Racing: Johnston has Systematic primed for Ascot prize

Racing is one of those sports where anticipation about the future tends to overshadow the beauty of the moment. But to infer that Royal Ascot is some sort of trial for the Breeders' Cup is surely taking the concept a little far. At a gathering yesterday at the Queen's favourite course to launch next week's extravaganza, stress was laid on the fact that three of the winners 12 months ago, Fantastic Light, Banks Hill and Johannesburg, used the meeting as a springboard to success in North America. Rather, it should be considered that their performances in Berkshire set a standard that none in the world could meet.

With horses that finished in the first three last year going on to claim 12 Group One successes and 17 Group One places worldwide, the quality at Royal Ascot is undeniable. This year, as a special for 'er indoors up the road at Windsor, there will be quantity as well. The six-furlong dash formerly known as the Cork and Orrery Stakes has been renamed the Golden Jubilee Stakes. It has also been upgraded to Group One status and will form the centrepiece of a fifth Royal day, complete with exclusive enclosure and carriage drive, on the Saturday.

With the greatest respect to the two masters of the Royal Buckhounds after whom it was named in 1868, the race will retain its new name and status in the future, though reverting to a midweek slot. "The extra day is just a one-off," the course's chief executive, Douglas Erskine-Crum, said, "though I hope we can do it again in 10 years' time."

And with the greatest respect also to street parties, rainbow arches and floats of B-list celebs in the Mall, the Queen will probably appreciate this particular celebration of her 50-year tenure more than any. Before her will be the classiest concentration of horses in Europe – and the first from America for 66 years, the blazingly fast Caller One in the Golden Jubilee Stakes – competing for a record £3,041,000 in prize-money and a championship contest on every day.

For the professionals in the two arenas that Royal Ascot services, the racing and fashion industries, the weather is all-important. The going is currently soft and, with an unsettled forecast, not likely to become less so. Expect vendors of designer brollies to be busy.

Of the trainers present yesterday, Luca Cumani was least perturbed about the notion of soft ground. His Coronation Stakes contender Gossamer is proven under such conditions and the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner is likely to prove one of the week's true female stars.

The tiny filly is guaranteed to put all the expensively-dressed totty in the shade in at least one respect. "One of her great assets is that she has a wonderful brain," said Cumani.

Mark Johnston will be saddling one of the largest teams of the week but one of his most exciting prospects, the progressive Desert Deer, may be ruled out of the Queen Anne Stakes by the ground. But one Middleham denizen who will relish any ease is the King George V Stakes challenger Systematic, named by his trainer as the week's banker.

Saeed Bin Suroor, for Godolphin, picked Best Of The Bests in the Queen Anne Stakes as his. But the man who has trained 17 winners at the meeting was realistic, rather than super-confident, this time round. "We have no Dubai Millennium or Fantastic Light this year," he said. "Our best older horse, Sakhee, is not likely to be ready until the King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes [on 27 July]. Perhaps we are not as strong as usual." But with the likes of Noverre (Prince of Wales's Stakes), Wareed (Gold Cup) and Three Points (Golden Jubilee) backing up, this can only be a relative term.

The power to be unleashed by Godolphin's arch-rivals, Team Ballydoyle, includes Rock Of Gibraltar and Landseer, who will meet in the St James's Palace Stakes. It was confirmed yesterday that the stable's other Classic winner, Epsom victor High Chaparral, is bound for the Irish Derby at the Curragh, with his runner-up, Hawk Wing, dropping back to 10 furlongs in the Eclipse Stakes.

And from Co Tipperary also comes arguably the most fascinating horse of next week, Johannesburg. The explosive colt, who burst on the two-year-old scene in last year's Norfolk Stakes, returns to six furlongs in the Golden Jubilee Stakes after his unavailing attempt at 10 furlongs on dirt in the Kentucky Derby. Perhaps Kenyon should confront Aidan O'Brien about running his horses over the wrong trip.