AIDAN'S TOP PAIR TARGET COVENTRY CROWN

lan Heitman highlights the leading challengers for top Royal Ascot prizes

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Royal Ascot is fast approaching and although several two-year-olds have produced performances good enough to win one of the six 2yo races held during the five-day meeting, there is still time for others to book their places.

Three of John Gosden's five winners since 2010 made their debut's 14 days or closer to their Royal Ascot race as too did two of Aiden O'Brien's in the same period.

Three of the six two-year-old races are Group 2s, the Coventry Stakes over 6f on day one, the Queen Mary Stakes, a race restricted to fillies, over 5f on day two and the Norfolk Stakes also over 5f on day three.

The Group 3 Albany Stakes over 6f on day four is another race restricted to fillies. Two Listed races complete the six, the Windsor Castle Stakes over 5f on day two and the Chesham Stakes over 7f on the final day the longest of the six races. try Stakes 10 times, seven of which were favourite with the other three going off at 16/1 and 20/1 twice, and he looks to have another strong hand in the race with the ante-post favourite, Camille Pissarro, and third favourite, Whistlejacket. Camille Pissarro made a winning debut at Navan on April 27 when he was sent off the 10/11 favourite. Well placed close to the pace, he made progress with a couple of furlongs to go and took the lead inside the last furlong, going on to win by a length and a half from a couple of horses who have let the form down since. Camille Pissarro was bought as a yearling for 1,250,000gns at the Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale and is a half-brother to Golden Horde who finished fifth in the Coventry for Clive Cox before winning a Group 2 at Goodwood and the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at the following year's Royal meeting..