Race of the week: we've asked five top judges what will happen when Field Of Gold, Ruling Court and Henri Matisse clash in St James's Palace Stakes

The St James's Palace Stakes is not just the highlight on day one of Royal Ascot - for many, the clash between the winners of the three major European 2,000 Guineas is the race of the entire week.

Field Of Gold is the hot favourite to reverse his Newmarket form with Ruling Court, with Henri Matisse waiting in the wings as a live danger. So how do some leading racing professionals and pundits think the St James's Palace will pan out?

The big question: how will the St James's Palace Stakes pan out?

Oli Bell, ITV presenter

It's a brilliant race and I think the rematch between Field Of Gold and Ruling Court is fascinating. They're both well fancied but my preference is for Field Of Gold.

I thought he was electric in Ireland last time out and you can make a case for him winning at Newmarket if things went his way. I think he's the best horse in the race and it'd be the perfect start on the big stage for Colin Keane and Juddmonte. He's got a great opportunity to bag a Group 1 at another major festival.

I know Aidan O'Brien has Henri Matisse, but for me it's between those two as they're extremely talented and it's hard to split them.

Paul Hanagan, two-time champion jockey

I can’t see past Field Of Gold as he was so good at the Curragh. I rode plenty for his trainer, John Gosden, and there’s no one better at getting a horse to a race like this, and keeping the horse calm and settled pre-race too. That’s going to be important for these colts as I’ve ridden plenty of horses at that meeting who’d run their races before the start.

If Field Of Gold doesn’t win, I’d like to see Henri Matisse do so as he’s by Wootton Bassett, who gave me my first Group 1 winner.

Darryll Holland, winner of St James's Palace on Zafeen (2003)

Field Of Gold is the only winner, for me. He should have won at Newmarket, without a doubt. He was excellent in the Irish Guineas when he settled fantastically for Colin Keane, so I can't see beyond him.

The fact he'll settle and has that turn of foot is what marks him out as being different. When I rode Falbrav he was like that, and these top milers need to have the speed that would see them run well in a July Cup. I think, if it came to it, Field Of Gold would have that. He's all class.

Richard Hughes, three-time champion jockey and winner of the St James's Palace on Canford Cliffs (2010)

Field Of Gold should win and I think he's the banker of the meeting. I think he's a certainty because he's the best horse and I like the track for him, too.

Kevin Manning, winner of the St James's Palace on Dawn Approach (2013) and Poetic Flare (2021)

I find it hard to get away from Field Of Gold. I think he's going to have the perfect set-up in the race as he's got a lovely draw in stall five, and there'll be plenty of pace on.

Ruling Court showed a good turn of foot at Newmarket, so I suspect it'll come down to the pair of them in the final furlong. All that said, I just think Field Of Gold is going to have everything in his favour.

Ground and draw a positive for Field Of Gold

Field Of Gold is favourite to avenge his Newmaket defeat by Ruling Court and Thady Gosden believes the son of Kingman has plenty in his favour at Ascot.

He put that 2,000 Guineas disappointment behind him when streaking away under Colin Keane at the Curragh, while this has been a late change of plan for Charlie Appleby's Ruling Court after he was taken out of the Derby equation on the day of the Classic at Epsom.

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Thady Gosden, who trains with dad John, said: "He's been in good order at home since his win in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the likely fast ground will play to his strengths.

"It's a small but elite field and he goes there in good shape. His draw in stall five is a positive as it will give Colin Keane options rather than being drawn close to the rail, which can make things tricky."

Henri Matisse leads O'Brien pursuit of perfect ten

No trainer has won the St James’s Palace Stakes more than Aidan O’Brien, who will secure the contest for a tenth time this year if Henri Matisse can upset Field Of Gold and Ruling Court.

With respect to Officer and First Wave, O’Brien’s two other runners, it's Henri Matisse who carries the strongest credentials into the race, having landed the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at Longchamp last month.

Henri Matisse will break from stall one, the same gate Rosallion won the race from last year and from which the O’Brien-trained Circus Maximus triumphed in 2019, and the trainer views the gate as advantageous to his Classic winner’s running style.

“Stall one should be fine for Henri Matisse,” O’Brien said. “Ryan [Moore] likes to take his time on him anyway. It was always the plan to come here with him after the French Guineas and everything has gone well with him since. We're very happy with him.

“We think Officer is a lot better than he showed in the Irish Guineas [when seventh]. That was a very messy race for him as Field Of Gold leaned in on Donnacha's horse [Comanche Brave] and he, in turn, leaned in on Ryan and he got no chance to stride out properly.

“We think he'll leave that run behind him.”

Meehan has 'maximum confidence' in Rashabar as he takes on Classic trio

Dismiss Rashabar at your peril – that's the message from trainer Brian Meehan as pre-race focus for the St James’s Palace Stakes focuses on the 2,000 Guineas winners from Britain, Ireland and France.

A surface-level view of Rashabar’s runs this year might say he can't compete against Ruling Court, Field Of Gold and Henri Matisse, but Meehan urges a deeper inspection.

Not only has Rashabar endured a stop-start spring, Meehan insists his performances from last year can be compared favourably with the big three. Not only that, he's last year’s Coventry Stakes winner.

Rashabar ridden by Billy Loughnane wins the Coventry Stakes

Rashabar won the Coventry Stakes at odds of 80-1 last yearCredit: Patrick McCann

“We had an interrupted spring with him and even going into the Irish Guineas he was still a little bit short and in need of the run,” Meehan said. “He’s been super since then and did a particularly nice piece of work last week, I have to say.

“If you look at all the big European three-year-old races for colts this year over a mile and pick a formline, which is the old-fashioned way people approached these things, then you’ll see him coming up time and again; he has form with all of these horses from last year’s Coventry, the Prix Morny and the Lagardere.

“He wasn’t 110 per cent for the Irish Guineas, but I’m going into this race with maximum confidence in him that he’ll do his best, as he always does, and that he’s as well as I can have him. He’s a class horse.”

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