Royal Ascot once again beckons for The Queen's Blueprint after his sparkling success in the Sagitta Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket today.
Last year's winner of the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes is likely to return to the Royal meeting to contest the Hardwicke Stakes although there is the possibility of another race beforehand according to his trainer Sir Michael Stoute.
"That is the race we have in mind for him but we shall have to go back and have a think about a race before that," the trainer said.
Stoute reported all is well with Petrushka, the 5-4 favourite with Ladbrokes, Hills and Coral for Sunday's Sagitta 1000 Guineas.
"You will have to wait until Sunday to find out if I have mucked it up but so far all as gone according to plan," he said.
Blueprint had sweated up prior to the mile and a half event in which he beat 33-1 French outsider Casamasa by one and a half lengths, but Lord Carnarvon The Queen's racing manager, was unconcerned.
"He always is like that, it was the same when he was trained by William (Hastings Bass, Lord Huntingdon) and it has been the same since he came to Michael," he said.
The mystery of the race was the dramatic demise of 11-4 favourite Ramruma.
Henry Cecil's charge had looked comfortable in second place until the pressure was exerted by jockey Richard Quinn two out and quickly cried enough and finished a tailed off last.
The trainer could offer no explanation for the defeat of last year's Vodafone Oaks winner.
"She'd been working really well at home and I thought she'd be thereabouts - possibly in the first three - but she went out like a light," he said.
"We'll take her home and have her checked out but there's no explanation."
Local trainer Neil Graham hit out at the prize money on offer for the H & K Commissioners (Bookmakers) Stakes (Showcase Handicap) won by Rayyaan who became the first horse trained by Graham to win three times in a row.
After the 11-2 shot got up to deny 9-2 favourite Strahan by a short head, Graham said: "I think it is derisory that a race like this at the Guineas meeting should have only £10,000 in added money.
"The William Hill Handicap at York later this month has £30,000 added and there is a race at Goodwood later in May with £50,000 added," he exclaimed.
Of the winner he added: "It is hard enough to win three races in a row with any horse let alone a competitive handicap like this.
"This horse has really improved and strengthened up since last season and he is very tough."
Despite being sent off a 33-1 outsider Star Turn was well fancied by connections to land the Drakeford Cup (Handicap).
Their confidence was justified as the Night Shift gelding came with a real rattle to take the lead from Pinchincha and stay on to record a half length verdict over that rival.
"I thought we came here with a major, major chance and half of Wales, which is where his owner comes from, was on," said winning trainer Mark Flower.
"He has had endless problems with his knees and I treat him like glass at home.
"But everything was right for him today, the trip, the track and the ground and I was sure he would go really well," the trainer added.
Flower told jockey Francis Norton to come as late as he dared on the six-year-old and the jockey followed the instructions to the letter.
"I told him to be switched off at the back of midfield and just come gently, gently as the horse pricks his ears when he hits the front."
