Whatever the week ahead at Royal Ascot brings, there is one certainty and that is Aidan O'Brien stretching what's possible even further from the centre. Let's get this out of the way first; the current master of Ballydoyle will undeniably form his own one-man club at some point over the next five days with his 100th Royal winner.It is a club so exclusive that it will likely see no other member for decades, with the County Wexford-born nonpareil still a relative youth in the training ranks. Ironically, his shortest-priced runner on Tuesday's opening card comes in the race which yielded win number one of 96 as Harbour Master began an epic saga in the 1997 Coventry. It is also the race that he has won the most at the meeting, a record 11 times.The two-year-old in question is named Confucius (No Nay Never), whose namesake's offering that “happiness is not at the top of the mountain, but in how to climb” seems to summarise the modus operandi of this trainer. Where is the summit for Aidan O'Brien? The man who never looks back just keeps moving it ever upwards beyond the reach of his contemporaries.Kieren Fallon understands what it feels like to ride the wave for a period and he said, “He'll reach 100 and it won't make a blind bit of difference to Aidan. He will just roll on, keep doing the same thing and be back again with probably a better team next year. He's a genius of a trainer.”For everyone else, there is always the possibility of a temporary disturbance and occasional lightning strike. This year, the shift in the atmosphere comes via Bow Echo, the son of Night Of Thunder who bids to rain chaos on the status quo as he did under Billy Loughnane at Newmarket last month. The culmination of a lifetime's work by his late breeder Sheikh Mohammed Obaid occupies the eye of a stunning St James's Palace Stakes and is getting some notable press.For most of us, comparison with that great disruptor Frankel is tantamount to heresy, but where this colt is concerned it is partly allowable, at least for now. He has to go and suppress Ballydoyle's formidable Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) again as he did in the Guineas, plus the not-inconsequential duo Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett) and Talk Of New York (Wootton Bassett), and then we can discuss the matter further.George Boughey is speaking the right kind of language ahead of such a defining moment. “When he was sent to me, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid said he was the horse that was going to change my career,” he said. “He's got quite a few of the attributes you need for the track – he's got all the attributes to do anything really.”Talk Of New York, who is perhaps the feature race's most intriguing member due to his lack of exposure to this kind of competitive environment, is one of a trio charged with thrusting Charlie Appleby's Moulton Paddocks back to where it needs to be. While the yard's current campaign has been mostly a bit meh, he has provided a shot in the arm, along with Notable Speech (Dubawi) and Opera Ballo (Ghaiyyath), and it feels significant that they are all assembled on Tuesday.It is fair to say that Notable Speech owes Godolphin very little but, after two flops at this meeting, a third-time lucky scenario would be most welcome. If it doesn't come in the opening Queen Anne, the Boys In Blue will be praying that Loughnane's white cap is in front at the line a la Cape Cross.“This has the makings of a great race with the two Guineas winners, while we go in with untapped potential at this level,” Appleby said of the St James's Palace. “We will see if Talk Of New York can rise to the occasion, but we have a lot of confidence in the horse and are looking forward to it.”He added, “People have a question mark against Notable Speech at Ascot, but I think on both occasions we did not have the rub of the green you need at this level. If he can put the Ascot hoodoo behind him, he should take all the beating. Opera Ballo has done very well mentally and physically since his last start and it will be up to Billy to see what sort of horse he has underneath him.”Loughnane has a full book of rides and at least one gifted by the gods on Tuesday and a big chance of more than one winner before it gets tougher. Billy The Kid is starting out on his own odyssey, one that could span multiple Royal Ascots, Frankie-style, and he was typically ebullient at Windsor on Monday evening. “One more sleep to go,” he said. “Bow Echo is a dream to ride and a Group 1 at Royal Ascot would be huge. I've got a serious book of rides and Opera Ballo is one of them tomorrow. I'm hoping he can get the week off to a great start. It's a pinch-yourself moment to have these rides on the opening day at 20 years old.”Coolmore and Godolphin's fortunes are only two of the key elements at play this