Prince of Wales's hope Bay Bridge primed for Adayar rematch as day two Royal Ascot entries and confirmations made

Bay Bridge and Adayar, first and second in an epic Champion Stakes last season, are on course to meet again at Ascot after featuring among eight confirmations for Wednesday's Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes (4.20).

Bay Bridge came out on top by half a length last October, but the majority of bookmakers make Adayar and Luxembourg 2-1 joint favourites for the Prince of Wales's, with Champion Stakes third My Prospero next at 7-2 and Bay Bridge a general 4-1 chance. 

Bay Bridge approaches the race having finished third in the Prix Ganay and runner-up to Luxembourg in the Tattersalls Gold Cup so far this season and looks poised to fill the shoes of stablemate Desert Crown, who was ruled out of the Prince of Wales's after suffering a minor setback at the weekend.   

"As far as I know the plan is to run unless the ground is incredibly firm, but it was on the firm side in Ireland the other day," said Bay Bridge's breeder and joint-owner James Wigan, currently in Spain and keen to stress he had not recently spoken to trainer Sir Michael Stoute.  

"We wouldn't want it brick-hard but he handles any ground really. He needed the race at Longchamp and it was very much an introductory race. At the Curragh he ran a very good race and it could have gone either way."

Sent off the 10-11 favourite, Bay Bridge finished runner-up to State Of Rest in last season's Prince of Wales's and Wigan, who shares ownership with Ballylinch Stud, added: "It would have been nice to have won last year but you win some, you lose some. I've been in it long enough and didn't expect to beat Baaeed in a Champion Stakes. That was fantastic and it evened itself out very well.

"The trainer has done incredibly well with older horses and he's a horse who has improved through his career." 

Adayar, winner of the Derby in 2021, was successful on his seasonal reappearance in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes last month and is one of six Group 1 winners in the line-up. 

Adayar: seeking a first Group 1 win over a mile and a quarterCredit: Edward Whitaker

Trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, the five-year-old has never run at the royal meeting but earned a career- best RPR of 128 with an impressive victory over Mishriff in the 2021 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot.

Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Luxembourg is set to be joined by his Aidan O'Brien-trained stablemate Bolshoi Ballet, while William Haggas could also run two, with Dubai Honour standing his ground alongside My Prospero. 

Belmont Derby winner Classic Causeway is the sole runner trained outside Britain and Ireland in the field and is on course to have his first start in Europe for Kentucky trainer Kenneth McPeek. 

Mostahdaf, trained by John and Thady Gosden and last seen in competitive action finishing fourth to Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic, completes a potential field of eight.

Fahey fancies, Group-race pointers and Joseph mob-handed - three key talking points as we look towards day two

Arrest among Queen's Vase line-up

Beaten Derby favourite Arrest was a surprise name to appear in the Queen's Vase (5.35) but Frankie Dettori is already booked to ride the unbeaten Gregory.

He is on course for Ascot following an impressive victory in Goodwood's Cocked Hat Stakes on just his second start. His opposition could include Castle Way, Chesspiece, Continuous and royal runner Market Value.

Buick takes over on Prosperous Voyage

Prosperous Voyage: William Buick booked to ride Group 1 winner at AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

William Buick is set to ride last season's 1,000 Guineas runner-up Prosperous Voyage for the first time in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes (3.40).

She was one of 15 confirmations for the Group 2 contest, and is set for a quick reappearance having won on Derby day earlier this month. She has been ridden on her two starts this season by Frankie Dettori – who will partner Laurel for bosses John and Thady Gosden next Wednesday – but connections will not use Rob Hornby who had ridden her on her previous 11 runs.

Just Beautiful was a notable absentee in the confirmations. The Paddy Twomey-trained mare was a 5-1 chance having defeated Ascot favourite Jumbly in a Group 2 at the Curragh last time.

International depth in Queen Mary field

Three American-trained challengers were among 33 entries for the Queen Mary Stakes (2.30) with Bundchen, Crimson Advocate, Cynane set to represent Wesley Ward, George Weaver and Tom Morely respectively.

