Goldophin Worth Following in Queen Anne Stakes

The Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes is, as always, the opening race of the five-day 2010 Royal Ascot meeting and it is guaranteed to get the star-studded fixture off to a flying start, writes Elliot Slater.

Upgraded to Group 1 status in 2003 and limited to horses aged four years and upwards, the one-mile contest is invariably won by a high-class performer from one of the biggest yards.

In the 1980s Henry Cecil won four successive renewals and Luca Cumani won the race three times between 1987 and 1994, while Sir Michael Stoute landed three on the trot from 2000 starting with the mighty Kalanisi. However, it is the remarkable record of Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation that stands out a mile when considering recent trends in the contest.

Saeed bin Suroor, the man who trains the Godolphin horses, first won the race in 1996 with Charnwood Forest, the first of four successive victories that ended when the yard's second string Cape Cross provided American Gary Stevens with a big Royal Ascot winner, while the stable's first jockey Frankie Dettori was on the unplaced Fa-Eq who started the race as favourite in the Royal Ascot betting odds.

Dubai Destination (2003), Refuse To Bend (2004) and Ramonti (2007) have been the most recent Godolphin successes in the race. All were ridden by Dettori who, since 1990, has racked up an impressive six wins in the Queen Anne Stakes.

Not to be outdone, Aidan O'Brien has added his name to the score sheet twice in recent years with Ad Valorem (2006) and Australian import Haradasun (2008).

The fierce rivalry between Godolphin and O'Brien's Ballydoyle horses is nearly always highlighted in this opening race of the fixture and sets the tone for the whole meeting.

On balance though, the Queen Anne Stakes is one race in which the Boys from Dubai have a superior record to the Irish maestro.