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Horse racing and royalty always seem to have gone together. Nowhere is that truer than at Royal Ascot.
After taking place behind closed doors last year, the royal meeting hopes to have racegoers back at the track in the Berkshire countryside just outside London. Royal Ascot 2021 takes place from 15 to 19 June, so it's coming right up.
While the programme of races has been expanded to include more handicaps, there are still some events of international interest. Here, we look at the most competitive Royal Ascot action from each day of the meet.
St James's Palace Stakes
The opening day has three Group 1 races, but the three-year-olds colts only St James's Palace over the round mile looks wide-open. Poetic Flare just prevailed over Godolphin runner Master Of The Seas in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket with Lucky Vega close up in third.
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There may be other targets, such as the Irish or French 2000 Guineas for these thoroughbreds but the St James's Palace is a Classic calibre contest in all but name. Other big races to look out for on the Tuesday of Royal Ascot include the Queen Anne for older horses and King's Stand for sprinters.
Prince Of Wales's Stakes
On the Wednesday, the Prince Of Wales's Stakes for older horses over a mile-and-a-quarter could be a rematch between the first two from last year. As most Royal Ascot day 2 predictions and tips point out, Lord North is the favourite to win this again for father-son training partnership John and Thady Gosden.
Like the runner-up Addeybb, that horse has been abroad and won a big prize this spring. It would be a mistake to view the Prince Of Wales as a two-horse race, however, as Irish master trainer Aidan O'Brien has lots of ammunition among his Ballydoyle battalions for this contest.
Ascot Gold Cup
During the middle day of Royal Ascot, the question on everyone's lips is can Stradivarius make even more history in the Gold Cup? One of the longest Flat turf thoroughbred races in the world, the Gosdens' superstar stayer seeks to emulate Yeats as a four-time winner of the race.
Standing between Stradivarius and a date with destiny in improving Mark Johnston runner Subjectivist, who took the Dubai Gold Cup back in March. The Middleham powerhouse stable might even gang up on Stradivarius with the likes of Sir Ron Priestley and Nayef Road also in contention.
Diamond Jubilee Stakes
The last of the Group 1 Royal Ascot races is the Diamond Jubilee Stakes sprint over six furlongs. It has an incredibly open to look to it at this stage. Dream Of Dreams has finished second in the last two runnings of the race, so could he go one better?
A possible transatlantic challenge from America may come to Royal Ascot in the shape of Extravagant Kid. He won the valuable Al Quoz Sprint out in Meydan on Dubai World Cup Night, so clearly travels well.
