Eighteen Irish-trained runners on day one at Royal Ascot Order Of Australia will be the first into battle of eighteen Irish-trained runners on the opening afternoon of Royal Ascot. Aidan O'Brien's five-year-old, who won the 2020 Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland, would be a surprise winner of the Queen Anne Stakes (2.30) with star miler Baaeed fully expected to maintain his unbeaten record in the first Group 1 of the week. O'Brien's juveniles have been impressive on home soil so far this season and he has two good chances in the Coventry Stakes (3.05) with Blackbeard, unbeaten in three starts, and Curragh maiden winner Age Of Kings who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori. Navan winner Harry Time represents Michael O'Callaghan and Ti Sento, a 100/1 winner at Listowel just over a week ago and since acquired by Qatar Racing, takes his chance for Ado McGuinness. Sixth in the Commonwealth Cup on heavy ground at this meeting a year ago, Mooneista will enjoy the sounder surface this time around and Jack Davison's stable star is one of two Irish runners in the King's Stand Stakes (3.40). Cashel trainer Michael Browne won't be found wanting in the style stakes at the Berkshire venue whatever about the fate of his outsider Logo Hunter in that five-furlong speed test. The three Irish contenders for the St. James's Palace Stakes (4.20) are all fancy prices with 2,000 Guineas winner Coroebus an odds-on favourite. Second and fourth in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh, New Energy and Wexford Native may well attract each-way support while Aikhal, fourth to Coroebus at Newmarket in the autumn, makes his seasonal reappearance for Ballydoyle. The first three in the market for the Ascot Stakes over 2m4f at 5.00 are the three from Ireland and Bring On The Night bids to enhance Willie Mullins' fine record in the race. Mullins has landed this prize four times in the last ten years and on three of those occasions has teamed up with Bring On the Night's rider Ryan Moore. Arcadian Prize, who won a big pot at York last summer, goes for Dungarvan trainer John Queally and smart juvenile hurdler Pied Piper represents Gordon Elliott. Recent Leopardstown Listed winner Cadillac is the sole Irish runner in the Wolferton Stakes at 5.35 and Jessica Harrington will be hoping that the blinkers tried last time out work as well a second time on the well-drawn Lope de Vega four-year-old. Chester Cup winner Cleveland is favourite for the concluding Copper Horse Handicap over 1m6f. He's off a 5lb higher mark which seems fair but is coming back in trip by half a mile. Okita Soushi, who runs for Joseph O'Brien, was raised 7lb after chasing home stablemate Raise You in a Listed contest at the Curragh last month. This will be only his fourth start and he's interesting on handicap debut. Having said that, Aidan O'Brien's market leader has only run five times himself having missed all of his three-year-old season. Fozzy Stack's Pita Pinta and the Gordon Elliott-trained Platinumcard are other Irish contenders in the finale at 6.10.