France-based Henri Francois Devin also has Balsam entered while a strong Irish raid is led by Matrika and Porta Fortuna.

Amo Racing have four entered including debut winners Graceful Thunder and Majestic Beauty, while the home challenge also includes Beautiful Diamond and Born To Rock.

28 runners were entered for the Windsor Castle Stakes, including first-time-out winners Johannes Brahms, Maximum Impact and Fandom.

Queen Mary Stakes

Ba'Hoa Hollie Doyle
Balsam TBC
Bated Moon TBC
Beautiful Diamond Clifford Lee
Betties Bay Joshua Bryan
Born To Rock William Buick
Bundchen Joel Rosario
Callianassa Ben Robinson
Cotai Vision TBC
Crimson Advocate TBC
Cynane TBC
Flora Of Bermuda James Doyle
Gaiden TBC
Geologist TBC
Got To Love A Grey Sam James
Graceful Thunder Rossa Ryan
Hot Front Kieran Shoemark
Juniper Berries Charlie Bishop
Komat TBC
Lady Pink Rose TBC
Launch Kevin Stott
Majestic Beauty Rowan Scott
Mariamne Daniel Muscutt
Matrika TBC
Midnight Affair Daniel Tudhope
Onigiri Neil Callan
Out Of The Stars Oisin Murphy
Porta Fortuna TBC
Princess Chizara Darragh Keenan
Relief Rally Tom Marquand
Tallulabelle TBC
Thanksbutnothanks TBC
Tiger Belle TBC

Bet365: 4 Born To Rock, 5 Beautiful Diamond, 7 Midnight Affair, 8 Bundchen, Crimson Advocate, Got To Love A Grey, 10 Cynane, Matrika, 12 Out Of The Stars, Porta Fortuna, Relief Rally, 14 Majestic Beauty, 20 bar

Duke of Cambridge Stakes

Ameynah David Egan
Goldana TBC
Grande Dame TBC
Honey Girl TBC
Internationalangel Hollie Doyle
Jumbly TBC
Laurel Frankie Dettori
Lightship Daniel Muscutt
Potapova Richard Kingscote
Prosperous Voyage William Buick
Queen Aminatu Tom Marquand
Random Harvest Saffie Osborne
Rogue Millennium Daniel Tudhope
Roman Mist Oisin Murphy
White Moonlight TBC

William Hill: 9-4 Jumbly, 11-4 Laurel. 9-2 Prosperous Voyage, 12 Grande Dame, 14 Honey Girl, 16 Queen Aminatu, White Moonlight, 20 bar

Prince of Wales's Stakes

Adayar William Buick
Bay Bridge Richard Kingscote
Bolshoi Ballet TBC
Classic Causeway TBC
Dubai Honour TBC
Luxembourg Ryan Moore
Mostahdaf Jim Crowley
My Prospero Tom Marquand

Betfair: 2 Adayar, Luxembourg, 7-2 My Prospero, Bay Bridge, 16 Dubai Honour, 25 Mostahdaf, 66 Classic Causeway, Bolshoi Ballet

Queen's Vase

Arrest TBC
Batemans Bay James McDonald
Castle Way TBC
Chesspiece James Doyle
Circle Of Fire Richard Kingscote
Continuous TBC
Davideo TBC
Enta Rosso TBC
Gooloogong TBC
Gregory Frankie Dettori
Hadrianus TBC
Land Legend Daniel Muscutt
Market Value Tom Marquand
Ndaawi TBC
Nurburgring TBC
Peking Opera TBC
Saint George Oisin Murphy
Steven Seagull TBC
St Vincents Garden William Buick
Sumo Sam TBC
Think First Neil Callan
Tower Of London TBC

Read these next:

2023 Prince of Wales's Stakes: assessing the top contenders for the star-studded Group 1 on day two of Royal Ascot 

Frankie Dettori's book of day one Royal Ascot rides grows stronger after he is snapped up for leading Coventry fancy 

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