The going at Ascot is Good to Firm on the Straight Course and Good, Good to Firm in places on the Round Course.

Chris Stickels, Ascot’s Clerk of the Course, said: “We’ve had a very drying day today. It is the longest day of the year, it’s been 25C, and it’s still going to be drying in to the evening. I think there has been 4mm of evapotranspiration today, so we are going to put 4mm on the Straight Course this evening.

“We are forecast a dry, warm day again tomorrow and temperatures of 27C. So it is necessary to water it, because if we didn’t, I would be concerned about having firm ground by Gold Cup time tomorrow.

“I think then we probably need to maintain again Thursday night and probably Friday night. The jockeys have described it as beautiful ground and we would like to maintain that.”

On whether there is any rain forecast, he added: “There is a chance of an isolated scattered shower, and I think after tomorrow the risk of that goes away.”

Attendance

The attendance for day two of Royal Ascot was 37,158.