River King will look to continue a dominant record for fancied horses in the Buckingham Palace Stakes (1400m) at Royal Ascot on Thursday.

The final contest of Ladies’ Day attracts some of the biggest fields at the meeting with up to 28 runners, yet the last two favourites have scored in English Oak and Never So Brave.

Among the likely candidates in 2026 is the Richard Hannon-trained River King, who built on a promising comeback second to post an impressive victory over 1600m at Newbury last time out.

Connections felt the five-year-old showed enough speed in that three-and-a-quarter-length romp to drop back in distance for the first time since his two-year-old season.

Hannon said: “[Pat] Dobbsy reckons he has got the speed for seven furlongs.

“He has won over a mile and a quarter, and he gets it. The Hunt Cup, over a mile is already closed, so that is why he is going this way.

We gelded him as he wasn’t doing his best as he was very adolescent. He didn’t take that great as he was in his box not doing a lot. He came back and he wasn’t moving right so we gave him a really good break.

“He has come back in this season and he is running really well. We will try and make use of his stamina dropping back in trip."

Opponents include Cosi Bello from the Charlie Fellowes stable. He advanced his credentials with an easy win over the trip at Haydock in April.

Ryan Moore takes an interesting mount on Mudbir for John and Thady Gosden. The Shadwell challenger was sent off favourite over the track and distance in last month’s Victoria Cup but could finish only down the field.

Tribal Chief, who could also run in the Royal Hunt Cup, was third that day and expected to improve while the winner The Wizard Of Eye also bids for a dream double for Tom Clover.

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