Can Inspiral, last year’s star filly, return from an unplanned eight-month break to defeat the new stars, Cachet and Mangoustine in the G1 Coronation Stakes (1594m) at Royal Ascot on Friday (17 June)?

Four out of four last year, Inspiral was made favourite for last month’s 1000 Guineas after winning the G1 Fillies’ Mile (1600m) at Newmarket in October but the father and son training team of John and Thady Gosden advised Cheveley Park Stud, Inspiral’s owner and breeder, to delay the filly’s reappearance and aim for the Coronation Stakes instead.

Explaining Inspiral’s absence from the Guineas, John Gosden said, “Inspiral has been very slow to come to hand, which can happen with some fillies in the Spring. She has just taken a long time to come right and you don’t want to rush them. She is pleasing us now and going the right way.”

Plans to run Inspiral in a Listed race on 19 May were also shelved, leaving the filly’s connections to hope that their patience will be rewarded.

Inspiral’s chances were boosted by Dermot Weld’s reluctant decision to withdraw Homeless Songs because of the fast ground. The hugely impressive winner of last month’s Irish G1 1000 Guineas (1600m) has not raced on ground faster than ‘good’ and Weld had warned that she would race only if the ground was considered suitable.

The Coronation Stakes remains an intriguing contest. Cachet won the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket for up-and-coming trainer George Boughey before being narrowly beaten by Mangoustine in the French equivalent, the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (1600m). Faster conditions could allow Cachet to reverse the placings.

Boughey, in only his third season training, said, “Winning the Guineas was the stuff of dreams. I was delighted with her run in the French Guineas. She ran a blinder.

“Since then she has done well physically, looking good and moving well, a more mature horse. She is incredibly tenacious and likes going round a bend. Roll on the Coronation Stakes. It’s going to be one of the races of the week.”

Mangoustine put up her best performance yet to beat Cachet in France and will not be an easy opponent to beat.

The Commonwealth Cup (1200m) promises to be another exciting G1 contest. Perfect Power, winner of two Group 1 races over 1200m last year, did not stay 1600m in the 2000 Guineas and, again ridden Belgian ace Christophe Soumillon, is expected to appreciate the drop in trip.

Trainer Richard Fahey said, “We tried him in the 2000 Guineas and that stretched the elastic band too far. I’m more comfortable training him as a sprinter and he’s probably happier too. We’ll ignore the last run and carry on. We’re now building his speed back up and his work has improved a lot. He’s training exceptionally well.”

Disputing favouritism in a big field is El Caballo, the progressive winner of his last six races, the latest when narrowly beating fellow contender Flaming Rib in the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes (1200m) at Haydock.