New sire talent on the hunt for a trophy while a beloved figure is remembered: the key bloodstock themes at Royal Ascot this week

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It has felt as if the race to be leading first-season sire has not been the most captivating of affairs so far. Then again, rather like putting yourself through Qatar v Switzerland instead of waiting for Brazil and Morocco in the World Cup, it does take a while for the proper action to begin.

An immediate Royal Ascot winner is not a guarantee in cementing a stallion's career, if we think of the likes of Tasleet disappearing not long after Bradsell won the 2022 Coventry Stakes, but it is the best possible way for a youngster to make an impression.

Persian Force leads the British and Irish standings with seven winners and more than £150,000 in the bank. His first Royal Ascot runner, Treasurer, is a maiden heading into the Coventry Stakes. 

The rank outsider will surely not be sharp enough to win, but he shaped with undoubted promise when fourth at Nottingham and there will be worse 100-1-plus shots around this week. The Tally-Ho sire has a few other runners in a similar bracket, with the Jack Channon-trained Topaz another interesting maiden who could go in the Albany Stakes.

Minzaal will have the odd outsider, beginning with Kamaal in the Coventry, while Bayside Boy has been the name on the lips of many in the bloodstock bubble after sending out his first six winners at an outstanding strike-rate of 46 per cent.

The Ballylinch Stud sire has to wait until Wednesday's Windsor Castle before a pair of his runners appear and one, Sale Shark, looks a leading contender. Ballylinch-bred, the colt was a well-supported favourite for Hugo Palmer at Hamilton last month and won with authority.

Jack Christopher: prospects for a first Royal Ascot winnerCredit: Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos

Exceptional two-year-old Blackbeard, who was fourth to Bradsell in the Coventry, has got Cilician in the Group 2 race. The maiden will be attempting to repeat the longshot heroics of Rashabar for Brian Meehan and Sam Sangster a couple of years back, so should not be ignored.

The international nature of Flat racing does mean some less familiar names are included in tables. Jack Christopher, a crack dirt performer over seven furlongs and a mile for Chad Brown and easily recognisable with his big white face, has the makings of being a good stallion.

Joseph O'Brien is behind his only runner in Europe, One Number, who is declared for the Windsor Castle. A $140,000 find from the OBS March breeze-up sale, he was a huge eyecatcher on his debut at the Curragh and merits consideration.

Open overall affair

It was all change after Epsom in the general sire standings as Thundering On's majestic victory in the Oaks swept Frankel back to the top, with Camelot following him through courtesy of Christmas Day's triumph in the Derby.

Predictably, Frankel has plenty of runners this week, but he looks thin on bankers in valuable races, with Yorkshire Cup winner Rahiebb looking his most likely in the Gold Cup. Camelot, too, has bits and pieces without seeming likely to be the meeting's leading sire.

Current champion Night Of Thunder is likely to return to the top with a front-loaded challenge from Bow Echo in the St James's Palace Stakes and then Ombudsman defending the Prince of Wales's Stakes against Daryz, who is helping Sea The Stars to have a decent season.

George Boughey’s Bow Echo is one of Night Of Thunder’s leading lightsCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Night Of Thunder has reached such a point whereby he has contenders across the board, from More Thunder in the Queen Anne to good two-year-olds, handicappers and Group chances. It feels as if a lot is going to have to go wrong to stop us talking about him by this time next week.

The same could be said for the late Wootton Bassett, whose sheer versatility is breathtaking. He will go from the progressive Talk Of New York in the St James's Palace to providing one of the big favourites for the Queen Mary, Victorious, a nap hand in the Commonwealth Cup and even several runners up at two and a half miles in the Gold Cup.

High emotion with The Harv

There was great shock across the racing landscape at the sudden death of John Fleming in late April. The prominent accountant and publisher had a close involvement with trainer Michael O'Callaghan and had been returning from the sales in Doncaster when hit by a bus at Dublin Airport.

The late John Fleming (centre with Colin Keane and Michael O’Callaghan) is remembered by Coventry runner The Harv Credit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

The Harv, O'Callaghan's runner in the Coventry Stakes, borrows Fleming's nickname and was sourced by the pair that fateful week, for £260,000 on behalf of the Ten Sovereigns colt's owner, Eleanora Kennedy.

He was a winner on his debut at Goodwood and makes a quick return for a man with a sound reputation for both training and trading, much of the praise for which he defers to his old friend.

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