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14:30 Ascot

Good To Firm

Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1)

First Prize: £453680
1m 0f 0y
Class 1
9 runners

ITV

View Course

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

1 (6)

Ciceros Gift 31 days

J: Jason Watson

T: Charles Hills

Form: 211-47 CD

OR: 118

W: 9st 2lb

Age: 6 yo Gelding

Form

Returns to the scene of his biggest performance but that 100-1 success in last year's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over C&D (good) still seems something of a fluke, having been seemingly helped by the draw; has failed to back up the form in races won by Opera Ballo and Notable Speech this season, beaten about 7l both times; dubious claims.

2 (3)

Damysus 31 days

J: James Doyle

T: John & Thady Gosden

Form: 011-16

OR: 119

W: 9st 2lb

Age: 4 yo Colt

Form

Record is 4-8, the most recent success gained comfortably in Newmarket Group 3 on seasonal debut when completing a 1m2f/1m1f hat-trick; disappointing in the Lockinge (1m) since, not looking entirely beaten by the drop back in trip, but he's difficult to write off having been broadly progressive otherwise; rebound is possible.

3 (4)

Docklands 51 days

J: Mark Zahra

T: Harry Eustace

Form: 494-13 CD

OR: 118

W: 9st 2lb

Age: 6 yo Colt

Form

Acts on any ground; admirable campaigner whose Listed success at Doncaster in March is flanked by respectable efforts in Group 1 events at Sha Tin; his excellent record over this C&D reads 11322214 and features two wins at Royal Ascot, including narrowly in this contest last term despite rider dropping whip over 1f out (played second fiddle to Charyn, the year's champion miler, in the 2024 edition); solid claims returned to this scenario.

4 (2)

First Conquest 179 days

J: Ryan Moore

T: Charlie Appleby

Form: 33433- D

OR: 111

W: 9st 2lb

Age: 5 yo Gelding

Form

Ended his 2025 campaign by finishing third in 1m1f contests won by Damysus and stablemate Opera Ballo; consistent but appears very unlikely to reverse placings with those rivals and is the only runner who lacks recent match practice, being the sole seasonal debutant in the field; drops back to 1m for first time since winning a good handicap in July 2024; one of three runners for his yard and possibly in here as a pacemaker.

5 (9)

More Thunder 31 days

J: Tom Marquand

T: William Haggas

Form: 2114-2

OR: 121

W: 9st 2lb

Age: 5 yo Colt

Form

Usually held up in rear; did very well over 6f/7f last term, including summer wins in a major handicap and Group 2, as well as nearly landing the Wokingham at this meeting; made a cracking first attempt at 1m when only 2l behind Notable Speech (who got first run) in the Lockinge at Newbury on reappearance, taking form figures for current yard to 1121142 and suggesting he's set for another productive campaign; plausibly still improving and promises to be suited by this return to a stiffer course; major contender.

6 (1)

1 tip

Notable Speech 31 days

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

Form: 211-41 D

OR: 125

W: 9st 2lb

Age: 5 yo Colt

Form

High-class miler domestically and internationally, predominantly on good and quicker ground in accordance with his bright turn of foot; readily justified strong market support in the Lockinge at Newbury most recently, registering a fifth success at the top level and looking better than ever; bit to prove at Royal Ascot, having flopped badly in the 2024 St James's Palace Stakes and finished only fourth in this race last year; otherwise a leading player on the figures.

7 (7)

1 tip

Opera Ballo 53 days

J: Billy Loughnane

T: Charlie Appleby

Form: 121-11 D

OR: 125

W: 9st 2lb

Age: 4 yo Colt

Form

Unraced on ground slower than yielding; made all for 3l success in a particularly good edition of the bet365 Mile (Group 2) at Sandown most recently, defying a 5lb penalty for his Group 1 win at Meydan and taking record to 7-9, as well as reversing Newmarket autumn placings with Zeus Olympios; doesn't necessarily need to dominate; new rating puts him on a par with stablemate Notable Speech and even bigger figures may be on the way; respected.

8 (8)

Ten Bob Tony 10 days

J: Kieran Shoemark

T: Ed Walker

Form: 30-481

OR: 112

W: 9st 2lb

Age: 5 yo Gelding

Form

Acts particularly well on ground softer than good; very useful 7f performer who prevailed narrowly at Epsom ten days ago for a second success in the Group 3 that was formerly the John of Gaunt Stakes and run at Haydock; ran creditably over 1m in 2024 German 2,000 Guineas but this is a stiffer test at the trip and a stiffer assignment to boot.

OUR TIP

9 (5)

1 tip

Zeus Olympios 31 days

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

Form: 111-33 D

OR: 120

W: 9st 2lb

Age: 4 yo Colt

Form

Yet to encounter ground softer than good; 4-4 in his first season last year, culminating in Group 2 win at Newmarket where he won going away from Opera Ballo; unable to confirm placings with that opponent at Sandown on reappearance but wasn't disgraced and he subsequently ran better, behind Notable Speech and More Thunder, in the Lockinge at Newbury; may yet tap back into his tremendous earlier progress and prove that he can still become a top miler; remains of major interest.

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Betting Forecast

50/1 Ciceros Gift, 12/1 Damysus, 11/2 Docklands, 66/1 First Conquest, 4/1 More Thunder, 13/8 Notable Speech, 7/2 Opera Ballo, 50/1 Ten Bob Tony, 7/1 Zeus Olympios

Verdict

Charlie Appleby has had just one winner from 36 runners at Royal Ascot in the last three years but he holds a very strong hand in the 2026 opener, with Notable Speech and Opera Ballo heading this field on ratings. Those two big guns command major respect but another chance is given to ZEUS OLYMPIOS, who looked so promising last term and whose two efforts this season suggest it’s well worth keeping the faith in him. The selection stepped up on his reappearance effort when running creditably in the Lockinge in his first Group 1 attempt and may be on his way to resuming the great progress he showed in 2025. More Thunder (second choice) has very solid claims and is unexposed over 1m, while last year’s winner and course specialist Docklands is also firmly in the mix.[Steve Boow]

Selections

TOPSPEED:

Opera Ballo

SPOTLIGHT:

Zeus Olympios

POSTDATA:

Notable Speech