ROYAL FOR ROYAL?

Royal Ascot could well be on the agenda for unbeaten Astronomer Royal filly, Table Ronde, who took out yesterday’s Listed Prix Volterra (1600m) at Chantilly.

Trainer Jean-Claude Rouget was talking up a start in the prestigious Group One Coronation Stakes for his charge immediately after the Volterra: “The good pace suited her and, to see a horse accelerate like that at the end of her race, it’s why we do this job. There is the (Group Two Prix) Sandringham or we could look at Ascot.

Eased down on the line with over a length to spare, Table Ronde has now won all of three of her outings.

Interestingly, her sire was a Group One winner over 1600m at three – indeed, Danzig’s final Classic winner – and he was also Group One placed at Royal Ascot.

Bred by SF Bloodstock and raced by Mme Yolande Seydoux De Clausonne (there’s a mouthful!), Table Ronde is out of the Alzao mare, Tanzania, and is named after the famous 1960 African Rhumba song, which was written for the Round Table Conference in Brussels on Congolese independence.

Tell you this much, Table Ronde sounds more like Toblerone when you listen the song but either way, Astronomer Royal’s filly ended up with the chocolates … and not for the last time.