Racing: Row in with Vinnie to inherit the stayers' crown

The first three in last year's Ascot Gold Cup – Royal Rebel, Persian Punch and Jardine's Lookout – are primed to clash again in the traditional centrepiece of this week's Royal Ascot meeting. The trio were among 19 who stood their ground for the historic two-and-a-half-mile contest at yesterday's penultimate entry stage, bringing the promise that the 194th renewal of the stayers' championship may be the most competitive ever.

The most populous field on record was the 17-strong 1999 running. Although the quality of the race has fallen since the seventies and eighties, when high-class horses like Sagaro, Le Moss and Ardross were competing, the boost in prize money and regular appearances by well-loved horses have brought a resurgence in public and professional interest. The nadir of 1990, when the awful Ashal plodded home in the rain, is, happily, a distant memory.

The pulsating finish 12 months ago, with just a head separating the first two, did the old race proud, though it left the principals with contrasting attitudes to their job. Royal Rebel, always quirky, is now more so – his skilled trainer, Mark Johnston, is finding it increasingly difficult to persuade him even at home that work is fun – and is one of the few winners of a championship race to have earned the dread Timeform squiggle against his name.

Persian Punch, by contrast, seems to be one of those horses who was not so much foaled as hewn. The giant chestnut has never shirked a battle either before or since last year's epic encounter and will be contesting his sixth Gold Cup.

It may be time, though, for a new staying star to emerge and the Irish-trained four-year-old Vinnie Roe fits the bill. The dark bay colt did nothing but improve last season when stepped up in trip after creditable efforts in the Italian and Irish Derbys (fourth in Rome and seventh at the Curragh). His campaign culminated with four victories, the last two against older horses in the Irish and French St Legers, and he carried on the winning thread when he reappeared at Leopardstown last month.

Vinnie Roe's stamina for this week's marathon is untested, but his style of running and his pedigree – by Irish Derby runner-up Definite Article from the family of Irish Derby and St Leger winners – give every encouragement. The Gold Cup has been his avowed first major target since he revealed his burgeoning talent as a stayer last year, with the Melbourne Cup, which his trainer, Dermot Weld, won with Vintage Crop, in his sights for later in the season.

Prize money this week is a record £3,041,000, thanks largely to the upgrading of the newly named Golden Jubilee Stakes – previously known as the Cork and Orrery – and the one-off fifth Royal day on Saturday to mark the Queen's anniversary celebrations. As befits a meeting graced by the greatest concentration of sheer class in Europe, there is a Group One race a day. The St James's Palace Stakes, the Prince of Wales's Stakes, the Coronation Stakes and the Golden Jubilee Stakes offer purses of £250,000 apiece and the Gold Cup £220,000.

The St James's Palace Stakes on Tuesday is set to feature an unprecedented clash between the winners of all five European 2,000 Guineas in Rock Of Gibraltar, who scored in England and Ireland, takes on his Ballydoyle stablemate, Landseer, who was successful in France, and Dupont, the victor in Italy and Germany. Rock Of Gibraltar is likely to start the hottest favourite of the week and has most to fear from French raider Bowman.

In Wednesday's Prince Of Wales's Stakes, there is no obvious successor to the world-class recent winners Dubai Millennium and Fantastic Light. But, although the participation of the two with pretensions, Nayef and Banks Hill, may be threatened by excessively soft ground, a drying day at Ascot yesterday brought hope to their supporters.

In Friday's Coronation Stakes, Gossamer should win yet more admirers. The tiny filly, whose heart is in inverse proportion to her pony size, is fast becoming the racing world's darling.

Yesterday at York, 25-1 shot Artie, trained by Tim Easterby, provided some pre-festival relief for bookmakers in the William Hill Trophy as he made all under Dale Gibson to hang on by a short-head.

And for those with a bent for topical tips, Football Crazy obliged in the opener at Sandown as England kicked off for the second half in Japan. Great Game, though, could finish only second half an hour later.