We want to project passion and joy of a special meeting, but we must hit right tone

This is going to be a unique year. We at ITV are so excited, and are raring to meet some unusual challenges.

I will be at Ascot in my traditional position in the paddock and will be joined by a suitably socially distanced Francesca Cumani and Jason Weaver, with other colleagues working in specific zones around the racecourse. No stone has been left unturned to produce the safest possible working environment.

We want to focus on what we can do and not what we cannot, and we want to make this as much like the Royal Ascot we know and love as we possibly can.

For me it is about getting the tone right. Of course we are thrilled to have top-class sport back, and of course there is the patriotism, the passion and the joy of a special race meeting like this. But we are acutely aware that there are a lot of people in the country who are suffering and do not want a bloke on the telly jumping up and down telling them that everything is wonderful and brilliant. I want to get that mood right.

We feel lucky to be allowed back at the first reasonable opportunity.

Racing has had a clear run at the sporting audience for a couple of weekends, with the exception of the snooker, hopefully setting a good precedent and getting more than

1.4 million viewers for the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket shows you that people are eager for the unscripted, unpredictable rush only live sporting action can bring.

At ITV, we want to make racing accessible for all and have something for everyone this week, with an emphasis on the Queen today, dressing up at home and a day focused on our NHS heroes. Look out for some famous faces in our end-of-show “virtual” bandstand singalong.

But for lots of us, it is about picking winners, and here are my selections:

Today

Day one is a blockbuster. The “Hail Mary” for the week runs in the first race, the Buckingham Palace Handicap (1.15). Hey Jonesy is down to an eye-catching handicap mark and, if anything near his best, must go close.

The ITV coverage starts with the Group One Queen Anne (1.50). Owner Steve Parkin’s Clipper Logistics firm has been busy delivering personal protective equipment during lockdown and he assures me Space Traveller has been flying at home.

With the rearranged fixture list and the Oaks and Derby delayed until July 4, look out for major clues for them in the Ribblesdale and King Edward VII. I would love to see the “Batt-mobile”, Battaash, blitz the field in the King’s Stand (3.35), but I would rather back Liberty Beach each way.

Lord Grimthorpe joined the Zoom generation last week on ITV and told us Jubiloso had been working really well ahead of the Duke of Cambridge (4.10).

Tomorrow

I backed Juan Elcano each way at 100/1 in the 2,000 Guineas only to see him miss out on a place by a neck. However, our love affair remains intact and the colt, named after the Spanish explorer, can win the Hampton Court (1.50).

Japan looks a good thing in the feature race of the day, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (3.00), while Bright Melody has a great chance in the King George V (2.25).

Thursday

Stradivarius looks to have a third Gold Cup at his mercy and I hope Frankie Dettori does a flying dismount for the crowd (at home). King Leonidas is the bet of the day in the Jersey (2.25). Enemy is a horse to have on your side in the Britannia (4.10) and I fancy Soffika in the Sandringham (4.40).

Friday

On the evidence since resumption, Aidan O’brien could have a stranglehold on the two-year-old races this week and I will be following Admiral Nelson and More Beautiful wherever they go. However, he might not win the Norfolk (2.25). I rang champion jockey Oisin Murphy yesterday to wish him luck and he is keen on The Lir Jet, who could just be an aeroplane.

In the Commonwealth Cup (3.35), Jason Weaver watched the American raider Kimari work in Newmarket last week and immediately rang me to exclaim: “She’s a monster.” Later on the card, I noted a glint in the eye of Highclere maestro Harry Herbert when we spoke about Durston in the Duke of Edinburgh (4.40).

Saturday

We could have the best couple of hours of the entire season with the Queen Mary, Coronation, Coventry, St James’s Palace and Diamond Jubilee as our first five races. A Group race bonanza.

Royal Ascot is always extraordinary, but we are all craving a return to normality at the moment. I really hope people enjoy having five days of quality live sport to lift their spirits.