Sky Lantern and Just The Judge, first and second in the 1,000 Guineas, meet once again in a mouthwatering renewal of the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot today.

Richard Hannon’s Sky Lantern was a Group One winner at two and although she was beaten on her return in the Nell Gwyn, she showed the benefit of that run when coming with a late run to nail the Charlie Hills-trained Just The Judge close home.

Just The Judge gained some compensation when winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas in fine style and Hills is quietly confident of reversing the Newmarket Classic form in Berkshire.

“We’re very pleased with her,” said Hills yesterday. “I’d like to think there’s more improvement to come. We’ve certainly looked after her, she’s lightly raced and is coming in her coat now.

“She’s improving mentally all the time. The way she is training suggests she is still improving.”

Sky Lantern's jockey, Richard Hughes, is wary of the race turning into a tactical affair as he believes his mount will stay trips in excess of a mile in the future.

'Physically stronger'
"She's a lovely filly. I don't know if she's any faster, but she's definitely physically stronger than she was going into the Guineas," Hughes said.

“They kicked nice and early at Newmarket and it suited me as she needs every yard of a mile. My worry is it’s going to get tactical. That would be my only worry.”

One of last year’s leading fillies was William Muir’s Purr Along, but she has not been sighted since disappointing in heavy ground in the Prix Marcel Boussac in France last October.

However, she was only narrowly beaten in the May Hill at Doncaster on her previous run and Muir has given her plenty of time to recover from an early-season setback. “The Guineas just came too early for her and this is coming quick enough, but we have done a lot of work with her and she’s come right now,” said Muir.

Eddie Lynam has already hit the target this week with Sole Power in the King’s Stand Stakes but he thinks his runner Viztoria could be even better, although she could do with some rain. “She relishes soft ground, This year I’ve only got to run her on good to soft but she won. She’s better than I’ve ever had her by some way, I’m very happy with her,” said Lynam.

“Her handicap rating suggests she’s good enough to be competitive, she’s in great order. Ascot has a great cover of grass and a climb up the hill home. She is potentially the best I’ve trained, but she needs to do it on the track.”

French raider Siyenica has only had two runs in her life but defied her inexperience when beaten only three lengths in a Group One on her most recent outing. “She is a nice filly and needs to have a strong pace which is why we are coming here for this race,” said trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre.

'Improving type'
"She is an improving type but she didn't like the way the Prix Saint-Alary was run. She was in front and she pulled too hard and could not run her race. She goes on any ground."

Owner Prince Khalid Abdullah has two chances with the Dermot Weld-trained Big Break and Michael Stoute’s Pavlosk, an easy winner at York and subsequently supplemented for this.

“It’s turning out to be too good a race, I fear,” said Abdullah’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe. “Pavlosk won really well at York, stepping up on only her second start and winning a Listed race. Ryan was impressed and she has pleased in her work since.

“We also have Big Break coming over. She was fourth first time out in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, not too far behind after not a great draw.

“She got a bit of bumping and boring. She wouldn’t have won but we were very pleased with that as a first effort.”

Mick Channon’s Ollie Olga beat Sky Lantern in the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood last year but disappointed on her final start at two and in the Guineas at Newmarket.

However, it may be worth taking a chance on Lynam's Viztoria to add to a great week so far for the Irish at the Royal meeting.