By Tom Frary
Wednesday's Royal Ascot cards were finalised on Monday, with the feature G1 Prince of Wales's S. made up of 10 runners but not, as expected, White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}). The G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner's absence is one less obstacle for Ballydoyle's star colt of 2023, Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), with Cheveley Park Stud's Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Yeguada Centurion's Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) looking the chief threats to the Ballydoyle runner. Blue Rose Cen is joined by compatriots Horizon Dore (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}), Zarakem (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) and Snobbish (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), who will act as pacemaker for Blue Rose Cen. The field is completed by Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Royal Rhyme (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Auguste Rodin's pacemaker Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
White Birch misses the 10-furlong showdown due to unsatisfactory blood results and is to be aimed at either the G1 Eclipse or G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud according to trainer John Joseph Murphy's son George. “We had a blood result come back yesterday and it wasn't perfect, so we said we'd leave the trip,” he explained. “We'll have to have a chat with the owners now before we decide where to go. He's in the Eclipse and he's in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at the end of the month, so it's probably one of the two of those. The ground [at Royal Ascot] wasn't a concern for us.”
The day's other pattern events include the G2 Duke of Cambridge S., where 14 fillies and mares will take part including last year's winner Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Laurel (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Al Shira'aa Racing's Ocean Jewel (Ire) (Sioux Nation). The G2 Queen's Vase sees a dozen contenders including a four-strong Ballydoyle team head to post including the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud third Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Among the 26 juvenile fillies declared for the G2 Queen Mary S., TDN Rising Stars Sperical (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Truly Enchanting (Ire) (No Nay Never) meet the Wesley Ward challenger Ultima Grace (American Pharoah).
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