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French 2000 Guineas winner Metropolitan added to potential star-studded line-up.
The Mario Baratti-trained Metropolitan has been supplemented to the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes field today at the cost of £46,000 after springing a surprise in the French 2000 Guineas at Longchamp last month. The addition of Metropolitan will see the form of the French, Irish and English 2000 Guineas winners tested with both Rosallion, who was steered to victory by Sean Levey at the Curragh last month, and his Newmarket conqueror Notable Speech both featuring on the now eleven-strong entry list.
Aidan O'Brien landed the prize twelve months ago with multiple Group 1 scorer Paddington. The Ballydoyle handler will be hoping French 2000 Guineas disappointment Henry Longfellow can bounce back to provide the same colours further opening day Royal Ascot success. Stablemate and Epsom Derby hero City Of Troy was taken out as expected, but River Tiber, Unquestionable and Mountain Bear all remain in contention at this stage.
Wathnan Racing's new purchase Haatem, who was narrowly denied by stablemate Rosallion at the Curragh, was also confirmed although connections have recently revealed he is much more likely to line-up in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes over seven furlongs later in the week.
Jerome Reynier's progressive Darlinghurst, English 2000 Guineas fifth Alyanaabi and Ed Walker's impressive Heron Stakes winner Almaqam complete the current field of eleven.
Sixteen horses were confirmed for the opening Queen Anne Stakes, with the Chevley Park-owned pair Inspiral and Audience both featuring. The former will be looking to go one spot better than she did twelve months ago by building on her reappearance fourth in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, while the latter attempts to follow up his 22/1 surprise in the aforementioned Newbury prize. The runner-up that day, Charyn also features in the entries for the Roger Varian team, with the Jerome Reynier-trained Dubai Turf hero Facteur Cheval one of three French acceptors alongside Big Rock and Dolayli.
Simon & Ed Crisford's unbeaten contender Quddwah was a notable absentee, but the Newmarket-based handlers still look likely to be represented by Poker Face.
Michael Appleby's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Big Evs looks set to take on the likes of Regional and the Australian raider Asfoora in the King Charles III Stakes.
"He came back with a good run back at York, winning quite well, and now all roads lead to Ascot in the King Charles," Appleby said when speaking to Tattersalls.
"It looks like a very hot race, but hopefully we'll be going there with a very live chance. He came out of the York race really well; I don't think he had a very hard race there. He fluffed the start, which is very unlike him, but Tom (Marquand) looked very cool on him and gave him a good ride, so he didn't really have a hard race.
"He went to York probably 95 per cent (fit), he wasn't fully tuned up for that, we were using it as a prep run for Ascot.
"He is up there with all the best I've trained, definitely. Obviously, he is the best two-year-old we've ever had, so we'll see what happens this year as to whether he's the best we've ever had."
George Scott has supplemented his Palace House Stakes scorer Seven Questions to the field of sixteen at a cost of £46,000. Callum Shepherd will take the ride. Bucanero Fuerte, Relief Rally and Aesop's Fables were all taken out with the first pair mentioned 12/1 and 14/1 respectively for the five-furlong dash.
Elsewhere on the card, ante-post favourite Camille Pissarro heads 28 entries for the Coventry Stakes, with leading fancies Cowardofthecounty, Symbol Of Honour, Al Quadra, Andesite, Treasure Island and Tunbridge Wells all featuring at the five-day stage.
