Is this Ballydoyle's next star? Aidan O'Brien on the exciting Alfred Munnings

Saturday: 2.30 Royal Ascot
Chesham Stakes (Listed) | 7f, 2yo | ITV/Sky

The Chesham is the longest race of the week for two-year-olds and has been dominated by Aidan O'Brien in recent years.

Successful with Point Lonsdale (2021), Battleground (2020), September (2017) and Churchill (2016) – all in years when he fielded just a single representative as is the case this time – the Ballydoyle maestro appears to hold standout claims of clinching the £100,000 7f contest once again with the exciting Alfred Munnings.

Future entries for the half-brother to Snowfall include the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh in August and next year's Derby, and it was clearly no surprise to connections when Alfred Munnings made an impressive winning debut at Leopardstown last month.

Sent off a well-backed 8-11 favourite, the son of Dubawi unleashed a smart turn of foot to seize command and then pulled clear in the manner of a potentially very high-class colt indeed.

He looked thoroughly professional – as well as immensely stylish – that day, and is likely to prove devilishly difficult to beat with the promise of significant improvement to come.

John and Thady Gosden, who sent out the runner-up Reach For The Moon last year, are represented by Alzahir, Faisal Road, and One World.

Alzahir, the mount of Frankie Dettori, lost out on the bob to Naval Power on his Yarmouth debut last month after a sustained battle through the final two furlongs.

The third, One Nation, who was two and a quarter lengths adrift, has since been beaten as an odds-on favourite in a Sandown maiden.

Faisal Road, who was partnered by his Royal Ascot rider Jack Mitchell when he made a winning debut over 6f at Yarmouth last month, is likely to show improvement for the step up in trip.

Crypto Force, comfortable winner of a maiden at the Curragh this month, looks another with each-way claims.

Race analysis by Richard Birch

Alfred Munnings could put on an exhibition for O'Brien

There are pedigrees aplenty stamped future stallion housed within the walls of Ballydoyle, but as a half-brother to triple Oaks winner Snowfall by the mighty Dubawi, Alfred Munnings has more expectation heaped on his shoulders than most.

His late and brilliant sister never really found her feet until the age of three, but Alfred Munnings showed no signs of tardiness when dispatching a well-bred field of newcomers at Leopardstown.

That was over the same seven furlongs, and although he is clearly not short of speed judged by future entries in the Railway and the Phoenix Stakes back at six, Alfred Munnings showed a relaxed way of going to match his turn of foot even at this early stage of his development.

"We've always liked him, from a very early stage," said Aidan O'Brien. "He came to hand quickly for us, quicker then we thought he would, so that's why we brought him to Leopardstown.

"We were delighted with him there and we think he's ready for this on his second start."

What they say

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Alzahir, Faisal Road and One World
Alzahir ran a promising first race at Yarmouth when just edged out of it and has a good action so should enjoy the ground. Faisal Road was a good winner on his debut at Yarmouth and has moved forward from that although this ground would be as quick as he wants. One World won nicely at Haydock on soft ground recently and should handle this quicker surface. He has a chance in an open race.

Richard Hannon, trainer of Dark Thirty
I've been very happy with his work since Newbury and that race he won has worked out well. He went away for a piece of work at Kempton, and he's a very nice horse and I'm hopeful he'll run a big race.

Karl Burke, trainer of Holloway Boy
It's a bit of a punt. He was going to run at Musselburgh last week but he had a slight niggle. He's a lovely horse who's working well and he's had a gallop at Ripon, where Danny Tudhope rode him and liked him a lot.

Pearling Path: represents trainer John O'DonoghueCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

John O'Donoghue, trainer of Pearling Path
We're happy with how he travelled over. He's nice and relaxed and he seems to have settled in fine. We're looking forward to running him on some tighter ground. We're hoping for a good run.

Charlie Fellowes, trainer of Shahbaz
He's the most wonderfully straightforward horse to train and I really like him. He wasn't that far behind the second favourite [Alhazir] at Yarmouth when they went slow and he was quite a long way back. The one thing is he will want some rain and if it doesn't arrive in time, he won't run. But he's going to be a lovely horse this year and if it's not this week there are still plenty of chances for him.

Oliver Cole, joint-trainer of Sunningdale
We really like this horse. He had a bit too much daylight at Windsor, but he's going to run a good race. His homework has been very pleasing and we're hopefully not here just to make up the numbers.

Alastair Donald, racing manager to King Power Racing, owner of The Foxes
He's a horse we hold in high regard and I think you'll see a massive improvement. We're hopeful of a good run, but we probably wouldn't want any thunderstorms to hit as he's a fast-ground horse. The step up in trip should suit and we think he's at the level of his half-brother Bangkok.

Day five at Royal Ascot:

3.05 Ascot: Is Noble Truth the one to beat? Jersey Stakes analysis and insight

3.40 Ascot: Will Hurricane Lane be fully tuned up on his return in Hardwicke?

4.20 Ascot: 'Same preparation and same form' - but will Home Affairs emulate Nature Strip?

5.00 Ascot: Trainer quotes and analysis to help you solve a Wokingham like no other

5.35 Ascot: 'He goes there with a good chance' - key quotes for the Golden Gates Stakes

6.10 Ascot: 'He looked like he wasn't stopping' - can O'Brien and Moore claim Ascot closer?

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