Three of the best: Juddmonte stars who have lit up Royal Ascot

The late Khalid Abdullah first tasted success at Royal Ascot in 1979, when Abeer landed the Queen Mary Stakes under Willie Carson for trainer Jeremy Tree. Since then the famous emerald, pink and white silks have been carried back to the number one spot at the meeting by some of the most important horses to represent Juddmonte.

Banks Hill, Coronation Stakes, 2001

While New Bay and Byword might be contenders for the most talented Juddmonte-owned horses trained by Andre Fabre, neither can match Banks Hill in terms of her achievements on the track. A daughter of one of Khalid Abdullah's most influential broodmares in Hasili, Banks Hill arrived at Ascot having been touched off by Rose Gypsy in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches [French 1,000 Guineas]. 

Banks Hill and Olivier Peslier win the 2001 Coronation Stakes

Olivier Peslier found plenty of trouble in running at Ascot before unleashing Banks Hill at the furlong marker, with the race settled in a matter of strides. She went on to land the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Belmont that October and the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville the following summer, before making an invaluable contribution in the breeding shed. 

Frankel, Queen Anne Stakes, 2012

If there was a signature performance among Frankel's 14 career successes then this has every right to claim its place at the top of the tree. Pacemaker Bullet Train set a searching test with the reigning World's Best Racehorse following, and Excelebration and Helmet flanking him. 

Ian Mongan shifted barely half a lane to his left aboard Bullet Train just as Tom Queally eased Frankel the same margin to his right and, like some pink and green version of the Red Arrows, the champion surged to the front under minimal urging. Eleven lengths was the margin at the line, the very first race of the meeting setting an impossible standard for everything else that followed. 

Kingman, St James's Palace Stakes, 2014

Only the very best thoroughbreds have the ability to accelerate twice at the climax of a race and there was almost a brutality to the way Kingman took off under James Doyle in the St James's Palace.

Kingman and James Doyle fly to Royal Ascot successCredit: Edward Whitaker

The stakes could not have been higher for Juddmonte and the Gosden team after a combination of a trained-to-the-minute Night Of Thunder and an unfavourable draw saw Kingman defeated in the 2,000 Guineas. 

After an odds-on success over inferior rivals in Ireland, Kingman took on his Newmarket conqueror once again at Ascot. One surge took him level with Night Of Thunder at the furlong pole, the second a breathtaking flight of fancy that afforded Doyle the luxury of a long look back as they crossed the line.

Read these next:

What was your biggest Royal Ascot pointer at Haydock or Beverley? Our Racing Post experts have their say  

'We're watering every other day' - Ascot clerk pleased with racing surface before royal meeting 

Subscribe today and get set for a sizzling summer of Flat racing with 50% off your first three months 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.