Royal Ascot takes centre stage this week, and hopes are high that Irish-trained runners will again make a major impact at the five-day spectacular.

As ever, Aidan O’Brien will feature prominently with a host of terrific chances. The focal point of the Ballydoyle challenge is likely to be Churchill in the St James’s Palace Stakes where he will bid to confirm English 2000 Guineas superiority over the likes of Barney Roy and Al Wukair.

In the Coronation Stakes Winter must surely take all the beating as she looks to continue her Group 1 winning spree and Caravaggio is worthy favourite for the Commonwealth Cup. Meanwhile, Order Of St George must have every chance of recording back to back wins in the Ascot Gold Cup. Elsewhere Declarationofpeace, Murillo and Clemmie are all two-year-olds that have the capacity to make their presence felt.

Jessica Harrington has a powerful hand to choose from and her Alpha Centauri will be a popular choice in Friday’s Albany Stakes. This massive filly has won both her starts to date and looks a potential star.

Willie Mullins is no stranger to success on this stage and any of his runners warrant the utmost respect. One of his standouts looks to be Whiteout in Tuesday’s Ascot Stakes. This former Grade 1-winning hurdler absolutely bolted up in a Curragh handicap on Guineas weekend.

Others that could make an impression are Ken Condon’s Romaised who is also bound for the Coventry. He was a striking winner of a Navan maiden in April. Ger Lyons could also field several lively candidates with his Lightening Fast, of particular interest in Thursday’s Britannia Handicap.

Domestic action

On the domestic front, Leopardstown on Thursday was the scene of a stylish debut from the Aidan O’Brien-trained two-year-old September. This daughter of the top Japanese sire Deep Impact and racemare Peeping Fawn has it all on pedigree and she couldn’t have been much more impressive. Significantly she was her trainer’s first debut two-year-old winner of the season as she won by five and a half lengths.

This Leopardstown race is traditionally quite a smart affair and, while it is early days, September does look a likely candidate for the likes of the Debutante Stakes and the Moyglare later in the season.

A two day fixture at the Curragh last weekend took place on unusually testing ground, but several of those in action were able to shine despite the conditions. One of those was Jim Bolger’s Verbal Dexterity who ran out a nine and a half length winner of a two-year-old colt’s maiden. It was significant to hear his trainer speaking in terms of going down the Tyros, Futurity and National Stakes path. This is the route that he has taken with the likes of Teofilo and New Approach and is a sign of the regard in which this colt is held.

On the same card the three-year-old sprint handicap saw a quality display from Fozzy Stack’s Son Of Rest. He was lumbered with top weight and ultimately had to concede two stone to the runner-up, Patuano, but he still won this €50,000 contest with plenty to spare. On soft ground he looks a group class sprinter in the making.