Royal Ascot Day Four Preview: Will Pierre Lapin’s unbeaten run end in the Coronation Cup?
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We run the rule over the festival’s penultimate day
It’s already Day Four at Royal Ascot, but there’s still plenty more great racing to enjoy, with a whole host of sprinters on show today.
The Coronation Cup is the highlight of a seven-race card, which also features the Hardwicke Stakes – the Group 2 renewal has been moved from its usual Saturday slot for this year.
Before the penultimate day of racing gets underway, we’ve cast our eye over the pick of the action…
Running order
13:15 Palace of Holyrood House Handicap
13:50 Albany Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies)
14:25 Norfolk Stakes (Group 2)
15:00 Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2)
15:35 Commonwealth Cup (Group 1)
16:10 Queen’s Vase (Group 2)
16:40 Duke of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap)
Our traders are struggling to separate Flying Aletha and Mother Earth at the top of the betting here.
Wesley Ward’s Flying Aletha cruised to victory over stablemate Lime on her debut across the pond at Gulfstream Park in May. She’s a turf horse, but that victory came over dirt, showing her potential star quality.
Mother Earth came second to Frenetic on her debut at Navan in May and she’s set to benefit from that initial run. Aidan O’Brien had his eye on this race for her, which is worth taking into consideration.
Golden Melody could also be right in the mix following her Haydock win.
Look out for Coral ambassador Jim Crowley aboard Elarqam here. It’ll be the five-year-old’s first time over 12 furlongs, but an impressive second-placed finish behind Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner Lord North should build confidence.
Elarqam’s main challenge could come from Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck, who shaped well last time out at Newmarket.
Defending champion Defoe is also looking to defend his crown, while Spanish Mission could be an interesting outsider, having won in America last year.
There’s plenty of appeal in the day’s showpiece race, including the unbeaten Pierre Lapin and Kimari.
After standing out so memorably at Haydock last year, then following it up with another win in the Mill Reef Stakes, Pierre Lapin currently leads the betting.
Kimari almost enjoyed Royal Ascot glory last year, only to be pipped by Raffle Prize in the Queen Mary. Will the Ward-trained raider go one better here?
Wooded is another one to watch, having won convincingly on his first 6f run at Chantilly.
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All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
