Royal Ascot tips day 2: Sir Michael Stoute hoping to make headlines again with Bay Bridge

A bit like buses, two superstars have come around at the same time for Sir Michael Stoute, and Bay Bridge can continue his road to the top in Royal Ascot’s feature Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (3.40).

Stoute, who turns 77 this year, took out his license 50 years ago. Desert Crown’s Derby win recently had him back in the headlines and Bay Bridge was something of an echo from the past in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown, routing his rivals in the manner of a horse still progressing under Ryan Moore. Only four horses take him on, but it is a compelling renewal.

Japanese hope Shahryar never seems to run a bad race and prevailed in Meydan’s Dubai Sheema Classic last time. Joseph O’Brien’s State Of Rest, meanwhile, was narrowly denied at the Curragh in his bid to win a fourth successive Group One, all in different countries.

He has an edge on Lord North on that running. Completing the field is Grand Glory, trained by the French-based Italian Gianluca Bietolini. It is a race full of storylines.

The Queen Mary (2.30) sees a huge field go to post, but it is really hard to look beyond Dramatised. The daughter of Showcasing seemed a bit special on debut at Newmarket, showing some inexperience but an ability to travel and quicken that immediately suggested this race would be the logical next step for her.

It would not be the Queen Mary these days without Wesley Ward having a tearaway hope. The blinkered Love Reigns will likely attempt to go gate to wire, as she did at Keeneland, but this will tell us much more about her capabilities.

Aidan O’Brien, unusually, has no runner in either of those races, but he can strike in the Queen’s Vase (3.05) with Anchorage.

He would amount to a rarity in victory, having won his only race to date