No negatives for Los Angeles in Prince Of Wales's
For many the Prince Of Wales's Stakes is the highlight of Royal Ascot and with Los Angeles a worthy favourite this year, the race looks well up to standard.
Aidan O'Brien's charge won the Irish Derby last season and went on to be a meritorious third to Bluestocking in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, when attempting to make all the running.
Already a Group 1 winner this season, when he had the reopposing Anmaat behind him in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, he looks to have a rock-solid chance.
"He's just as happy over 10 or 12 furlongs, that's what we've always thought with him. He's only run over 10 this year and he's been happy," said O'Brien.
"In the first half of the season this race was always the plan and he seems in good form since the last day, everything has gone well up to now.
"He's run on all types of ground, it all comes alike to him.
"He's very happy to have competition for the lead, there'll be pace on, everybody knows that. He needs a strong run mile and a quarter, we all know that, and he loves a battle."
Owen Burrows' Anmaat is now seven but last year's Champion Stakes winner proved at the Curragh he is still as good as ever. Connections would not want the ground to be too fast, however.
"We will be keeping an eye on the ground. We've declared with a view to running but if the lads came in and said it was riding very quick, we'd have to talk about it," said Angus Gold, of owners Shadwell.
"He is our star of the year and we have to do the right thing, we need him for the end of the year as well as now but he's second favourite for one of the biggest races at Royal Ascot, so we want to run while he's in good form. I very much hope we'll be there.
"I don't want to be seen to be making a fuss, I'm a great believer in fast-ground horses being able to have their ground, it's just he's had his issues and we don't want to do anything to jeopardise him — but we're hoping to run."
Reflecting on his previous issues, Gold said: "He's a testament to a lot of people and the horse himself. What he had two years ago would have finished a lot of horses, so the fact that not only was he able but also willing to come back from it is a huge credit to him. He's been a star for us."
John and Thady Gosden's Ombusdman lost his unbeaten record in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes to Almaqam but enhanced his reputation and goes up in class again.
"He got a little bit tired in the ground and the winner is a very smart horse who was getting 3lb from our horse and got the run of the race," said John Gosden of the Godolphin runner.
"Our horse had to come from off the pace, but Ryan (Moore) was very pleased with him. We had the question of whether we go to the Wolferton or the Prince of Wales's, but the owner was pretty keen on this race.
"You are basically looking at the Tattersalls Gold Cup form for a guide to the race and then there's a nice French horse, so we'll see how we get on."
The aforementioned French horse is Wathnan Racing's Map Of Stars, trained by Francis-Henri Graffard and only beaten a neck by the high-class Sosie last time out.
"He's a colt we've held in high regard the whole way along and both times he has been beaten it has probably been through no fault of his own," said Wathnan's Richard Brown.
"He will probably go on the ground and James (Doyle) said when he won the Prix d'Harcourt, it was pretty quick that day and he showed a good turn of foot so that's what we hope we'll see again.
"The Sosie form from the Ganay looks red hot and he has since come out and won the Prix d'Ispahan and is one of the favourites for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. It's high level form, but he will need to improve again to win a Prince of Wales's."
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