LETOS PRAY IN OPENER

IF race statistics mean anything, you don’t need to get adventurous to find the winner of Ascot’s opener — the Queen Anne Stakes.

Only one scorer over the past decade has returned over 11-2 so, with Rhododendron and Benbatl looking opposable, our spotlight falls on French raider RECOLETOS.

Olivier Peslier’s (far right) mount was a convincing winner in Group 1 company last month and comes here with a similar profile to French-trained 2015 winner Solow.

CALYX created a huge impression when winning at Newmarket on his debut — beating a previous winner by six lengths.

John Gosden’s horses often improve for their debut runs, so this one could be something special. He can deal with the Coolmore-hyped colt Sergei Prokofiev in the Coventry Stakes.

Outsiders don’t save the bookies very often in the St James’s Palace Stakes, but lack of Group 1-winning form means the Gosden-trained favourite Without Parole can be opposed.

Kevin Condon is not a trainer you associate with genuine Group performers, but he’s got one this year with Irish 2,000 Guineas winner

ROMANISED.

He holds several of today’s rivals on that Curragh run and will again be ridden by Shane Foley (left).

TODAY’S TIPS Royal Ascot

2.30 Recoletos 3.05 Calyx 4.20 Romanised