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Who will win the big Group 1 races at Royal Ascot 2023?

The cream of Flat racing rocks up at Royal Ascot once again and everyone is looking for the horses that will land the top Group 1 prizes. Planet Sport looks at the leading contenders.

It's Frankie Dettori's final Royal Ascot, can the star jockey scoop more glory to add to his impressive haul or will it be someone else's grand day at this famous meeting.

Planet Sport looks at some of the leading contenders in the big Group 1 races at Royal Ascot 2023:

If you fancy a flutter on Royal Ascot visit our Royal Ascot section on Planet Sport Bet.
(Please be aware horses and jockeys are subject to change)

Tuesday, June 20:

Queen Anne Stakes (1430)

The first of three Group One races on the opening day - The Queen Anne Stakes - sees a potential clash between Breeders' Cup Mile and Lockinge hero Modern Games, Coronation Stakes and Prix Jacques Le Marois heroine Inspiral, and last season's Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Native Trail.

Richard Hannon's Chindit will renew rivalry with Modern Games after finishing best of the rest at Newbury.

David Simcock's pair of Cash and Light Infantry and Mutasaabeq from Charlie Hills' yard also feature among 13 confirmations.

King's Stand Stakes (1540)

The King's Stand Stakes went the way of Australia last year with Nature Strip and this year his compatriot Coolangatta is towards the top of the betting markets.

John Quinn's mare Highfield Princess heads the market.

The six-year-old enjoyed a fantastic campaign in 2023, completing a hat-trick of wins at the top level, and she can be expected to improve from her comeback second at York last month.

Karl Burke's Dramatised and John Ryan's Manaccan are other contenders for the home team, as is the Archie Watson-trained Bradsell who has been supplemented for the race.

A strong international challenge includes a pair of Australian runners in Coolangatta and Cannonball.

James McDonald was one of the leading riders at Royal Ascot last year with three winners, headlined by Nature Strip's dominant display in the King's Stand, and the New Zealand-born rider is confident Coolangatta has what it takes to get him back in the famous winner's circle.
"She is a strong five-furlong horse and an extremely talented filly," he said.
Wesley Ward's American challenger Twilight Gleaming is also on the list of 20 still in contention.

St James's Palace Stakes (1620)

Mostabshir from John and Thady Gosden's yard is set for a Group One assignment on the opening day in what looks a red-hot renewal of the St James's Palace Stakes.

The impressive York novice winner will have to take on 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean and Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Paddington, but connections are happy to roll the dice.
Unbeaten in three starts, Cicero's Gift has made rapid strides this spring and is a general 3/1 third favourite for the Group One mile contest.
An unfancied 22/1 chance on his debut in a Newbury novices' race in October, he ran on well to score with ease and returned in March to take a restricted novice over an extended mile on the all-weather at Wolverhampton.
It was his five-and-a-half-length win in a conditions race at Goodwood last time that propelled him into the reckoning for a mouthwatering clash with a pair of Classic winners.

French Guineas runner-up Isaac Shelby (Brian Meehan) adds further intrigue, as does the presence of Al Riffa (Joseph O'Brien), not seen since winning last season's National Stakes.

Wednesday, June 21

Prince of Wales's Stakes (1620)

The absence of last year's Derby winner, Desert Crown, leaves the Charlie Appleby-trained Adayar and Aidan O'Brien's Luxembourg in a battle for Prince of Wales's favouritism.
The latter landed the Tattersalls Gold Cup from Bay Bridge last month, and his Ballydoyle handler reported him on course for Ascot.
Meanwhile, Charlie Appleby's Adayar comfortably beat subsequent Group One winner Anmaat in the Gordon Richards Stakes on his comeback this season and was partnered by William Buick in a gentle piece of work.
Second in the Champion Stakes last season, Appleby hopes the decision to keep the 2021 Derby winner in training at the age of five is rewarded.
O'Brien's apparent second string Bolshoi Ballet, the William Haggas-trained pair of Dubai Honour and My Prospero, John and Thady Gosden's Mostahdaf and Kenny McPeek's American raider Classic Causeway complete the potential field.

Thursday, June 22

Gold Cup (1620)

Leading contender for the Gold Cup, Haskoy, was recently retired after straining a tendon, leaving the Sagaro winner, Coltrane, and Eldar Eldarov battling it out at the top of the market.

Roger Varian's Eldar Eldarov was a nose winner of the Queen's Vase at the Royal meeting last season and went on to claim Classic glory in the St Leger at Doncaster in September.
He had to concede weight all round on his four-year-old debut in the Group Two Yorkshire Cup and powered home to be beaten just half a length in second place by St Leger third Giavellotto.

Coltraine's trainer Andrew Balding also has Nate The Great among the contenders, while Aidan O'Brien has the choice of Emily Dickinson, Broome and Changingoftheguard, with last year's victor Kyprios sidelined by injury.

John and Thady Gosden, trainers of three-time race winner Stradivarius, have lightly-raced Goodwood scorer Courage Mon Ami in contention this time.

Subjectivist, winner of the race in 2021, the Charlie Appleby-trained Yibir and Willie Mullins' Echoes In Rain are other key names, with Sagaro second Wise Eagle, Trueshan Tashkhan, Lone Eagle and French raider Big Call also in the mix.

Friday, June 23

Commonwealth Cup (1505)

Winner of three of his four juvenile starts last season, Shaquille picked up where he left off with an impressive comeback victory in handicap company at Newmarket's Guineas Festival.
The Charm Spirit colt successfully stepped up to Listed class for the Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury last month and is now being readied for a tilt at Group One glory in the Commonwealth Cup.
Aidan O'Brien's Little Big Bear heads the market after winning the Sandy Lane at Haydock when last seen, with Shouldvebeenaring, who is also set to compete, giving him a run for his money a length and a quarter back in second.
Varian's Sakheer finished seventh in the 2000 Guineas, after making promising progress at one stage, the testing conditions at Newmarket ultimately seemed to take a toll in the closing stages as he finished seven lengths adrift of Chaldean.

Coronation Stakes (1620)

A mouth-watering rematch between Tahiyra and Mawj is on the cards in the Coronation Stakes.
The pair were involved in one of the best races of the Flat season to date when duelling in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
On that occasion Mawj came out on top, but Tahiyra has since won the Irish equivalent and the bookmakers make her favourite to turn the tables on June 23.
Aidan O'Brien still has Breeders' Cup winner Meditate in contention, after she finished sixth at Newmarket and immediately behind Tahiyra at the Curragh.
Jackie Oh is another for Ballydoyle, with Mammas Girl (Richard Hannon), Queen For You (John and Thady Gosden), Remarquee (Ralph Beckett), Sounds Of Heaven (Jessica Harrington) and Comhra (Jim Bolger) also in the mix.

Saturday, June 24

The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1620)

Australian raider Artorius currently heads the field in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, having finished third in the Platinum Jubilee last year.

Art Power won the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes in clear-cut fashion at the Curragh last time out under Oisin Murphy and is expected to challenge.
READ MORE: Get the latest odds, schedule, news and historical information on Royal Ascot with Planet Sport Bet

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