The prospect of the outstanding four-year-old Canford Cliffs, recent winner of an epic dual with French legend Goldikova in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, taking on the unbeaten three-year-old Frankel, sensational six-length winner of the Qipco 2000 Guineas at HQ earlier this term before following up in the St James’s Palace Stakes at the royal meeting, is one that will surely draw a massive crowd to see a race that some believe may well decide once and for all who is currently the best miler in the world. The Goodwood odds indicate it should be a tremendous race.

Both Sir Henry Cecil, trainer of Frankel, and champion trainer Richard Hannon, who is custodian of Canford Cliffs, have stated their respective intentions to head to Goodwood and neither seem (at this point) in any mood to shirk the head-to-head clash and deny the racing public the chance of seeing these two great horses take each other on.

Bookmakers have made Canford Cliffs, a winner of his last five starts (all at Group 1 level), the 11/10 favourite, with most offering 5/4 against Frankel taking his unbeaten streak to eight. After Tom Queally’s dubious ride on Frankel last time when he appeared to use up his mount’s energy too early in the race, Cecil has hinted that there will be a change of tactics for his charge.

For his part, Hannon and Canford Cliffs’ regular pilot Richard Hughes, believe that wherever Frankel goes they will follow, and are more than hopeful that their star can use his blinding turn of foot to win the day, just as he did at Ascot against Goldikova. Let’s wait and see.

The gelded son of Beat Hollow had been considered a classic contender at one stage last term when beating Icon Dream in a fine finish to the Group 3 Chester Vase after which he took his chance in the Derby, running well for a while before patently failing to handle the downhill run to Tattenham Corner after which he faded rapidly and eventually finished 11th behind the impressive Workforce. Anyone following the horseracing odds would have been surprised to see him fail so badly.

That effort seemed to take its toll of Tompkins’ charge who finished a distant fourth to Rewilding in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes before completely losing his way in finishing last in the St Leger and being tailed off on two subsequent outings at the end of the season. Gelded during the winter, Ted Spread hadn’t been seen in action until his Pontefract reappearance where he happily showed all his old zest and, after being held up at the back of the field for the first half of the contest, came with a strong run through the last furlong-and-a-half which all but carried him to victory, in the end failing by only a nose to get the better of Distant Memories in a tremendous finish to the 12-furlong contest. The online horse racing betting indicates Ted Spread could be heading back to his best.

Buoyed by the return to form of the four-year-old, Tompkins is now eyeing a crack at the Ebor Handicap at York on August 20, seeing the mile-and-three-quarter trip as the ideal distance for his charge who could well be set to atone for the disappointments of the second half of last term.

Owen, who owns and bred the rapidly improving three-year-old colt, is also the owner of Manor House Stables in Cheshire from where trainer Tom Dascombe sent out his second winner of the week at the royal fixture. Brown Panther had been a persistent tip for the race following an eye-catching at Haydock last month where he won with any amount in hand and looked a potential blot on the handicap for the competitive mile-and-a-half contest.

Backed down from 8/1 to 4/1 joint-favourite on the horse betting, supporters of the Shirocco colt never had an anxious moment as jockey Richard Kingscote eased his mount into contention half a mile from home before taking up the running when still on the bridle at the three pole. From that point victory was never in doubt for Brown Panther who eased clear in the rain-softened ground to score by six lengths form Census, with the rest of the field strung out like washing the length of the ascot straight.

Clearly a mile ahead of the handicapper at present, Owen’s charge looks a pattern race performer already and could well graduate to take high rank amongst the best middle distance horses this term. An indication of the hopes connections hold for their colt is that Owen mentioned a potential bid for the St Leger, whilst there was also talk of a possible crack at the German Derby. Those placing horse racing bets will be keeping a close eye on the owner’s plans.

Wherever he goes next Brown Panther will surely be the subject of serious market support, but for now he has been introduced into the ante-post list for the St Leger at between 8/1 and 14/1 and already looks a serious contender.

A winner twice last term in listed company, Bewitched then stepped up in grade last autumn and showed that she is improving rapidly, first winning the Group 3 Michael Kinane Renaissance Stakes at the Curragh last September, before following up four weeks later when landing the Group 3 Bengough Stakes at Ascot, beating the reliable yardstick Genki by three-quarters of a length. Those looking for Royal Ascot tips would have been impressed.

