Shooting star Centauri bids to give Harrington landmark success

2.30 Royal Ascot
Albany Stakes (Group 3) | 6f | 2yo fillies | ITV

In scientific terms Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to the solar system, 4.37 light years away from the sun. In equine terms, Alpha Centauri is an unbeaten filly trained by Jessica Harrington, and she is red-hot and ascending towards stardom.

Weighing in at 530 kilograms when she first arrived at Harrington's base in Moone – as much as some of the trainer's jumpers – Alpha Centauri has already proved herself a heavyweight to be reckoned with as she has beat Aidan O'Brien's Actress by a combined distance of seven and a half lengths in her two starts to date.

Harrington, who has never trained a Royal Ascot winner but saddled Brother Bear to finish a respectable fourth in the Coventry Stakes on Tuesday, said: "Alpha Centauri had a canter on Thursday morning and is in very good form.

"The ground isn't a major concern. It is what it is and we'll just have to see."

Of her other runner Whitefountainfairy, who was purchased by Leicester City Football Club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha for £300,000 on Monday, she said:

"Whitefountainfairy won her maiden nicely and is in good form. It's her first run for new owners and we're hoping she runs well."

Winston's wife out to shine

Aidan O'Brien, who won the Albany for the first time last year with Brave Anna, has two regally bred fillies to line up alongside Actress in Clemmie, a sister to Churchill, and Snowflakes, a sister to Winter.

Clemmie finished a promising third when taking time to warm to the task on debut at the Curragh last month - the second in that race finished a solid fourth in the Queen Mary on Wednesday.

Ward in dreamland

Wesley Ward has enjoyed a good Royal Ascot so far courtesy of wins with fillies Lady Aurelia and Con Te Partiro, and his two bullets to fire here could parachute him into dreamland.

Princess Peggy, who has come out none the worse for a collision with a cyclist on Wednesday morning, will join Ward's apparent first string Fairyland, who won from the front in emphatic fashion on debut at Keeneland.

What they say

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Actress, Clemmie and Snowflakes
Actress has been very consistent. She's in good form and deserves to take her chance. Clemmie ran very well at the Curragh when she started slowly and finished well for third. We like her and, hopefully, she'll show the benefit of that run. Snowflakes ran in the same Curragh race and didn't have the clearest of passages. We've been happy with her since.

Bruce Raymond, racing advisor to Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum, owner of Ertiyad
She's in good shape at home, we're very hopeful. She's going there with a very good chance. She's working well at home and we're happy with her progression.

Wesley Ward, trainer of Fairyland and Princess Peggy
Fairyland has a huge chance. We've scattered her work with a lot of different fillies in Kentucky, she's a big filly with a long stride like Bound For Nowhere - she's bigger than our other two-year-old fillies - and six furlongs should be ideal. Princess Peggy trained on Thursday morning and has been given the thumbs up to run after she got hit by a cyclist - the cyclist is fine but he might not have been if I was there! We will train her again on Friday morning. She wouldn't be as good as Fairyland but it's a horserace.

Roger Varian, trainer of Madeline
Madeline pulled clear with a filly who had previously shown useful form on her second start at Goodwood and she ran well here on debut. She wants quick ground, she seems to be drawn the right side and she continues to improve – she lines up with a live chance.

James Given, trainer of Mistress Of Venice
We're very much looking forward to it. The better ground will suit compared to at York last time, that form has worked out well with Neola finishing fifth in the Queen Mary and I think she'll improve for the step up to six furlongs. On the evidence of the meeting so far she looks well drawn too.

Richard Hannon, trainer of Natural
She was very professional at Doncaster on her first start. She's very talented and is there to run a big race. She has improved from her first run and I'd be very surprised if she wasn't right there at the end. We have always really liked her.

Mark Johnston, trainer of Starlight Mystery
Starlight Mystery may relish seven furlongs one day soon, but she's a progressive filly who is in great form and her second to Denaar at Newbury entitles her to have a go. I think she'll run well at a big price.

FrancisGraffard, trainer of Summer Shamal
I'm delighted with the condition of the filly. She has speed and will enjoy the fast ground.