Ross Millar's Royal Ascot two-year-old tips: Gold Digger can strike

It looks increasingly likely that Aidan O’Brien has, even by his lofty standards, an above-average crop of juveniles this season. Gstaad was mightily impressive winning the Coventry Stakes on Tuesday, after which O’Brien seemed more interested in talking up the absent Albert Einstein. He said: “Gstaad is a good horse in his own right, but Albert Einstein has always been something else. He’s something that we didn’t have before.” 

An early quote for the future stud card, possibly, but it does point to the regard in which the son of Wootton Bassett is held at Ballydoyle. 

In the Norfolk Stakes, O’Brien is represented by Charles Darwin who has already earned a Timeform figure of 109, and that should be good enough to score here. 

My initial feeling after his latest win at Navan (at an sp of 1/14) was that I’d try to oppose him here, siting his temporary loss of balance, and that the stiff Navan track played to his strengths. 

However, Gstaad served a timely reminder as to just how much progression and speed the Ballydoyle master can find in his juveniles, while Ryan Moore once again showed his incredible talent of delivering the best ride in the race. These factors, coupled with the clear talent this brother of Blackbeard has, means I’m fully in his camp. 

I expect Ryan Moore to make plenty of use of him over this trip before he strides clear in the closing stages. 

At larger odds, I’ll be having a saver on the Richard Hannon-trained First Legion. He made a winning debut over six furlongs at York in May where, having looked green early, he quickened up smartly to open his account.

I opposed him last time in the Star Sports National Stakes at Sandown where I didn’t think the drop to five furlongs would suit. 

He was duly beaten, but I think I had luck on my side as I believe it was the mid-race move, made by Shane Foley, when vacating his position on the rail, rather than the trip that meant the son of Mehmas could only manage a fast-finishing second. 

I have no doubt that connections are running here in the belief this is less competitive than the Coventry (in which they ran Ballistic Missile) and I’m sure that, in time, we’ll see First Legion over six furlongs. However, the Sandown run will have sharpened him further, and he’ll certainly be finishing well. 

At a double-figure price, he looks a great each-way play. 

Selections: Charles Darwin and First Legion.

First-season sire Starman has enjoyed an excellent start to his new career as a stallion, and I fancy he could land a maiden Royal Ascot win courtesy of Gold Digger. 

Bought at the Craven Breeze-Up Sale for 260,000gns, she shed her maiden tag on debut when scoring at Yarmouth in May. 

Racing over this trip of six furlongs, she was fairly slow away from the stalls, although in his post-race interview, Jamie Spencer suggested that was more by design than accident as he wanted to teach her the correct way to race. 

She travelled into contention stylishly before powering through the final half-furlong, and the form of that win has been nicely boosted, with both the third (America), the fourth (Nandita) and the seventh (Luminare) all winning on their next starts. 

Spencer retains the ride, so expect her to be finishing fast inside the closing furlong. She must have a strong chance. 

This looks the weakest of the juvenile contests this week, with declarations not yet made, at the time of writing. 

Treanmor for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby is the short-priced favourite, and it’s not hard to see why. He made a winning debut over six furlongs at Newmarket in May and looked the consummate professional in the process, travelling strongly before drawing clear a long way from home. As a son of Frankel, he looks sure to improve for this extra furlong, and should prove hard to beat. 

Aidan O’Brien has a few entries, although Signora is declared for Friday's Albany Stakes. Of the remaining Ballydoyle pair - Moments Of Joy and Minerva - it’s the latter who is actually further down the betting that interests me more. 

She has just over four lengths to find with her stablemate from their clash at Leopardstown where she looked exceptionally green for the entirety of the contest. She was Ryan Moore’s pick there, though, so it’s entirely possible that she is going to improve plenty now. 

Venetian Lace, representing Charlie Johnston, is another worthy of a mention. She’s got a stout pedigree, so did well to win over six furlongs on her debut at Chelmsford, and while the form probably doesn’t amount to much, the runner-up did win over five furlongs on her next start. 

In receipt of the fillies' allowance, she makes some appeal at a double-figure price. 

Selection: No bet.