Johnny Murtagh appears to have struck up a tremendous understanding with the filly and was on board once again when she made her return to action at Leopardstown at the end of last month, quickening up well having been held up at the rear of the field to sweep by the Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite Zoffany to land the Group 3 Ballycorus Stakes with plenty in hand. That effort appears to have convinced Charles O’Brien that the Sue Magnier-owned filly is ready to step up into the highest grade, and all concerned are looking forward to see her tackling the likes of Delegator, Star Witness, and Bated Breath in the Group 1 contest on the final day of the royal fixture.

Bookmakers appear to have plenty of respect for Bewitched and she is currently joint-fourth favourite for the six furlong contest at a best priced 12/1 in the Ascot betting.

Delegator, winner of the Duke of York Stakes last month is the 5/1 market leader, Australian sprinter Star Witness can be backed at 8/1, whilst Roger Charlton’s hugely progressive Bated Breath is available at 9/1.

By the time the two top juvenile colts in Europe went head-to-head in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket last October, Dream Ahead was almost certainly ‘over the top’ and ran a long way below expectation as Frankel duly won in style, beating subsequent Irish 2000 Guineas winner Roderic O’Connor. Simcock has admitted that he should not have run his stable star in that encounter but felt pressurised by the public clamour to see the two young stars take each other on and gave in.

This term the Newmarket handler has been admirably patient, refusing to let the son of Diktat run on account of the fast ground. With some rain now forecast for the Ascot region in the week leading up to the big race, it seems possible that Dream Ahead might well begin his 2011 campaign by having a crack at Frankel, an outstanding six-length winner of the 2000 Guineas at HQ at the end of April. Those looking at the Royal Ascot odds will be very excited by this prospect.

The winner of a Nottingham maiden on his debut last term, Dream Ahead then stepped up massively in grade and produced a tremendous performance to win the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville last August, beating Tin Man, who last month went on to land the French 2000 Guineas. In October Simcock’s charge destroyed a high-class field to win the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes by a stunning nine lengths, before being brought back just two weeks later to take on Frankel.

Now, reportedly working in great style, Simcock hopes his patience will be rewarded and that Dream Ahead can begin to make up for lost time this term. He is offered at around 33/1 for the St James’s Palace Stakes in a market that revolves solely around Frankel, currently a red-hot 3/10 favourite.

Coolmore has come to dominate the world of high-class thoroughbred breeding over the last decade and more, specifically thanks to having two outstanding sires in the 2001 English and Irish Derby winner Galileo, and Montjeu, winner of the 1999 French Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Both have proven themselves to be exceptional sires and both have leading contenders running to uphold the family honour in Saturday’s big race and anyone placing Derby bets has to pay them close attention.

Galileo’s most obvious chance of siring this year’s Derby winner comes in the shape of Seville (6/1), who ran a sound race when second to current ante-post favourite Carlton House in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York last time out. The extra two furlongs of the Derby should be very much to his liking. Although he is expected to go instead for the French Derby on June 6, Roderic O’Connor (16/1) is still in the official list of Derby runners and the recent Irish 2000 Guineas winner would be a fascinating contender if there is any last-minute change of plan. Treasure Beach (25/1) and Nathaniel (40/1), first and second in the Chester Vase last month, also represent Galileo.

Montjeu’s best chance appears to lie with French raider Pour Moi, a solidly backed 7/2 second favourite, whilst Recital (5/1) winner of the Group 2 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial last time out is another leading contender. Goodwood winner Masked Marvel (25/1) will also represent Montjeu on what could well prove to be a red-letter day for the Coolmore team.

The Shamardal colt raced on the heels of the front-running winner on Saturday but couldn’t quicken with the Ballydoyle colt from the two furlong from home marker, Prendergast being adamant that his charge found the ground far too fast and wasn’t letting himself down on the surface. In the circumstances his trainer insists that Dunboyne Express ran a fair race and so has decided to wait and see before making a decision as to whether or not to take his chance at Epsom, a race for which connections have already paid an £8000 supplementary fee at the second declaration stage. Those following the Epsom Derby 2011 betting would have raised an eyebrow at this.

