Royal Ascot: Five stars who lit up the meeting

Royal Ascot in the sunshine is the epitome of everything that is great about horse racing and the meeting certainly lived up to expectations this year – with a full house back in attendance to boot.

While the absence of the Queen might have taken the shine off the event for some, the action on the track featured plenty of racing royalty.

Here are five names who provided some of the leading highlights from a memorable week.

Australian sprinters have a great record at Royal Ascot going back to the days of Takeover Target and Choisir, but it had been 10 years since Black Caviar graced these shores to give them their last success.

That all changed when Chris Waller, of Winx fame, brought over the teak-tough chestnut who was already a multiple Group One winner back home. It was billed as a big clash with Wesley Ward’s Golden Pal but when the latter completely blew the start, Nature Strip was left with a gilt-edged opportunity and he was in a different league to the best Europe had to offer, winning by four and a half lengths.

Before Wednesday Joseph O’Brien’s globetrotter perhaps did not get the recognition he deserved. That all changed with an all-the-way success in the 10-furlong highlight under Shane Crosse. Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge was supposed to maintain his progression and, while the red-hot favourite was in the perfect position to challenge, he could never get on terms with State Of Rest. The winner may head back out to Australia to defend his Cox Plate crown.

This week was possibly a coming of age for Jane Chapple-Hyam as, while she was a celebrated Group One victory with Saffron Beach last season in the Sun Chariot Stakes, the trainer struck with a Royal Ascot double as Claymore also denied the Queen a winner in the Hampton Court Stakes and Intellogent went close in the Royal Hunt Cup.

Saffron Beach looked the best filly on paper before the Duke of Cambridge but she was carrying a 5lb penalty for her Sun Chariot win. It mattered little as she bolted up by three and a half lengths and she will take some beating against her own sex.

When Friday arrived Frankie Dettori and John Gosden looked ashen-faced. The trainer was yet to get on the honours board for the week and publicly questioned his jockey's ride on Stradivarius in the Gold Cup - and felt Dettori should have won on Saga in the Britannia.

There was plenty of pressure heading into the Coronation Stakes with Inspiral, last year’s champion juvenile filly who had to miss all the European Guineas having failed to come to hand in time. In one fell swoop she eased all those fears, powering clear to suggest she will win whatever she goes for this season.

If any horse falls into the ‘could be anything’ bracket from the meeting it has to be Karl Burke’s Holloway Boy. While it is not unique to win one of the Royal Ascot juvenile races on debut, it is very difficult and 1996 Windsor Castle winner Dazzle was the last horse to achieve the notable feat.

The Chesham was supposed to see Aidan O’Brien’s Alfred Munnings justify his position as early ante-post favourite for the Derby, but he was bitterly disappointing and instead this son of Ulysses was the subject of the post-race Classic quotes. The way he picked up close home was exciting and the world is his oyster at this stage.