Duke looks set to give O'Brien a first

DUKE OF MARMALADE can achieve what even the mighty Dylan Thomas couldn't manage last year and secure Aidan O'Brien a first ever victory in Royal Ascot's second-day feature, the Prince Of Wales's Stakes.

In Dylan Thomas's defence he did happen to run into Manduro in this race 12 months ago in what turned into an epic climax.

The French superstar required a performance to win that ended up being officially rated the finest on turf in the world in 2007 but Duke Of Marmalade doesn't look to have any such task this afternoon.

Numerically a dozen are lying in wait for the Irish horse, including his stable companion Red Rock Canyon who will guarantee a good pace, but there certainly doesn't appear to be another Manduro lying in wait.

Instead the only one who looks in the same bracket as Duke Of Marmalade on ratings is last year's Champion Stakes winner Literato but he hasn't looked the same horse at all in two starts for Godolphin and may not be entirely at home on very quick ground conditions.

In contrast this race looks ideal for the Duke who emulated Dylan Thomas by landing the Prix Ganay early last month before going one better than his former stable companion in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.

Duke Of Marmalade has looked a different horse this year compared to 2007 when a series of top-flight placed efforts included a second in the St James's Palace here. The forecast rain should not impact too much on his favoured fast going until after today's highlight and he is on a Group One hat-trick while in the form of his life.

A total of nine other Irish-trained horses will line up today with Heart Shaped appearing to hold first rate claims of following on an impressive Marble Hill victory at the Curragh in the Queen Mary Stakes.

Beaten on her debut, the Storm Cat filly nevertheless was upped to Stakes level at the Curragh and edged out Silver Shoon in a fine finish that had ratings experts purring.

Tommy Stack throws both Nubar Lady and Sugar Free at the race Connie Mac represents Andrew Oliver and none of them will be out of their depth against the home team. However, Heart Shaped might just be a class apart.

Grecian Dancer looked a revelation when encountering very fast ground at the Curragh and trotted up in a Group Three on her last start. Charles O'Brien runs her in the Group Two Windsor Forest Stakes but she may find one or two too strong including Heaven Sent.

The combination of Frankie Dettori and an apparent handicap "good thing" in Bankable could have punters ploughing into the favourite in the 30 runner Royal Hunt Cup.

Festival history is littered with examples of other such good things biting the dust and a 25 draw cuts down Dettori's tactical options. However, there's little doubt that Luca Cumani's four-year-old has looked a class act in two starts this season and his theoretical chance is impossible to crab.

Kerrin McEvoy retains the mount on Calming Influence in the Jersey Stakes after winning on the Godolphin horse at Newmarket. Dettori is on his stable companion Il Warrd who looked exciting on the all-weather at Kempton before being transferred from Marcus Tregonning's yard on the eve of the French Guineas. In the circumstances his Longchamp effort may be worth forgiving.

Brian O'Connor's Royal Ascot tips

2.30 Il Warrd

3.05 Heaven Sent

3.45 Duke Of Marmalade

4.20 Bankable

4.55 Heart Shaped

5.30 Jazz Jam