St George can slay his Gold Cup rivals

ORDER OF ST GEORGE suffered heartache in the final strides of last year’s Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, but he can regain his crown on day three of the feature meeting.

Aidan O’Brien’s six-year-old found Big Orange a short head too good in the two-and-a-halfmile showpiece and had to hand over the title he had claimed so impressively the previous year following a thrilling battle.

Order Of St George subsequently put that rival to the sword when winning on Champions Day, with the interim period filled by victories in the Irish St Leger Trial and Classic itself as well as a creditable fourth when dropped back to 12 furlongs in the Arc.

That said, Order Of St George was clearly not at his very best on that final day at Ascot but seemed suitably refreshed when hosing up in the Vintage Crop Stakes on his return, before following a familiar path in going on to win the Saval Beg.

He did not beat much on either occasion, but he won with any amount in hand and those two runs should have put him spot-on.

WILD ILLUSION has similarly clear-cut claims in the Ribblesdale Stakes after finding only Forever Together too good in the Oaks at Epsom.

She did not have sufficient pace to grab the favoured rail that day and merely kept on for second, but it was a fine run nevertheless.

Add to the equation her previous fourth in the 1000 Guineas and Wild Illusion would certainly be a worthy favourite.

VINTAGE BRUT can strike a blow for the north in the opening Norfolk Stakes.

Trained by Tim Easterby, this super-sharp Dick Turpin colt was a seven-length winner on his debut at Thirsk before following up in the National Stakes at Sandown last time. SELECTIONS: ROYAL ASCOT: 2.30 Vintage Brut, 3.05 Wadilsafa, 3.40 Wild Illusion, 4.20 ORDER OF ST GEORGE (NAP), 5.00 Corrosive, 5.35 First Eleven.

RIPON: 2.10 Dreamseller, 2.40 Pearl Noir, 3.20 Braemar, 3.55 Lamloom, 4.35 Graceful Art, 5.10 Racemaker, 5.40 Blue Havana.

DOUBLE: Order Of St George and Vintage Brut.