Dancing heads Ribblesdale field

A field of 15, headed by Shadow Dancing, is set to go to post for the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot tomorrow.

Marcus Tregoning`s filly finished a fine third in the Vodafone Oaks on her latest start and turns out quickly for this Group Two contest.

She will be joined in the Stg£135,000 event by Aidan O`Brien`s Starbourne, Eoghan O`Neill`s Red Rioja, and the Barry Hills-trained Alexander Three D. That trio were fourth, fifth and seventh respectively in the Epsom Classic.

Hills will also be represented by Italian Oaks runner-up Bright And Clear, while another trainer to be double-handed is Ed Dunlop.

He saddles Fraulein, an unlucky third to Bustan in a Listed event at Newmarket last time, and Mubkera, third in the attheraces Sky Channel 418 Oaks Trial on her last start.

And not to be left out, Sir Michael Stoute also has two runners - Barzah, who was just in front of Mubkera at Lingfield, and Sunray Superstar, a fast-finishing third to Shadow Dancing in the Cheshire Oaks.

John Oxx sprung a 14-1 surprise in this race last year and relies this time around on Zafaraniya, who showed improved form to finish third in a Curragh Listed event in May, but this is her first try at a trip in excess of a mile.

She is likely to improve again for tomorrow`s mile and a half - a comment which could also apply to Henry Cecil`s unbeaten Succinct.

The daughter of Hector Protector was a determined winner of the Listed Ballymacoll Stud Stakes at Newbury last week on only her second career start, having been unraced as a juvenile.