Jerome Reynier is looking forward to a huge couple of hours on the opening day of Royal Ascot on June 18, and the French trainer admits that saddling possible Queen Anne favourite Facteur Cheval may not even be the highlight.
The Dubai Turf winner has led the bookmakers' lists for the royal meeting opener since the eclipse of Inspiral and Big Rock in the Lockinge at Newbury, but the Marseille-based handler also plans to send St James's Palace Stakes dark horse Darlinghurst for a mouthwatering clash he describes as "the hottest race in Europe" with Classic winners Notable Speech, Rosallion and Metropolitan, who is set to be supplemented on June 12.