Tuesday’s opening card featured three Group 1 stakes with the highly anticipated St. James Palace Stakes for 3-year-old colts taking center stage. The well fancied Henrythenavigator, already a dual classic winner, proved a prompt favorite when he stormed down the long stretch to score a resounding victory for the Ballydoyle Stud of Ireland. Ridden by Johnny Murtagh for his world-famous conditioner Aidan O’Brien, Henrythenavigator set a new course record for Ascot’s Round Mile, a course that was newly renovated in 2005. Considered Europe’s premier miler, Henrythenavigator has charted his course to the Gr. 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile.

With the Queen and royal family in attendance on Wednesday, Ballydoyle struck again with another Breeders’ Cup potential starter. The 4-year-old Duke of Marmalade went to the post in the Group 1 Prince of Wales Stakes as the heavy favorite and didn’t disappoint when he trounced his opposition by four widening lengths. The strapping bay had previously accounted for the Gr. 1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp and Ireland’s Gr. 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, proving he can take his winning act on the road. His potential Breeders’ Cup options are the Mile or the Turf, contested at 1 ½ miles.

The 5-year-old French owned mare Sabana Perdida took the Group 2 Windsor Forest Stakes and her trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre indicated a future start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf was a distinct possibility.

An American-bred broke through on Thursday with a front running victory in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes for juveniles. South Central, the overwhelming favorite of the large Ascot crowd remained undefeated after three starts, just holding on in the five furlong test to score by a head.

Thursday’s card was highlighted by the historic third consecutive victory by Yeats in the Group 1 Gold Cup. The Ballydoyle representative joined the mighty Sagaro as the only three-time winner of the prestigious race. Aidan O’Brien kept the winner’s options open, not ruling out a possible start in the Gr. 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf, a race Yeats appears well-suited for. A start in the ‘Turf would give North Americans a unique opportunity to see one of the world’s greatest racehorses in action.

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