RACING: It's 33 years since Right Tack completed the classic generation's mile Triple Crown but Rock Of Gibraltar will be odds-on to bridge the gap on the opening day of Royal Ascot.
The Alex Ferguson-owned star was brave in the English 2,000 Guineas, brilliant in the Irish 2,000 and will have to be both in the St James's Palace Stakes.
Rodrigo De Triano (1992) was the last to arrive at the Ascot showpiece with a shout of completing the treble but the Irish colt's chances look much better.
Rock Of Gibraltar's main opposition looks to be his stable companion Landseer, victorious in the French Guineas, but discarded by Mick Kinane.
The French challenger Bowman was an unlucky third to Landseer at Longchamp, while Dupont was the Guineas hero in both Italy and Germany.
But with the ground forecast to be "good to soft" Aidan O'Brien was in a confident mood yesterday. "Rock Of Gibraltar handles a dig in the ground well and has probably run on more extremes of going than Landseer. They have both been really well since their last runs," he said.
John Murtagh takes the ride on Landseer who benefited from Rock Of Gibraltar's unlucky passage to win last year's Coventry Stakes.
Sahara Desert will be ridden prominently to ensure a decent pace and he is one of a team of six that O'Brien runs today as he tries to increase his Royal Ascot winner total to nine.
Century City, runner-up in the Irish Guineas, has been dropped from the St James's Palace team and instead takes on the older horses in the Queen Anne Stakes.
"It's a concern obviously but they can't all go in the one race. He has been coming on for every run and we still think he is going forward," O'Brien said.
The Ballydoyle trainer runs both Spartacus and Statue Of Liberty in the Coventry where Dermot Weld is represented by Pakhoes.
Spartacus won over seven furlongs at Gowran on his debut and takes a significant reduction in trip.
"If he was going to run at Ascot, the Coventry was going to be his race. Obviously he will have no problem getting further but he is in good form," O'Brien said.
Weld, the current leading Irish trainer at the Royal meeting with 11 winners, runs Media Puzzle in the Duke Of Edinburgh alongside Willie Mullins's Holy Orders.
Agnetha, also represents Weld, and also carries topweight, in the Balmoral. The opening day Irish team of 10 runners is completed by John Flynn's mare Anna Elise in the King's Stand.
SELECTIONS
2.30-Century City (nap)
3.05-Jessica's Dream
3.45-Rock Of Gibraltar
4.20-Spartacus
4.55-Dawari
5.30-Fire Up The Band
Alex Ferguson and Mick Kinane will be renewing old acquaintances at Royal Ascot this afternoon.
