Could we see a future Royal Ascot winner on Friday's Ascot card? Robbie Wilders profiles three runners with big potential

Royal Ascot Trials day is always a decent guide to Ascot's flagship festival and Robbie Wilders has identified three Friday runners to keep onside for the royal meeting. 

Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes (3.10)

Big-race winners in last decade: Blue Point (2017), Calyx (2019), Rohaan (2021)

Star potential: Crown Relic

Top-class sprinters Blue Point and Calyx feature among the recent Commonwealth Cup Trial roll of honour and this is a packed running.

Wise Approach won the Middle Park after finishing third in the Prix Morny, while Brussels hit the crossbar in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and Coppull struck in the Richmond Stakes at two.

These top-class juvenile speedsters lack a run, though, and perhaps Crown Relic can put his fitness to good use for Karl Burke.

Crown Relic has plenty to find on the figures, but was second favourite for the Prix Djebel on his return and simply failed to get home when racing too freely over 7f, fading into sixth. The son of Kingman is a general 66-1 for the Commonwealth Cup. 

All-weather form translates well to Ascot and Crown Relic is two from two on synthetic surfaces, impressing on both occasions. He is less exposed than the big three and could be a factor if taking to a first-time tongue-tie. 

Crown Relic15:10 Ascot

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Jky: Shane Foley Tnr: K R Burke

Memberships At Ascot Paradise Stakes (3.45)

Big-race winners in last decade: Century Dream (2018), Chindit (2023), Quddwah (2024)  

Star potential: La Botte

Harry Eustace likes using the Paradise Stakes as a stepping stone to Royal Ascot and saddled the reappearing Docklands to finish second in the last two runnings. 

Docklands went on to bag second and first in two Queen Annes the following month and expectations likely remain high for La Botte.

Unlike Docklands, La Botte is hard-fit going into the Paradise and has looked every inch a Group performer on two of his past three starts in handicaps.

While La Botte was unable to justify lofty market expectations in the Lincoln, he returns to the scene of his desperately unlucky second in the Britannia and is back on his preferred fast surface.

It is premature to dismiss La Botte following his sub-par Doncaster effort after a messy start. Eustace's decision to enter him for the Queen Anne (plenty of his Paradise rivals lack that engagement), rather than take advantage of his handicap mark, is interesting.

Nobody rides Ascot's straight track better than Jamie Spencer, although his mount will need a decent pace to chase. Granted that set-up, La Botte could make Queen Anne odds of 100-1 look daft. 

La Botte15:45 Ascot

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Jky: Jamie Spencer Tnr: Harry Eustace

Ascot Racecourse Supports Debra Manny Mercer Apprentice Handicap (5.30)

Big-race winners in last decade: My Cloud (2025)

Star potential: Tilted Kilt

This apprentice handicap was the race My Cloud used as a stepping stone to Royal Hunt Cup glory a year ago. 

My Cloud was chucked in off a mark of 80 that day and only just squeezed into the Hunt Cup following a 15lb rise to 95.

None of these would be guaranteed a Hunt Cup run off their marks at this stage, but perhaps the 87-rated Tilted Kilt can earn himself a shot at the big one by shooting up the handicap over the next few weeks for the in-form William Knight.

Four-year-olds have landed eight of the past ten Hunt Cups and Tilted Kilt, whose three-year-old form hardly set the world alight, looked a different beast on his comeback at Southwell.

He showed an impressive turn of foot to take control of that slowly run mile handicap, having been poorly positioned on the dash for home, and it was a 2lb personal best on Racing Post Ratings.

The handicapper was unable to go overboard given the relatively narrow margin of victory and a 4lb rise underestimates Tilted Kilt. This hold-up performer should be fitter with that behind him and can produce another potent late rattle under Taylor Fisher. 

Tilted Kilt17:30 Ascot

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Jky: Taylor Fisher Tnr: William Knight

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