Royal Ascot Day 2 lays: Lay Lady Bowthorpe in the Duke Of Cambridge

The years 1994 and 2000 have a special significance for Newmarket trainer William Jarvis. He hadn't had a winner at Royal Ascot prior to Grand Lodge in 1994, nor one since Papabile won in 2000.

Jarvis has been extremely patient and at last, has a filly with a realistic chance of giving him a third Royal Ascot success in 30 years - Lady Bowthorpe in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at 15:40.

Lady will not be suited by a fast-run race

Lady Bowthorpe gained the first of her two Group successes at the track last July. She romped home by four lengths in the Valiant Fillies' Stakes. Once she hit the front inside the two-furlong marker Farzeen, Look Around, Viva Gloria and Miss O Connor never saw her again - she was gone.

And that wasn't to prove a one-off as she won the Betfred Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket last time, edging out Queen Power and Lavender's Blue in a three-way photo. Indie Angel and Posted were fourth and fifth, a fair way back.

So why lay an in-form mare that is a Group winner over the trip at the track? The answer is their respective odds. Despite there being just half a length between them at Newmarket, Lady Bowthorpe is 15/8, Queen Power 9/2 and Lavender's Blue is 12s in the Betfair Sportsbook. The race was run at a muddling pace, and many that watched it felt that Kieran Shoemark had nicked the race off Lady Bowthorpe's better-fancied rivals. Given a true-run race, any of the three could win.

Not only do we have the runner-up and third in the Betfair Dahlia running for us but three others that turned in fast times on their latest start.

Parent's Prayer made all at Epsom in the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes. So impressive was she that none of those in her slipstream have turned up to try and reverse the form. She has a huge each-way chance at 14/1.

Bounce The Blues was unlucky in running in the Group 3 Chartwell Fillies' Stakes at Lingfield's Derby trial meeting. She needs to improve but is not that far off Lady Bowthorpe form-wise and gets 3lb from her.

With the Group 1 winner Champers Elysses also in the line-up there is a sporting chance we can get Lady Bowthorpe beaten.

Illustrating looks out of her depth

And so to my place lays, and the first race of the day, the Queen Mary Stakes at 14:30.

The lay is the game Catterick winner Illustrating, who - among others -is up against several from Ireland, two from the States and the best of the home team, Nymphadora

Using Instinction, the filly that was beaten a length by Illustrating at Catterick, as a yardstick you wouldn't expect Illustrating to finish ahead of Nymphadora who beat Instinction by a far wider margin at York.

Aidan O'Brien has yet to win the Queen Mary, but his turn will no doubt come - maybe with Yet, a workmanlike winner of a maiden at Dundalk. The Irish don't have a good record at all in the race, with just one victory in the last 10 runnings, but there has been plenty of interest in Quick Suzy since her trainer Gavin Cromwell confirmed this Group 2 was her mid-season target.

She won her Curragh maiden by five and a half lengths, then ran second in a Group 3 at Naas. Those races were over six furlongs, but she led a furlong out in both races. I would sooner back her than Illustrating.

You would possibly be up over the years place-laying the American runners in the race - for each one that runs well there are two that don't. Hopefully, at least one will make the first three and keep Illustrating out of the money.

Form of Doncaster win not that Stunning

Jumping to the last of the seven races, the Kensington Palace Stakes at 18:10, I will be laying Stunning Beauty for a place.

The Godolphin filly spent the winter out in Dubai but things didn't go well. She was tailed off in both her races.

The sparkle was back at Doncaster at the start of this month where she was prominent throughout and held the late challenges of Beat Le Bon, Scottish Summit, and Turn On The Charm. She was near the bottom of the handicap that day, so is in weaker race today, having to concede weight.

Given her good draw close to the inside rail, she may bid to make all again but she will be vulnerable if two or three take her on as she fares best in slow-run races.

Lights On is a worthy favourite. She has improved greatly over the winter winning at Nottingham and Ascot this spring. She goes on fast or soft and is hard to fault.

Dreamloper was a short head behind Lights On here last month and also won here at Ascot last September. The course experience shouldn't be underrated and she is another I would sooner back for a place than Stunning Beauty.

So I Told You is something of an enigma as she has been campaigned over 10 furlongs by Joseph O'Brien, and only at Sligo.

She ran in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes over 12 furlongs when with Richard Hughes here in the UK last June, so it will be interesting to see what she does returning to a mile. She has yet to finish out of the money in three starts at around eight furlongs, so looks more of a back each-way than a lay.

Frankie Dettori's mount Mostly was a costly flop at Nottingham last time, having won at Kempton on her previous start. Dettori said she lost her action and the Gosdens' representative added that she failed to deal with the undulations. As Mostly has only won on the all-weather, and not on turf, she doesn't appeal and would be another to consider laying for a place.