week. How last year's leading owners Wathnan fare is another. Their breeze-up splurges will have to pay some sort of dividend in the meeting's two-year-old tests, so it's a case of over to you Royal Heritage (Blue Point) and Ruler's Pride (Mehmas) in Tuesday's Coventry and Alta Regina (Sioux Nation) and Wild Blossom (Mehmas) in the following afternoon's Queen Mary. There's also Light Of Dawn (Showcasing) in the Albany on Friday and Flight Signal (Mehmas) in Saturday's Norfolk. All winners, all ready-made Ascot prospects about to prove the various investments either on the money or wide of the mark.As if Wathnan didn't have an array of class horses to go to war with this week, they also have at their disposal the luminary James McDonald, whose five Royal winners include a treble in 2022. He is one of the more high-profile of the international cast heading to Berkshire this week, alongside the likes of US legend Johnny V whose first ride comes from leftfield in Tuesday's 14-furlong Copper Horse Handicap.It is the sprints that are again home from home for the Australians, with Overpass (Vancouver) and Asfoora (Flying Artie) in the opening day's King Charles III and Joliestar (Zoustar) in Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. The Japanese contingent Satono Reve (Lord Kanaloa) and Lugal (Duramente) lie in wait in the latter contest, while Wesley Ward makes his return with four currently in the Norfolk. They include the impressive Woodbine winner Ez Tina who, if successful, will be avenging the defeat of her first-crop sire Golden Pal here in 2020.As ever, France will be well-represented all week, but there will be extra gravitas in 2026 due to the current wave created in partnership by the Aga Khan Studs and Francis Graffard. They largely hold the key to the country's fortunes, with Daryz (Sea The Stars) looming large in the Wednesday feature Prince of Wales's. There really isn't much more that can be added to the existing reel of compliments sent his way, while the stable's Blue Point-sired sprinters Rayevka and Samangan have real chances in Tuesday's King Charles III and Friday's Commonwealth Cup, respectively. Interestingly, French sprint form held up particularly well here 12 months ago and the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee sees another leading gallic dragster in Sajir (Make Believe) ply his trade.Other talking points include the new Windsor Castle Stakes, reshaped to more accommodate the prospective milers than the fast and precocious and headed by Ballydoyle's exciting Sergei Diaghilev (Wootton Bassett). That forces more of the true sprint-breds into the Norfolk, one of a quartet of Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races shifted to Saturday for simulcasting on NBC.Those returning to defend their Group 1 crowns a year on are Docklands (Massaat), American Affair (Washington DC), Trawlerman (Golden Horn), Time For Sandals (Sands Of Mali) and Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder), with the latter making the Prince of Wales's a special renewal. In taking on an Arc hero in Daryz, who is coming in off scintillating efforts in France, as well as Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's now fully-matured Tattersalls Gold Cup hero Almaqam (Lope De Vega), he has put a fire under what in some ways is the meeting's biggest prize.The Gosdens, who remain powerhouse material at Royal Ascot, have managed to coax Trawlerman back into the frame for Thursday's Gold Cup, ski goggles and all. He faces Scandinavia (Justify) in another huge clash and, if he manages to ward off Ballydoyle's staying new boy, he will become the fifth horse this century to win more than one renewal of the meeting's beloved cornerstone.Those looking for a “banker” for the week will mostly land on Friday's Coronation Stakes favourite Precise (Starspangledbanner) now that she has again shown why Aidan O'Brien has her on a pedestal. On the same day, last year's Albany winner Venetian Sun (Starman) will start at short odds in the Commonwealth Cup representing a trainer in Karl Burke who, in statistical terms, is one of the “Mr Royal Ascots”. Another is Harry Eustace, who is a remarkable four-from-12 here over the last five years, while Willie Mullins, Ed Walker and Saeed bin Suroor are others who strike gold with relative regularity.After O'Brien has reached his own milestone, Ryan Moore is sure to be a lot closer to his own century. On 92 at present, it is not inconceivable that he could make it this week having ridden a remarkable nine winners in 2015 and seven in both 2022 and 2025. Atop all the thrilling action set to unfold, embrace the sight of two of the sport's greats combining to bend history to their will.The post O’Brien Close to Setting Royal Standard as Landmark Looms appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.