Update winners River Tiber (15/8) & Paddington (9/4)

Followers of the AOTF Royal Ascot Update got off to a good start with 2 winners and a second on the opening afternoon. Paddington (advised @ 9/4) followed up his win in the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh by proving much too strong for his opponents in the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes scoring by nearly four lengths. The Siyouni colt began his three year old campaign with a win in the Madrid Handicap at Naas in late March off a mark of 97 and hasn't looked back since. Despite being drawn wide, Ryan Moore made his move on the hometurn and the result never looked in doubt once he ranged upsides the English Guineas winner Chaldean. The Sussex Stakes at Goodwood (2nd August) could be next. 

River Tiber (advised @ 15/8) supplied the Ballydoyle team with their tenth win in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes. A 480,000gns yearling, the son of Wootton Bassett had won both his starts beforehand and relished the step up to six furlongs here. Sat in behind the Irish trained Givemthebeatboys, Ryan Moore had to get serious late on to fend off the late challenge of the Archie Watson trained Army Ethos. A neck winner, he will be even better over seven furlongs and a mile. Expect him to go the Phoenix Stakes, National Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes route during the second half of the season. Emperor's Son's lack of experience shone through and Richard Fahey's colt ended up in no man's land in the middle of the track. 

Kevin Ryan trained his ninth Royal winner courtesy of Triple Time (33/1) in the opening Queen Anne Stakes. The Frankel colt received a positive mention in the Update and the four year old just got the better of Inspiral by a neck with the pair clear. Ridden by Neil Callan, who was partnering his third winner at the meeting for his former boss - Uhoomagoo and Lightning Cloud won the Buckingham Palace Stakes for the pair in 2006 and 2013 respectively - he found more when challenged by the John and Thady Gosden trained runner-up. A stronger early gallop would have suited Frankie Dettori's mount who, like the winner, was making her seasonal return. Had she settled better during the first couple of furlongs, I suspect she would have prevailed. Compensation awaits later this year. 

Finally, Rich Ricci pointed readers in the right direction in the closing event reporting there was a lot of confidence behind the chances of Vauban (Evens) in the Copper Horse Handicap. Racing off a mark of 101, the former Triumph Hurdle winner made a mockery of that rating making virtually all the running before powering away in the homestraight to win by seven and a half lengths. The Melbourne Cup in November could be his main target later this year. 

I am heading north of the border on Wednesday for a seven race card at Hamilton Park for Racing TV and will therefore update the Diary later in the week.