'She's as fast a two-year-old as I've ever sent to Royal Ascot' - Queen Mary analysis and quotes

It is dangerous to get overly wrapped up in draw analysis for the straight-track races at Ascot as biases can change. Still, identifying any eyecatching trends will be a worthwhile pursuit for many.

Only one of the last ten Queen Mary winners was drawn in a stall lower than 12. That was 2020 winner Campanelle (stall one). That data should be balanced with the fact seven of the first 30 home in that period were berthed in the low numbers, although that’s a below-average return for a race averaging 21 runners this decade.

If there is a bias towards high-drawn runners, then Mighty Eriu (stall 24) looks a likely type for Gavin Cromwell. Before My Mate Mozzie contested Tuesday’s Copper Horse Handicap, the trainer was a perfect two from two at the royal meeting. Significantly, both of those strikes came in juvenile races and the first in the Queen Mary.

• Racing Post's race-by-race guide to the best bookmaker offers on day two of Royal Ascot  

The Cromwell-trained Quick Suzy dotted up from box 22 in 2021 and, like Mighty Eriu, proved her worth over 6f before dropping to Ascot’s stiff 5f. However, she lacks the same experience Quick Suzy had heading into the race.

Enchanting Empress (stall 25) is another major contender from the high numbers. She is relatively battle hardened in the context of a summer juvenile race after three starts, and is one of only three with course form. The others with that advantage are Miss Rascal (five) and Xanthe (11).

Can Wesley Ward pull another rabbit out of the hat with his first runner of the week? The Queen Mary has been kind to the pioneering US trainer (three successes since 2015) and we can expect rapid dirt winner Ultima Grace (stall 17) to help force the pace among those drawn centrally.

Ward’s Ascot blasters are often vulnerable in the final half-furlong, although this filly is bred to stay further. She is sired by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and out of a 7f-winning dam.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Ed Crisford, joint-trainer of Adrestia
She was bought from Doncaster breeze-ups for this purpose but we had to run her over six on her debut at Windsor recently as there were no five-furlong races. She didn't quite get home that day and we expect her to run a lot better and outrun her odds.

Michael Bell, trainer of Amestris
The two bits of racecourse evidence we have prove she's worthy of taking her chance. In my opinion she would be better than the two fillies we've had who have finished second in the race, so we have a degree of optimism. She's looked very good at home.

Eve Johnson Houghton, trainer of Betty Clover
She’s done everything right so far and I couldn’t be happier with her going into the race. I think racing on quicker ground than she has raced on so far will be an advantage, if anything.

Amy Drummond, racing manager to Amo Racing, owners of Enchanting Empress
She goes with a live chance, we're very excited to see her run and she's experience at the course. We hope she rises to the occasion.

George Boughey, trainer of Englemere
I'm delighted with her and her form is rock solid. She's as fast a two-year-old as I've ever sent to Royal Ascot, but whether she's as fast as the rest of them we'll see. She's done incredibly well physically since her Carlisle win and is really starting to muscle up.

Jessica Harrington, trainer of Flash The Cash
She's a nice filly with two good runs to her name so hopefully she can give a good account of herself.

Oisin Murphy, rider of Kassaya
She won very well at Nottingham and is really well bred as a half sister to Chaldean. She's the right profile for a race like this and I'd be hopeful she can run well.

Charlie Johnston, trainer of Kiss Me My Love and Where's Clare
Where's Clare had been showing up well at home, hence we introduced her in a forty-grand novice. She was in there against two fillies with experience and did everything bar win. She just got overhauled by Engelmere, who opposes, but you couldn't have asked much more on debut. She won with the minimum of fuss at Wolverhampton and she's a filly we've always liked. I'd expect she should go well. Kiss Me My Love showed plenty of speed over six at Carlisle, so coming back to a stiff five at Ascot shouldn't be any harm to her. She'll need to step up on what she's shown so far to be in the shake-up.

Richard Brown, racing manager to Wathnan Racing, owners of Leovanni
Karl's [Burke] very happy with her and she won impressively first time out. It's a very competitive race but we're looking forward to her run.

Diego Dias, trainer of Make Haste
We're very excited and she seems in great form. She travelled over on Monday and seemed to take it all in her stride. She's a filly we really like and she won nicely at Naas. Hopefully we'll be on the right side with the draw [stall 18].

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Mighty Eriu
It was a lovely first run. She's in the deep end now but came out of the Curragh very well. She has a nice draw and we're hopeful. She's dropping back to five furlongs and there should be plenty of pace on and hopefully she'll be doing her best work at the finish.

Olly Cole, joint-trainer of Miss Rascal
She's got a great turn of foot. She's still pretty unexposed in my eyes. She's a lovely horse, very professional. She's a pretty aggressive filly and she seems to love her racing.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Oxford Rock
We were very happy with her debut when runner-up at Tipperary and we think she's come forward since.

Roger Varian, trainer of Spherical
She's been working nicely at home since winning a little race on her debut at Yarmouth like a nice filly. She deserves to take her chance in the race and we'll learn a bit more about her tomorrow.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Truly Enchanting
She's a lovely filly who finished off her race really well to win nicely at Tipperary. She's done well since and we're happy with her.

Richard Hannon, trainer of Xanthe
She’s a very tough little filly with a lot of speed who couldn’t have done any more than win as she did on her debut, against the colts, over course and distance on Trials Day. How strong that race was I’m not too sure, but she and the second pulled well clear of the third, so you couldn’t knock the performance. This is obviously a big step up, but she’ll like the ground and has a decent each-way chance.
Reporting by Stuart Riley

Read our previews for day two of Royal Ascot:

3.05 Ascot: British runners face tall order to continue recent trend up against strong Ballydoyle quartet in Queen's Vase 

3.45 Ascot: Will the Duke of Cambridge switch to the round course help Laurel make a winning return for the Gosdens? 

4.25 Ascot: 'We've had the Prince of Wales's in mind for him all season' - Aidan O'Brien confident of big show from Auguste Rodin 

5.05 Ascot: 'He's been training for this race since last year and he's still unexposed' - key quotes for the Royal Hunt Cup 

5.40 Ascot: 'She's not going there as a social runner' - quotes and analysis for an all-new Kensington Palace Stakes 

6.15 Ascot: 'He has pace and we thought this was the right race for him' - which Aidan O'Brien runner is fancied in the Windsor Castle?  

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