Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore primed for bite back

Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore are braced for a big day at Royal Ascot on Friday after Frankie Dettori’s show-stopping exploits on day three of the meeting.

The Italian rode the first four winners on Thursday and leads the race to be top jockey at Royal Ascot with six winners but old rival Moore (three wins) could bite back on the penultimate afternoon.

Moore has won the top rider award for the last five years and O’Brien has won the top trainer award for the last four years, punters will be hoping they can take command on Friday as Hermosa, Ten Sovereigns and Japan go for the marquee races.

Hermosa has bagged the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas already and is touted to confirm her status as the leading miler of her generation by adding the Coronation Stakes on Friday.

Japan was beaten less than a length in the Derby at Epsom this month and bids for some compensation via the King Edward VII Stakes. Sandwiched in between will be Ten Sovereigns, beaten favourite in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and now bidding to prove his master-trainer’s theory that sprinting is his game in the Commonwealth Cup.

It could turn into quite an afternoon for Moore, O’Brien and the Ballydoyle team. The trainer felt Ten Sovereigns simply didn’t get home on the Rowley Mile last month.

“He travelled so well in the Guineas, he ran a great race but this was the trip he was very comfortable at last year so you’d imagine he’ll be happy,” O’Brien said.

“He was still in front on his side in the Guineas until late on having been up there all the way so we were actually delighted with him in the Guineas.”

Ten Sovereigns is favourite at 2.25 to win the Commonwealth Cup, while Japan is 2.20 for King Edward VII Stakes glory and the filly Hermosa is 2.00 to snare the Coronation Stakes.