Illustrious Blue set to dash royal celebrations

A course winner, the four-year-old – a former Royal Ascot winner – clearly did not stay the two-and-a-half-mile trip in the Goodwood Cup, plugging on to finish fourth.

Back to two miles, jockey Richard Hughes is confident Free Agent, a 16-1 outsider, might be capable of running into a place.

"He ran well enough at Goodwood," said Hughes. "I just got checked at a vital stage which did for him. I know Goodwood is a galloping enough track, but York is even more so which is why we are going for this."

Free Agent's task is made even harder by the reappearance of his Goodwood conqueror, Illustrious Blue. Trainer William Knight is so enthused by his charge that the Sussex trainer is even contemplating a tilt at November's Melbourne Cup.

"He came out of Goodwood very well and we just hope there's isn't too much rain," said Knight. "He's bouncing, I've never really known him better.

"The Melbourne Cup is still very much a strong possibility but there are still various things in the melting pot and there is the question of whether we go for the Caulfield Cup beforehand.

"To be honest, we are moving more towards going straight for the big one because it's the chance of a lifetime."

Illustrious Blue's task is made easier by the withdrawal yesterday of Sir Michael Stoute's Ask because of lameness.