Fran Berry column ahead of day one at Royal Ascot 2019
Magic Wand can make her class count at Royal Ascot on Tuesday, according to former jockey Fran Berry. Don't miss his thoughts on every race.
I've some fantastic memories of Royal Ascot over the years and enjoyed four winners at the meeting in my career, including three in the Ascot Stakes - one of Tuesday's six exciting races.
Leg Spinner was my first Royal Ascot winner when it was run at York in 2015 and I went on to win it again back-to-back in 2013 and 2014.
It'll be slightly strange going there tomorrow as a spectator essentially as these are the days you work for all year but it's also nice in many ways to spend Royal Ascot with family and friends and hopefully everyone enjoys a fantastic week.
I'll be previewing all the races right here on these pages and with a bit of luck can unearth one or two winners along the way as it's a long old week otherwise!
A Must' bet
There's not a huge amount between the principals in the Queen Anne Stakes but I don't think there was much fluke about Mustashry's victory in the Lockinge Stakes.
Sir Michael Stoute is an absolute master when it comes to producing his older horses in top shape and at six he looks to have improved again this year.
There should be a good pace on and I'd have thought Frankie Dettori will look to have Hazapour nice and prominent as he stays 10 furlongs well.
Romanised might come into it at a price if the rain stays away, while Laurens looks reliable and should also run her race.
State of mind
You can't rule out Le Brivido in the opener by any means but I think Aidan O'Brien has more obvious chances elsewhere, including with Arizona in the Coventry Stakes.
I was really taken by him at the Curragh and he looked to have improved enormously on his debut effort when beaten into second. There's further improvement in him I'm sure and he looks the most exciting colt in the line-up, with all due respect to Richard Hannon's Threat.
'Lateral thinking
Tactics will be interesting in the King's Stand Stakes, especially with Blue Point drawn one and Battaash drawn 12 of 12, but Jim Crowley might just get some help from Houtzen (stall 11) who likes to get on with it and there's unlikely to be much between them.
Sergei Prokofiev is interesting in this spot and he, Soldier's Call and Fairyland could all have run in the Commonwealth Cup so the market will be interesting with the O'Brien runners.
But for a spot of value I'm happy to side with Equilateral each-way. He's always been a well-regarded sprinter and looked a shade unlucky when beaten a neck by Mabs Cross at Newmarket.
Mabs Cross was giving him 4lb there and is 7lb better off on this occasion but Charlie Hills' horse is priced accordingly and I just think the way he travelled that day suggests the King's Stand will really play to his strengths.
Spain too hot
The St James's Palace Stakes is always a brilliant race and this looks another good clash between Phoenix Of Spain and Too Darn Hot, something which could be a theme of the summer going forward.
John Gosden is on record stating he may have got Too Darn Hot's schedule wrong in the spring and I'd expect to see him right at his peak for this race, but Phoenix Of Spain was very, very good at the Curragh and I don't think there's anything really to suggest the form will be reversed at Ascot.
Skardu didn't get the best of runs in the 2000 Guineas and he wasn't seen to best effect at the Curragh either. Things didn't go well for him from an early stage and in the circumstances he probably ran well. I'd give him a squeak but he might not quite be good enough to win a race of this nature.
Circus Maximus drops back in trip in blinkers but I'd give more of a chance to King Of Comedy and Fox Champion, the latter having won his last four and now on a steep upward curve. This is acid test but he's an interesting one for King Power Racing, Richard Hannon and Silvestre De Sousa.
Falcon could swoop
Jumps trainers are well represented again in the Ascot Stakes and plenty of these horses had been acquired from the Flat, improved over the sticks and now go back on the level from potentially favourable handicap marks.
Batts Rock jumps off the page with Frankie Dettori riding for Gordon Elliott who also has Mengli Khan in the race for Gigginstown.
Buildmeupbuttercup doesn't look ideally drawn under Ryan Moore but has to be respected, nevertheless, representing Willie Mullins.
However, there's not much value in his price and, given how compressed the weights are with just 10lb covering the whole lot, I'd be inclined to side with Snow Falcon each-way.
He's a 157-rated chaser so has to be of serious interest here off a Flat mark of 99 and this sort of test might just suit him ideally. He's been a bit unlucky in his chasing career so far but looked better than ever in winning two big races in the autumn and was running against Kemboy in Grade One company when last seen in May.
And my final trick...
I'd just about make Magic Wand my Nap of the day on Tuesday in the Wolferton.
There's a caveat here in that she wouldn't want much rain but as long as the thunderstorms stay away then I think she should be different class to this opposition.
A wide draw is no bad thing over 10 and 12 furlongs around Ascot and if you think back to last year and how impressive she was in the Ribblesdale then you'd be hard pressed not to fancy her here getting weight off the boys.
Addeybb is the horse I'd fear most but he might need deeper ground and unless they get loads of rain then I just don't think that's going to be the case.