Royal Ascot 2018: Chelsea Cloisters heads a field of 22 for the Queen Mary Stakes
Unbeaten American filly will bid to give Wesley Ward his fourth victory in the Group 2 sprint
WESLEY Ward knows what it takes to saddle a Royal Ascot winner, and his Chelsea Cloisters is all the rage for the Queen Mary Stakes.
The American has been talking up the unbeaten two-year-old in recent days and she will face 21 rivals in the opening race on Wednesday.
The once-raced filly won by by eight lengths on debut at Keeneland in April and her price has plummeted over the past week, meaning she is now the general 2-1 favourite.
Last season, Ward had a hotpot turned over in this race by Clive Cox's Heartache, and the Lambourn-based trainer again saddles the chief threat with Shades Of Blue.
The unbeaten filly has seen the form of her debut Ascot win well-advertised by the runner-up Queen Of Bermuda, who could run in the Norfolk Stakes on Thursday.
Aidan O'Brien is yet to win the Queen Mary, and this year he will rely on Gossamer Wings and So Perfect to break his duck.
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French trainer Matthieu Palussiere enjoyed Royal Ascot glory last year with Different League, so his Forever In Dreams deserves respect.
Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha will be represented by Come On Leicester, while champion jockey Silvestre De Sousa will ride Daphinia.
Richard Fahey runs two fillies, Kodyanna and Red Balloons, as does Archie Watson with Luchador and Shumookhi.
The field is completed by Country Rose, Deia Glory, Global Goddess, Haats Off, Kurious, Little Kim, Second Generation, Servalan, Signora Cabello, Snazzy and Yolo Again.
