Hightori gets the vote to hit new heights

You could never accuse the Royal Ascot crowd of being raucous ­ or at any rate, not when it comes to the racing. While the start of the Derby or the first race at Cheltenham is greeted by a heartfelt roar of expectation and delight, there was not so much as a murmur from the grandstand yesterday when the stalls snapped open in the Queen Anne Stakes. Eliza Doolittle's earthy outburst in the Royal enclosure on opening day was, sadly, a flight of fancy.

If any race this week is going to coax some noise from the private boxes, it will surely be the Prince of Wales's Stakes this afternoon. Four of the nine runners are Group One or Grade One winners already, while Hightori was just a short-head away from his first Group One success last time out. With Give The Slip sure to set a good pace, all five of the main contenders may still stand a chance as they pass the furlong pole.

The betting suggests Kalanisi, last year's Breeders' Cup Turf winner, will just manage to find the three lengths and a neck which separated him from Fantastic Light in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last month. Since Kalanisi was making his seasonal debut against a race-fit opponent, it is distinctly possible that he will. A line through Giant's Causeway, though, suggests that Observatory ­ who is almost twice the price ­ has an equivalent chance, albeit over a trip which may stretch his stamina.

The strangest price of all, though, is that chalked up against Hightori (next best 3.45), who finished third in the Dubai World Cup in March, and was a little unfortunate to lose to Observatory at Longchamp last month. That race was decided on the nod, yet he is a 7-1 chance today, even though this stiff track should suit Hightori ­ who stays a mile and a half ­ rather better than Observatory.

The Royal Hunt Cup is as daunting as usual, although one interesting statistic which might help to sort it out is that no horse rated 100 or more has won the race since official ratings were introduced almost 20 years ago. If the trend continues, it will rule out such well-fancied horses as Tough Speed, Soviet Flash and Mastermind, and given that the first two horses home in the King's Stand Stakes came up the rail, it may also pay to focus on the horses drawn low.

Another reason to look low is that ATAVUS (nap 4.20), who is drawn five, is one of the few front-runners in the field. He should give the stands side a good lead, but there is also no reason why he should not hold it all the way to the line, with Border Subject (in eight) possibly the main danger. Atavus has run particularly well on his last two starts, and was staying on over seven furlongs at Goodwood last time. He has the trip and weight to go close today.

Reel Buddy (2.30) was boxed in all the way up the Rowley Mile last time, but has an excellent chance in the Jersey Stakes on the form of his victory at Goodwood's Predominate meeting. At least 10 fillies go into the Queen Mary Stakes with realistic hopes of success, but Roundtree (3.05) looks to have the best of the draw, while in the card's second juvenile event, the Chesham Stakes, Doc Holiday (5.30) can only improve for the step up to seven furlongs. Mana D'Argent (4.55), who ran well in the Chester Cup, may go in at a fair price in the Ascot Stakes, in which the workaholic 12-year-old Dorans Pride will be the choice of the romantics.