Johnston: Ryan Moore is on board - Baghdad's got everything in his favour

5.35 Royal AscotDuke Of Edinburgh Stakes | 1m4f | 3yo+ | ITV/Sky

Plenty of punters clearly see Baghdad as a capital investment to score a second Royal Ascot victory in this £90,000 handicap, for which he has been near enough favourite since entries were made last weekend.

He certainly fits the bill as his trainer Mark Johnston has won this race three times, on each occasion with a four-year-old carrying between 9st and 9st 8lb – he's four and has 9st 8lb.

But more eyecatching is his form. He won the King George V Stakes here last year and looks to have returned better than ever this season after a ten-month break, staying on gamely to defy a career-high mark at Newmarket on 1,000 Guineas day.

This race was immediately nominated as a likely target and Johnston's son Charlie said: "I'm a bit biased but I think he should be favourite.

"Sadly he broke his leg here last year and it was a long road to recovery but the owner's been very patient. This has been the target for a long time and he won comfortably at Newmarket.

"It's the course and distance of last year and Ryan Moore is on board – he's got everything in his favour."

Prince's time may finally be coming

Fujaira Prince is just the sort of progressive handicapper who could be poised to make up for lost time by landing a big race or two this season.

He has clearly not been easy to train and had run just three times by the end of his four-year-year old campaign.

But Roger Varian looks to have had a clearer run with him in 2019 and the gelding won comfortably at Doncaster before going down by just a neck in a valuable event at York, where today's rivals Corgi and Collide finished third and fourth.

"His last run at York was a good effort and we like his chances," the trainer said.

"He's got an acceptable draw in 11 and will need some luck in running, but he's in great form and we're looking forward to running him."

Secret bid to roll back the years

Secret Advisor was a battling winner the last time he turned up at a big summer festival, getting up close home to deny fellow Godolphin hope Bin Battuta in a £100,000 handicap at York.

"He's getting better" was the post-race reaction from the team, who called him 'a horse for next year'.

Trouble is, next year never came. That was the Melrose Handicap at the Ebor meeting in August 2017 and he has not run since, though he has been acting as lead horse to Derby winner Masar.

This will be Secret Advisor's first race for 664 days and trainer Charlie Appleby said: "He's had his issues but he seems to have overcome them and is in good order at the moment.

"He's been the lead horse for Masar and he's fit and well. If he brings that three-year-old form to the table he's going to be very competitive. He had a nice upward profile when he won the Melrose."

Appleby is also hopeful for Lucius Tiberius and said: "The step up to a mile and a half will suit him, over a mile and a quarter he's been doing his best work in the last hundred yards and crying out for this trip.

"If he can find a bit of improvement for stepping up he doesn't look out of place."

You can't run the race without him nowadays

Scots-born trainer Alan King has clearly been inspired by Robert The Bruce's battlecry: "If at first you don't succeed try, try and try again."

Top Tug is having his fourth crack at this race, having run well each time and finished seventh in 2016, fourth in 2017 and fifth last year.

He runs off a lower mark today than for either of his last two attempts and was not at all disgraced in fifth place behind subsequent Prince Of Wales's Stakes winner Crystal Ocean in Group 3 company at Newbury last month.

"He's a grand old horse," King said of the eight-year-old. "He's a pleasure to have around and I hope he can run another good race for the team.

"I hope the ground dries up, but it probably will. He's in good nick and I was pleased with his warm-up run at Newbury but it will be tough from his draw."

What they say

Ian Williams, trainer of Byron Flyer
He should go well, I was very impressed with his run at Epsom. It's always tough carrying top weight in big handicaps but he should run his usual good race and the visor should help him.

John Gosden, trainer of Ben Vrackie
He worked well on the Limekilns last week and I couldn't be happier with him. If it turns into a slog, he won't be stopping.

Andrew Balding, trainer of Pivoine
He ran well on his first attempt at the trip to finish fourth behind Crystal Ocean but I'm a bit worried about the ground with him.

Charlie Johnston, son of and assistant to Mark Johnston, trainer of Aquarium
He's a great servant and dad's convinced he'll prove better at a mile and a half in time. He's a consistent horse who deserves his place in the line-up.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Arthurian Fame and Downdraft
Arthurian Fame will handle some juice in the ground and we think the track and the trip will really suit him. He's got a good draw too so, fingers crossed, he'll go well. I'm not sure about the ground for Downdraft but he's been in good form since the Curragh and has a good draw.

Hugo Palmer, trainer of Collide
The ground should be ideal, we've always thought he would improve for a bit of dig in the ground. I've been very happy with him since his run at York. He ran very well there and he was the last off the bridle, but James Doyle felt the ground was just a bit lively for him. I hope he will step forward.

Hughie Morrison, trainer of Corgi & Temple Church
This has been the plan for Corgi since last September, he had a wind operation and he ran very well at York. He missed a couple of days last week with a minor setback, it was nothing serious but the timing wasn't great. I was delighted Temple Church got in, he may need the run but he's in good form and deserves to take his chance – on his day he's a proper horse.

Clive Cox, trainer of Kasperenko
He won his last start for Brendan Powell and I'm happy with him, but he'd appreciate the ground drying.

Spotlight verdict

This looks a very strong renewal but Corgi and Baghdad, last year's one-two from the King George V Handicap over C&D, are taken to come to the fore again. They finished the other way round 12 months ago, narrowly, but Corgi might just have the more improvement in him this time round after the one, promising run this season at York where he split Fujaira Prince and Collide who are also highly respected. Hat-trick seeking pair Arthurian Fame and Johnny Drama (very lightly raced) may prove best in an eyecatching batch of Irish challengers. Spark Plug is an interesting outsider, particularly if the ground has dried right out, and a case can also be made for Kasperenko.

Ladbrokes are paying a huge 5 places (1-5 odds) instead of 4 places. Standard place terms apply if 19 or few horse runs. Click here to view the card