for the St James's Palace S. (Eng-G1), it was

revealed Thursday. Fortune was aboard the Brian Meehan trainee in his first two

juvenile starts, but the bay homebred has been ridden by Spencer in each of his

last four starts, including when eighth of nine in the May 23 Irish Two Thousand

Guineas (Ire-G1).

"Delegator has been working very well and is in great form," Meehan revealed.

"We are very keen to run and, if the ground is right for him, he has a great

chance. If conditions remain something like they are at Ascot now, he will

definitely take his chance."

"We just fancied a change and that's all it is," owner-breeder Poilin Good

outlined the reason for the change of jockey to PA Sport. "The horse worked very

well (Thursday) and it is now up to Brian whether he runs next week. Obviously

the conditions were atrocious when he ran in Ireland, but he doesn't seem to

have suffered any ill effects from that race and we'll just have to see what

happens. You never know what can happen on the day, as unfortunately we don't

have a crystal ball, but the horse is in good form. If it's firm ground, like it

was at Newmarket, he might not run."