The 2017 St James’s Palace Stakes run at Royal Ascot on Tuesday is a race which is Ascot’s Guineas.

The first Classics of the season are staged this weekend with the QIPCO 2000 Guineas (Saturday, May 6) and QIPCO 1000 Guineas (Sunday, May 7) taking place at Newmarket.

The QIPCO 2000 Guineas is shaping up to be a vintage renewal this season, with leading contenders from Ireland, France and Britain plus two representatives of the first crop of the unbeaten wonder horse, Frankel, set to do battle in the first leg of the 2017 QIPCO British Champions Series at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile Racecourse on Saturday, 6th May.

When 36-year-old David Menuisier saddles Contrapposto in the Group 3 bet365 Craven Stakes at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile Racecourse on Thursday, it will start a 48-hour period that could define the season for the West Sussex trainer.

A fabulous 2016 in Europe for Fastnet Rock got better at Doncaster on Saturday when the William Haggas-trained colt Rivet won the Racing Post Trophy to become the 25th Group One winner by the champion Australian sire.