St James's Palace Stakes Big Race Verdict: Back Echo to dazzle again on Royal Ascot Day 1

Bow Echo - already a modern day great?

When a performance is dubbed the "Best 2000 Guineas since Frankel" you take notice. The manner in which Bow Echo marmalised his rivals at Newmarket was breathtaking, so the excitement about him will be into another stratosphere if he can even get close to the level of Frankel - one of the greatest horses of the modern era and second only to Sea The Stars.

Bow Echo's prep and build-up was superbly handled by George Boughey who, at 34, became the youngest ever trainer to complete the 1000 and 2000 double in the post-War era.

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Bow Echo (Ire)

• J: Billy Loughnane
• T: George Boughey
• F:

The numbers were impressive from early May at HQ. Gstaad recorded a Timeform rating of 123 for his Newmarket second behind Bow Echo and has subsequently won the Irish version, and a figure of 123 is on par to win that first Classic of the season. The fact Bow Echo recorded 131 from the boys in Halifax means we're dealing with a serious piece of equine kit.

That figure could be sent into orbit on Tuesday, but Bow Echo's price on the Sportsbook is reflective of a potential great and, from the opening 5/61.84, Boughey's colt is favourite at 8/111.73.

Can Moore get it right?

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Gstaad

• J: Ryan Moore
• T: Aidan O'Brien, Ireland
• F:

The above question is silly really as Ryan Moore always gets it rightt. His 2015 Royal Ascot performance was a post-War record buster with nine winners at the meeting. He rode seven last year.

It hasn't quite gone according to plan for the big Arsenal supporter this term (but you can't win everything can you?) with his results, as Wayne Lordan and Ronan Whelan have earned their Classic stripes this term for Ballydoyle.

He didn't need to improve at the Curragh for an easy Irish 2000 win, a 13th for O'Brien at prohibitive odds of 4/111.36 with very little to beat, as Godolphin and Charlie Appleby were in poor form at that time.

Gstaad can race a touch lazily, something the trainer touched on at the Curragh saying: "He's a lovely, uncomplicated horse and Ryan gave him a beautiful ride."

"A very straightforward and genuine horse. Ryan said he was a little bit lazy through the race but when he got him opened up, he went to the line very well."

Ascot was the scene of his superlative performance in the Coventry Stakes 12 months ago - and over shorter ran a time at 5f of 11.65 seconds. To note and compare against his sectionals at the Curragh recently, he ran 10.91 seconds at 6f, 11.05 at 7f and 11.97 at 8f.

He's getting quicker.

Appleby is back with Talk of New York

I was unable to back Charlie Appleby's Godolphin horses from Guineas time through May, with just seven winners for the yard from 42 runners.

Epsom was a complete non-event for the Blue livery and Appleby, without a Derby gun to fire, and they didn't even bother to have a runner over two days at Epsom.

His team may have been atrophied at that time, but not so here, and Talk Of New York is a horse on the up after coming back to life at Sandown in winning the Listed Heron Stakes.

He demolished his stablemate Time To Turn by over 5L and always impresses on the clock with his turn of foot. A final furlong at Sandown was around 0.60 seconds quicker than the runner-up.

Talk Of New York has often needed a bit of managing as a keen-going type and the drop back to 7f at Newmarket in April off an even gallop helped him. He wore the hood on that occasion and had worked in the hood too, so he still needs a little minding.

The head honcho is back in form too with four winners in June.

St James's Palace Stakes tactics and what to expect

Aidan O'Brien is the sole keeper of the tactical scrolls and Puerto Rico is not exactly a complete no-hoper front-runner rated officially 118. Poker was in the Derby two weeks ago, but not this fella.

His form is on deep going. He was a winner at Group 1 level in France last term and fourth in the French 2000 a la Poulains last time out. If the going was bordering on heavy and soft, he'd be a massive runner.

Officially we're good to firm as of Monday morning with a mixed week weather-wise, and the first of the rain to arrive on Wednesday. But who knows what the grass will ride like and we can only guess how much water has gone on or not.

Puerto Rico will make it under Soumillion. Gstaad with his loping style has a great draw in one to track Bow Echo in two with Talk Of New York the midfield racer needing a pace with his fresh tendencies.

Lord Britain is rated 88, so he'll be waddling in about a day later and Power Blue made the running to win the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes last term under David Egan, with Amo's chances best served again by potentially making it.

Bow Echo has the weapon of the turn of foot but the round course over 1m is tricky to contend with. Twelve months ago, when Field Of Gold won from stall five, there was almost a race of two parts with the two outsiders and front-runners setting a first wave.

Alan Dudman's St James's Palace Stakes 1-2-3 prediction

The way up the inside is the simplest, an old maxim that is likely to be executed from Billy Loughnane on Bow Echo, and while Talk Of New York is a live runner and a 5/16.00 shot here, the Heron form is miles off what Boughey's star achieved. Talk Of New York is my first to scratch off the list.

Puerto Rico, who will make the running and could stay beyond, is more than capable of nicking a place here.

I am tempted with the Lengthen Your Odds bet for Bow Echo to win by 2L or more on the Betfair Sportsbook as he could have improved a ton since Newmarket. And while I am not a huge fan of the "how far to win" markets, Bow Echo could be something special.

Puerto Rico on the 3 Place market with just six runners is 5/61.84.

1. Bow Echo

2. Puerto Rico

3. Gstaad

Now read Mike Norman's Ultimate Royal Ascot guide for Day 1 here!