Colour Vision can keep punters out of the red

Fame And Glory will be sent off one of the shortest-priced favourites of the week as he attempts to win the great race for a second consecutive year.

And those prepared to side against Aidan O’Brien’s excellent seven-year-old do so by taking a hugely idealistic leap into the unknown.

After all, his Ascot form is virtually peerless, while he is still of the correct age bracket to anticipate a little more progress.

Fame And Glory’s skimpy odds are, however, almost certain to put off many rank-and-file punters, who could therefore do a lot worse than a speculative few bob on Colour Vision.

The former Mark Johnston-trained grey has seemingly made breathless improvement for the switch to the Godolphin stables on the evidence of his Kempton run in May.

After having finished third in both the Cesarewitch and in the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day last season, most expected Colour Vision to have been in need of the outing in the Sagaro Stakes.

What happened on the Kempton Polytrack caught even those closest to him unawares as the Saeed bin Suroor-trained stayer produced arguably one of the most visibly enticing displays of the summer.

Frankie Dettori’s mount came from last to first within a matter of strides to win a hot-looking renewal by a length and a half.

The form is watertight, too, as runner-up Red Cadeaux has since won the Yorkshire Cup before chasing home St Nicholas Abbey in the Coronation Cup at Epsom.

Dettori has, intriguingly, given up Opinion Poll in preference to Colour Vision, which might be understandable given the former has continually hit a brick wall when racing against Fame And Glory.

The same, of course, could soon be said about Colour Vision, but he is two years younger than both Fame And Glory and Opinion Poll and is very much the curve-ball contender.

As an engaging footnote, the last four-year-old to win the Gold Cup was the Bin Suroor-trained Papineau eight years ago.

The Fugue, conversely, really ought to be winning the Ribblesdale Stakes 40 minutes earlier.

John Gosden’s filly is unfortunate not to already be a Classic heroine following a luckless third in a rough Investec Oaks at Epsom on June 1.

Before that, she had looked supreme en route to a carefree victory in the Musidora Stakes at York.

Her aptitude for a mile and a half cannot be questioned after her Oaks effort, while she is versatile enough for whatever Mother Nature has to offer.

The Fugue has the raw talent to be one of the major success stories of the Royal week. Ian’s Dream’s claims in the Norfolk Stakes are far less clear cut, but he is still worth a small interest in the opening race of the day. Pace sears through the veins of this two-year-old’s pedigree, which might explain his £120,000 price-tag as a foal.

There was also much to admire about his debut second at Haydock, when he overcame keenness to take second spot behind Cosmic Chatter.

Ian’s Dream must step things up considerably on that form, but his profile is nice enough for Dettori to have been persuaded into signing up.

The Italian maestro could have a truly fine day, with Piri Wango taken to cause a bit of a stir in the ludicrously difficult Britannia Stakes.

Irish trainer Ger Lyons has extracted two wins from three starts out of this three-year-old chestnut, who found seven furlongs a little on the sharp side at Dundalk on his last start in May – especially as Johnny Murtagh attempted to make all of the running.

The return to a mile will definitely suit him better, as will more protracted tactics.

Tales Of Grimm looked brave and strong on his belated return at Sandown, and should be kept onside in the Tercentenary Stakes.

Commitment might also go well at a very tasty price in the King George V Stakes.