Greetings, gentle readers, as we head into a sweltering fourth day at Royal Ascot, where the peak temperature of 28°C means the horses aren't the only ones sweating. Day four's card features seven races, including the Albany Stakes (Group 3) at 2.30, the Commonwealth Cup (Group 1) at 3.05, and the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at 3.40. Punters are feeling chipper after three straight winning favourites - Scandinavia (11-8) in yesterday's Gold Cup, following Bow Echo (5-6) and Ombudsman (11-10) - and three short-priced favourites in the first four races today multiply out to an 8-1 treble. Sunscreen and hydration breaks are advised; losing your hat in the wind is optional.
2.30 Albany Stakes: Aidan O'Brien, fresh from registering his 100th Royal Ascot winner in yesterday's Gold Cup, sends out Sun Goddess as the 5-4 favourite. She was beaten on debut at 6-1 (the horse apparently needed the experience, unlike the punters who backed her) but bolted up by five lengths at the Curragh. Her biggest threat is Silent Beauty, who won by four lengths at Yarmouth but is stuck in a single-figure stall - not ideal given the "golden highway" against the stands' rail. Karl Burke's Light Of Dawn, bought for around £550k at the breeze-up sales, is another once-raced winner worth a look. Selection: SUN GODDESS.
3.05 Commonwealth Cup: Twenty-two runners go to post, the joint-biggest field since 2015, but Venetian Sun is the standout at a short price after her decisive win in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock. She was down the field in the 1,000 Guineas (failed to get home - a risk worth taking, as she was already a Group One winner as a juvenile in the Prix Morny, narrowly ahead of Gstaad, this year's Irish 2,000 Guineas winner). From stall 13, she should win, but her price may send punters looking for each-way alternatives: Aidan O'Brien's Albert Einstein, Charlie Appleby's Wise Approach (Middle Park Stakes winner last season), and Division (runner-up behind Venetian Sun at Haydock). Jockey James McDonald, a New Zealander, quips: "My only objective was to get this horse relaxed, get clear air and the race just panned out for me." When told winning from stall No 1 is nigh-on impossible, he replies: "It's not impossible, it just happened." Venetian Sun's part-owner Tony Bloom calls the win "delightful," adding: "What a horse, such an amazing sprinter." Jockey Clifford Lee, who suffered a life-threatening injury in a cross-country bike ride last October (broken vertebra in his neck, two days in a coma), says: "This filly got me my first Group One in France, and she's done it again." Selection: VENETIAN SUN.
3.40 Duke of Edinburgh Stakes: The royal runner Warrant Holder, a four-year-old son of Frankel, is joint-favourite at around 4-1 alongside Hopewell Rock. Nineteen runners in this 1.5-mile handicap. Ambiente Friendly leads early, with Nightime Dancer and Serengeti in behind. As they climb towards the finish, Omni Man and Mondo Man are well placed, but Warrant Holder makes a move, followed by Opportunity - and it's Opportunity who denies the royal runner, winning from stall No 1. Regal Ulixes, a 22-1 shot, picks up third after being at the back at halfway. Selection: MONDO MAN.
4.20 Coronation Stakes: Aidan O'Brien has Precise and True Love in this one - a battle of the Ballydoyle barn. Wayne Lordan was aboard the winner in the 1,000 Guineas (True Love five lengths ahead of Precise in seventh) and the Irish equivalent (Precise turned the tables, two-and-a-half lengths to the good). Ryan Moore opts for Precise, who is odds-on. Owen Burrows' Touleen goes at around 12-1 to give Saffie Osborne her first Royal Ascot winner. Balantina, trained by Donnacha O'Brien, hasn't run this season but won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf last time. Selection: PRECISE.
5.00 Sandringham Stakes: Another huge field on the straight mile, with a strong bias towards the stands' side. Glyfada (drawn 31, Oisin Murphy) heads the market at 4-1, but the pick is Gavin Cromwell's Quiet Mutiny in stall 25 at around 12-1. Cromwell, better known for his Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning exploits in jumps, has saddled two winners from just eight starters at this meeting. Selection: QUIET MUTINY.
5.35 King Edward VII Stakes: Just five runners after the absence of Echo Of Stars. Aidan O'Brien's Causeway, who replaced Water To Wine as favourite at around 6-5, arrives on three straight wins this season, including a Group Three at the Curragh in May. Water To Wine steps up in class after two wide-margin novice wins. Ancient Egypt, eighth in the Derby for Charlie Johnston, offers a test of the Epsom form. Golden Story, third behind subsequent French Derby winner Constitution River in the Dee Stakes, gets a mention after Generic (just under three lengths ahead) won the Hampton Court Stakes here yesterday. Selection: CAUSEWAY.
6.10 Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes: The stands' side bias continues. Lyrics Of Life, a front-runner drawn in stall 29, could enhance it. The selection is Quiet Mutiny (yes, again, but at 12-1, it's a value play). The daily royal procession featured the King and Queen in heavy finery in 29°C heat, plus Ed Chamberlain chomping a "sconut" and hat chat with milliners. Lovely stuff, indeed.