Royal Ascot 2020: Day one entries released with big fields for both the Queen Anne and King’s Stand

THE stage is set for a mouthwatering week at Royal Ascot and the entries for day one have only added to the excitement.

The schedule has been tinkered with this year, with the coronavirus shutdown prompting racing chiefs to overhaul the regular pattern.

Reuters

But the traditional curtain raiser, the Group 1 Queen Anne, will be run on Tuesday as usual, with 20 top-class entries at the six-day stage.

They are headed by Aidan O’Brien’s Circus Maximus, who won the St James’s Palace Stakes at the meeting 12 months ago.

Accidental Agent caused a 33-1 shock in the race two years ago, and he is back to regain his crown for Eve Johnson Houghton.

Duke Of Hazzard ended last season in flying form and could represent Paul Cole, while Marcus Tregoning has entered the promising Mohaather.

Other entries to note are Headman for Roger Charlton, Sir Michael Stoute’s classy miler Mustashry, the lightly-raced Roseman, Classic winner Billesdon Brook and Sunday’s impressive Brigadier Gerard winner Lord North.

Battaash has finished second in the last two runnings of the King’s Stand at the Royal meeting and he will likely attempt to go one better this year.

There are 14 entries in total; Kevin Ryan has entered Prix de l’Abbaye heroine Glass Slippers, Roger Teal could be represented by the progressive Oxted in the 5f dash and Sceptical looks set to be ridden by Frankie Dettori.

In the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes there are 15 fillies, including Jubiloso and recent Dahlia Stakes winner Terebellum.

The King Edward VII Stakes and Ribblesdale Stakes are consolation races for the Derby and Oaks in a normal year.

This time around they will become key Classic trials, with each race attracting 14 entries apiece.

Aidan O’Brien has entered six in the King Edward, including the high-class Mogul, while the unbeaten Listed winner Mohican Heights could represent David Simcock.

In the Ribblesdale, John Gosden could run Frankly Darling, an impressive winner at Newcastle last week, while he has also entered Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Miss Yoda.

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