Royal Ascot tips: Stradivarius can hit the winning note

The John Gosden/Frankie Dettori express, which chugged along so nicely on Tuesday, went slithering off the rails and down a mountainside on Wednesday. But the Newmarket duo have an excellent chance to get back on track with Stradivarius (4.20) in the Gold Cup.

This flashy chestnut, a winner in this week last year when the ground was similarly quick, started his season on a very encouraging note when scooting clear in the Yorkshire Cup. A strong finisher over two miles in August, he has a fine chance of seeing out this extra half-mile.

Order Of St George remains a classy opponent but both he and Vazirabad would probably prefer some give in the ground. One of the outsiders might be able to nick a place, perhaps even Scotland, who has form on fast ground.

2.30 Norfolk Stakes Wesley Ward has had a couple of reverses this week and his Shang Shang Shang, a filly, would be an unusual winner of this race. Vintage Brut will attract interest, having been sold for £280,000 since winning a good race at Sandown, but he might have been a lucky winner, as Konchek had a luckless run in third and might have hit the front in two more strides.

3.05 Hampton Court Stakes In an open race Silver Quartz might be able to outrun big odds. Seventh place from nine runners on his most recent outing at Sandown does not inspire, on the face of it, but he was going on at the finish after a bit of trouble in running and ended up a mere four lengths behind Without Parole, a Group One winner here on Tuesday. The extra distance on a faster surface will be a big help.

3.40 Ribblesdale Stakes Having finished runner-up behind a good winner in the Oaks, Wild Illusion is the obvious one, though the ground will be very different from the soft going that prevailed that day. Magic Wand might even be able to reverse that form with her. But perhaps Magic Wand’s stablemate Athena has an even better chance, having belatedly blossomed when tried on a sound surface in her two most recent starts. It was only a Fairyhouse maiden that she took last time but her second place to Sea Of Class in May puts her right in the argument.

5.00 Britannia Handicap It cannot have been easy for Frankie Dettori to choose between the two Gosden runners here and he may have jumped the wrong way, as Stylehunter won with authority at Lingfield last time. The progressive colt looks handily treated for this handicap debut.

5.35 King George V Handicap A quick look at the mile-and-a-half layout at Ascot would suggest those drawn near the inside rail would have an advantage in big-field handicaps. But results point the other way and no winner of this race has emerged from a single-figure stall since 2010. So the well-bred Dubhe is probably not badly off in 19 and he makes a lot of appeal, coming off an impressive handicap win at Sandown that showed he has improved for time and distance.

Ascot 2.30 Konchek 3.05 Silver Quartz (nb) 3.40 Athena (nap) 4.20 Stradivarius 5.00 Stylehunter 5.35 Dubhe

Chelmsford 1.45 Prince Of Rome 2.20 Its'afreebee 2.55 Victory Wave 3.30 Alfarris 4.05 Hollydaze 4.45 Elysees 5.20 Lalania

Ripon 2.10 Cupboard Love 2.45 Computable 3.20 Emerald Rocket 3.55 Daira Prince 4.35 Calliope 5.10 Racemaker 5.40 Olympic Odyssey

Lingfield 5.50 Absolutely Awesome 6.20 Just Us Two 6.50 White Iverson 7.25 Falcao 7.55 Ramblow 8.25 Macho Mover 8.55 Roser Moter

Ffos Las 6.10 One For Billy 6.40 Lotus Pond 7.15 No Dice 7.45 The Bottom Bar 8.15 Ayla's Emperor 8.45 Libby T Valance 9.15 Baron Von Chill