Just three Irish-trained horses take part on the opening day of Royal Ascot 1999, with Orpen representing Aidan O'Brien in the featured Group One St James's Palace Stakes.
Orpen's third to Saffron Walden in the Irish 2,000 Guineas redeemed his reputation somewhat after a flop in the Newmarket equivalent and puts him in here with a realistic chance. In a race as trappy as today's, that is recommendation enough for those wanting to back him.
Trappy is almost too simple a description of a contest where formlines criss-cross with stamina doubts and assorted imponderables.
For instance, the French 2,000 Guineas winner Sendawar has done little wrong and is rated a decent classic winner by the handicapper. Yet his trainer Alain de Royer Dupre has never had a winner in Britain.
Then there is Godolphin's Aljabr who travelled to Dubai last autumn, travelled to Kentucky in April, went lame and travelled back to Britain in May. That's a lot of air miles and yet he still has to race in 1999.
If you put your faith in the English Guineas form, then Mujahid comes out ahead, but he then flopped behind Sendawar and is not guaranteed to last the stiff Ascot mile.
The ground is not a problem for Orpen, but the distance might be, so a speculative choice is Gold Academy, fifth at Newmarket, and a winner on good to firm going since. It will be disappointing, though, if the second Irish runner doesn't win. From a bountiful pick, Fasliyev is the chosen Ballydoyle horse for the Coventry Stakes, and with the form they are in, that is a tip in itself. Fasliyev has been impressive in both his starts, will improve for his Marble Hill success at the Curragh and there is substantial stable confidence behind him. On fast ground, his 17 draw should not be an issue.
Maybe Mick Channon's filly, Areydha, could be a threat, but fingers will have been burned if Fasliyev isn't Ireland's 11th Coventry winner since the war. Henry Cecil runs both Shiva and Chester House in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes, and preference is for the latter.
Fa-Eq, runner-up to Desert Prince in last year's Irish 2,000 Guineas, made a fine reappearance at Kempton last month and is taken to beat Docksider in the Queen Anne Stakes.
Dermot Weld, with 11 winners, is the most successful current Irish trainer at Royal Ascot and he relies on Musical Mayhem in the Ascot Stakes. This horse will do well, though, to score in this marathon, where Eminence Grise is suggested as a possible winner.