Dunboyne Express was one of the top European juveniles of last season, making a winning debut at Leopardstown last June when beating the smart Master of Hounds by a short-head over seven furlongs. He then dropped back a furlong in trip for his second outing when slamming another Ballydoyle horse Samuel Morse by an impressive eight lengths to land the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh, before finishing fifth to Casamento at Doncaster in October in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy.

A comfortable success in the three-runner Group 3 Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial Stakes in late-March suggested that Dunboyne Express had trained on well enough and all concerned with the colt believe that he will stay much further than a mile and be ideally suited by a decent surface. Even those who keep track of the Royal Ascot odds will have some doubts about this though.

Bookmakers have a range of opinions about the prospects of a Dunboyne Express Derby bid, the shortest odds on offer being just 25/1, whilst some firms have now dismissed his chance and make him a 66/1 shot.

Given a great ride by the winning trainer’s son Joseph, who displayed maturity well beyond his 17 years, the Ballydoyle colt made every yard of the running as his teenage rider dictated the pace, gradually winding things up from the half-mile pole and pinching enough of a lead on his field to place himself out of the reach of the Richard Hughes-ridden runner-up, who arguably was given a little too much to do.

Second to Frankel on his penultimate start as a juvenile when chasing Henry Cecil’s subsequent 2000 Guineas winner home in the Dewhurst Stakes at HQ, before going to land a Group 1 success of his own in the Criterium International at Saint Cloud at the end of the term, Roderic O’Connor was a bitter disappointment in the Newmarket 2000 Guineas when he was a beaten horse before halfway after trying to give vain pursuit to Frankel for the first three furlongs. Those following the Epsom Derby odds wouldn’t have been impressed by his performance.

O’Brien suggested that his charge had suffered stage fright and blown up after just a couple of furlongs and he certainly appeared to be a completely different horse at the Curragh where he well and truly reversed the form with Dubawi Gold who had finished some 32-lengths ahead of him last time out.

Connections are now mulling a crack at the Investec Derby and bookmakers have reacted by slashing the son of Galileo to as short as 12/1 in places (from 33s), although he also has an alternative engagement in the French equivalent at Chantilly.

Many observers had already noted that al Zarooni has achieved much since he was given charge of many of Godolphin’s leading lights, and there will be those who might well suggest that this massive success could see a further depletion in the number and quality of horses being sent to bin Suroor, whose star has arguably been on the wane for a number of seasons.

Blue Bunting was expected to come on for the outing and has always been viewed by connections more as an Epsom Oaks filly, so her victory in the first fillies’ classic of the 2011 season augurs very well for her chance in the mile-and-a-half contest at the Surrey track on June 3, a race for which she has been slashed in the horse racing odds from a general price of 25/1 to a best price of 10/3 favourite.

At the rear of the 18-runner field for much of the contest, Blue Bunting (16/1) only started to improve her position under Frankie Dettori at the two furlong from home marker after which the daughter of Dynaformer came storming alone up the stands rail and led inside the last 75 yards before winning going away from Aidan O’Brien’s Together (33/1), and John Gosden’s Maqaasid (22/1).

Dettori confirmed that Blue Bunting was only hitting full stride in the latter part of the contest and the hugely popular Italian is convinced she will be even more of a force to be reckoned with over the extra half-mile of the Epsom Oaks trip.

A race that has thrown up a number of winners who went on to prove themselves Group class performers, this year’s renewal may well be no exception as Sikeeb won in the manner of a horse who is some way ahead of his current handicap mark of 86 and who potentially could hold his own at a much higher level and those following the Ascot odds should bear this in mind.

The three-year-old Alhaarth colt had shown decent form last term, following his debut second in a Newmarket conditions race with a one-length defeat of the subsequently useful Doctor Green in a Goodwood maiden over six furlongs last May. Not seen again until tackling softish ground for the first time when running in the hugely competitive Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy (where he failed to handle the ground and finished down the field), Sikeeb has certainly done well from two to three years and looked the part in the parade ring prior to the Newbury race.

After taking a while to get into full stride, Robinson produced his mount with a steady run to lead at the furlong pole, after which he lengthened in impressive fashion to draw easily away from his rivals to record a two-and-three-quarter-length victory over Richard Hannon’s Attracted To You. Sikeeb looks just the right type for the one mile Brittania Handicap at Royal Ascot in mid-June, and I would not be in the least bit surprised to see him holding his own in pattern company before the season is out.