Royal Ascot Day 2

The two-year-old races are always difficult to assess but I couldn't get away from WILD BLOSSOM after what she did on debut. Winning by ten lengths is one thing, doing it with the authority she showed is another. It looked a performance packed with class and she strikes me as a filly who could easily be Group 1 calibre later in the season.

The market is understandably taking no chances with Victorious but at the prices I'd much rather roll the dice with Wild Blossom. If she handles the occasion, she could easily make it two from two.

Joseph O'Brien has an outstanding record with staying three-year-olds and LIMESTONE looks the one they all have to beat here. He has done very little wrong so far and shaped like a colt crying out for this sort of test when winning impressively at Navan. The step up in trip looks ideal and there is every chance we haven't seen the best of him yet.

This race often goes to a horse capable of taking a sizeable leap forward and Limestone fits the bill perfectly. He looks to have the class, stamina and profile required to add another Royal Ascot winner to Joseph O'Brien's collection.

I've been waiting for BLUE BOLT to get to this sort of level. She has always looked talented and her comeback win at Goodwood suggested everything is finally coming together. She's still relatively unexposed compared to some of these and I think Ascot will suit her style perfectly.

There are dangers everywhere in this race but she's the one I wanted to be with from the moment entries came out. I'm expecting another big step forward.

This is where my strongest opinion lies. OMBUDSMAN won this race despite things not going his way twelve months ago and I thought his Sandown comeback screamed prep run. He got the job done without ever looking fully wound up and the expectation is he'll strip considerably fitter now.

If he runs to his best, I think the rest are playing for places. He sets a very high standard and looks the most solid bet on the card.

I've spent longer on this race than any other and keep coming back to LINWOOD. The Hunt Cup is never easy to solve but I love the profile of this horse. He's improving with racing, arrives in form and Jamie Spencer is exactly the sort of jockey you want on your side in a race like this.

There are dozens with chances, as always, but if things fall right I can see him being produced late to make a serious challenge.

ALOBAYYAH is exactly the sort of improving filly I love backing in these big-field handicaps. Her run over course and distance last time caught the eye and it looked very much like a stepping stone to something like this.

She should come on plenty for that effort and if she settles better through the early stages, I can see her finishing stronger than most. At the prices she looks worth chancing each-way.

Aidan O'Brien doesn't often send one to this race that I want to back at a short price, but SERGEI DIAGHILEV could be a bit special. He overcame greenness to win on debut and the form has already received multiple boosts since.

Naturally this is a much tougher assignment but he looks the type to thrive in a race like this and I'm expecting a bold showing from the Ballydoyle youngster.