Royal Ascot Tips: Kate Tracey can't wait to see the world's best racehorse in action

A most fitting curtain raiser

We don't have to wait long for the first grandstand moment of Royal Ascot 2022, just until the stalls open for the very first race.

One of the most anticipated contests of the entire week is the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes where the world's best racehorse on official rankings, is set to line-up. Yes, the number one horse in the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary Global rankings is the William Haggas trained, Baaeed.

This outstanding four-year-old colt is unbeaten from his seven career starts and the scary part is that he looks to be getting better and better as well. He signed off last season by winning over this course and distance in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. He held the hugely talented and now retired, Palace Pier in what felt a real handing over of the baton.

Baaeed looks impossible to oppose in the first race at Royal Ascot but it will be interesting if the same connections elect to run Aldaary. If Aldaary was a true, live contender you'd have thought that Shadwell and William Haggas would swerve taking on Baaeed anyway.

The only other danger to Baaeed's flawless record may be the reopposing Real World who finished second behind the son of Sea The Stars last time out in the Group 1 Lockinge.

Real World is a hugely talented horse in his own right but much as Excelebration was Frankel's understudy, that same fate may befall Real World.

Whatever happens, Baaeed already looks a horse of a lifetime and if he goes in in the first race, well that will set some precedent for the rest of the week to have to meet.

A truly International Royal Ascot

One of the key feelings around this year's Royal Ascot meeting is the true international flavour. Of course, Wesley Ward has his usual team of speedsters to take into battle with many names we've become accustomed to over the years.

There's the likes of Golden Pal returning, the horse the trainer himself dubbed as the best he's ever trained. Then there's Ruthin who is bidding to make amends for her defeat in the Windsor Castle Stakes last year. Ward again, has a strong string of two-year-olds set to dwarf their European rivals.

Japanese racing continues to grow into a global superpower which is brilliant to see. There is a huge amount of envy about how Japanese racing is run and the prize money, in particular, that is on offer. The focus on middle-distance breeding in Japan is really starting to reap rewards across the world and that theme looks set to continue for the duration.

The Japanese dominated at Meydan in March and their Sheema Classic winner, Shahryar may be the biggest challenger to Bay Bridge in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes on Wednesday. There will of course, be plenty of money put into the markets from the Japanese bettors which is always a positive for British racing.

The horses I'm most interested however, from an international perspective, is the Australian contingent. There is a degree of nostalgia about the Aussies coming over to try and pinch our sprinting prizes and it's great to see that this year has attracted some standouts.

The horse who grabs most of the headlines and anticipation is certainly, Nature Strip who is running his 28th race in the King's Stand on Tuesday. Nature Strip has won £8.7M in prize money, with a huge chunk of that gained in his Everest success.

Nature Strip is certainly a quirky customer and it'll be fascinating to see how he copes with travelling outside of Australia for the first time. He has pace to burn however, he also has a great finishing kick. If he's on his A-game then he'll take all the beating.

It's also interesting that he has been entered in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes four days later. But it's even more notable that top Australian jockey, Jamie Kah has flown over especially to ride Nature Strip should he also run on the Saturday. If not, then Kah will likely have come over for nothing so it looks a confident nod of intent on Nature Strip's connection's part.

Strad's farewell Royal Ascot

One of the most emotional races of the entire week is set to come in the feature race itself, the Gold Cup on Thursday.

This Group 1 contest over the 2m4f trip will be Stradivarius's final Royal Ascot appearance as he bids to cement his status as one of the greatest stayers of all time.

If he wins the Gold Cup for a fourth time, that would put him on equal number of wins in the race with Yeats.

It may well be a case of heart ruling heads for most in this race, such is the warmth and regard Stradivarius is held in by the public. It has been well documented that training an eight-year-old entire is no easy feat. Trainer, John Gosden has remarked plenty that trying to keep a lid on Stradivarius's testosterones as well as keeping him interested in his training has been a challenge.

We have become accustomed to Strad's boisterous strut in the preliminaries but as soon as he steps his first hoof on the track, he becomes the consummate professional. He showed that on his reappearance last time out in the Yorkshire Cup where he won comfortably by one length.

This will be his toughest task yet as he is past his peak performance level which is fair enough considering his age and his miles on the clock. He has the young challenger, Kyprios snapping away at his crown as he looks set to stake his claims as the new staying king.

There is also the wonderful Trueshan set to line up but his participation may well depend on the weather as he is certainly a soft ground performer and connections have never hidden that fact. The race is teed up to perfection and what a sight it will be to see Stradivarius grace the Royal Ascot crowds with his presence for one last time.

A Royal winner?

In the year of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee it only feels right that her majesty should have a winner at Royal Ascot. It was such a shame for racing and for The Queen herself that Reach For The Moon didn't make the Derby in time. The three-year-old colt by Sea The Stars was met with a setback that ruled him out of the Epsom classic, for which he'd been the antepost favourite over the winter.

That setback may have been a blessing in disguise however, as Reach For The Moon is a keen going type and for all his pedigree screams stamina, he doesn't shape like he would have got the Derby trip. He proved that on his reappearance start where he was given a seasonal pipe opener in the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown. Again, he was fresh and gassy in that run where he kept on well to finish second.

It was reported that he was as big as a house on that occasion, something that Gosden himself stressed before the race. The horse clearly needed that run and it will have set him up well for the rest of his season.

He steps up in trip to 1m4f for the first time in his career in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes on Friday, electing the longer trip rather than to take his chance in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes on Thursday.

It'll be fascinating to see how he fares being upped in trip markedly in the hope he settles better.

The Queen will also have Perfect Alibi running in the Queen's Vase or the Ribblesdale and King's Lynn in either the King's Stand or the Platinum Jubilee. Horses sporting the purple, scarlet, black and gold will no doubt be well supported.

The Queen has been hugely influential to horse racing and the sport will forever be grateful for her unwavering support.