The Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wedensday is an intriguing race because it features the Australian import So You Think who Down Under is rated one of the best six or seven horses ever to have graced the Australian turf.
He had a magnificent record in Australia and has done nothing wrong in his two starts this season at the Curragh where he was long odds-on to win on both occasions.
This is a much bigger test for So You Think and it is very difficult to relate his Australian form in European terms. It is true to say that in Australia there is a preference for breeding fast horses as we've seen at Royal Ascot in the past, it is the sprinters that are genuinely world class and by common consent the longer distance horses don't usually boast so much strength in depth.
So You Think, though, has won two Cox Plates in Australia and that is just a huge race down there and is clearly a really brilliant horse but whether he should be so short in the betting I don't know; I think it's open to question.
Certainly up against a horse called Planteur who is a really tip-top French colt who has had a fantastic preparation for this Prince Of Wales's Stakes with two victories over in France, including the Prix Ganay last time out.
That form is looking strong as the runner-up Sarafina won next time and the third, Cirrus Des Aigles, chased home Goldikova on his next start and he made her fight pretty hard.
So, it's quite conceivable that Planteur could give So You Think a race even though everybody's expecting O'Brien's horse to put up a performance of a superstar.
You couldn't completely rule out Twice Over either, he hasn't run to his best on his last two starts but on ratings he's right up there with So You Think and Planteur and if he came back to his very best form, and after all he is the winner of two Champions Stakes, then he's not out of it either.
Rewilding for Godolphin is a very good horse as we saw when he won the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March. A drop back to a mile and a quarter is going to test him and it might be that a mile and a half is his best trip but he's clearly a classy horse that has probably got more improvement in him as well.
For me, it's probably a no bet race with So You Think at odds-on with Planteur very much the danger.
The horse that takes my eye in the Royal Hunt Cup is Kieren Fallon's mount Start Right who is just the type for this sort of race. He's already a winner at Glorious Goodwood so he's proven on the big stage.
Nothing went right for him last time out at Epsom, he was badly drawn and never got into a good position behind Dance And Dance and was running on at the finish.
He didn't have the hardest race and I think it will have put him just about spot on for this as he'd had a few months off, his previous run had come in January at Meydan in Dubai.
I think he's just about going to be spot on to run a big race but, of course, as ever it's going to be a hugely competitive race and there are other progressive horses that could well be ahead of the handicapper.
Green Destiny, for example, who was impressive first time out this season at Newmarket and one that's crept in right at the bottom of the weights is Point North, trained by Jeremy Noseda, who really can be forgiven his defeat at Kempton last time because he was badly drawn and had to come right round the field and was running on strongly.
He just gave the impression there that he was a much better horse than he was able to show and he'd previously been a very easy winner at Kempton over this trip of a mile and I wouldn't rule out Point North.
However, I'll stick with Start Right.
In the opener, the Jersey Stakes, I think William Haggas' horse Fury has an excellent chance. He was just run down over a mile at Sandown last time and his trainer admitted that he hadn't really got him ready for the Guineas beforehand in which he finished fifth behind Frankel.
He clearly came on for that run when just nodded off at Sandown by a decent horse called Tazahum who I think is going to go on and win some good races.
I think the drop back from a mile will suit Fury extremely well and, in what doesn't look to be the strongest renewal, I think he's the one to beat.
In the Windsor Forest Stakes you've got to look for the class act and I think that is Sajjhaa who goes for Godolphin with Frankie Dettori in the saddle.
This was a very progressive filly last season who ran in the Oaks which came too soon for her but she made up for it later on and ran a terrific race in the Middleton Stakes at York on her reappearance when making Midday - a five time Group One winner - fight all the way.
I think this drop back to a mile won't be of any inconvenience to her and I just think she's got the class to go on and win it. I'm A Dreamer was a very fluent winner at Newmarket first time out; she's progressive but she's held by Sajjhaa on running over the course and distance last September.
Seta is possibly another danger, she's three times a Listed winner for Luca Cumani and has been coming along the right lines though this does represent a step up in class.
One filly that's proven at the level is Jacqueline Quest but she was very disappointing on her reappearance and needs to improve on that.
