Four for Royal Ascot: Darrell Williams

I will start with the week’s banker in HIGHFIELD PRINCESS in the King’s Stand Stakes, whose recent runner-up effort in the same Duke Of York Stakes that she won last year, before notching up a Group 1 hat-trick, suggesting she is back to her peak. Her mares’ allowance comfortably puts her ahead on the numbers and makes her the one they all have to beat.

Charlie Hills is the trainer to note in the Royal Hunt Cup and while WANEES hasn’t fired in two starts this term, he is worth persevering with here at a juicy price, especially with the extra place terms on offer. Off a similar mark to last year’s stable winner Dark Shift, he handled the track well when sixth in last year’s Britannia.

Raced only twice since claiming the Gold Cup two years ago, the market should be offering more respect to SUBJECTIVIST as he bids to regain his staying crown. A promising placed effort in the Dubai Gold Cup last time was encouraging, and he remains the class act in the race.

After a highly taking run to finish second in the Derby, KING OF STEEL should take all the beating in the King Edward VII Stakes. Still lightly raced, the merits of his Epsom effort should not be underestimated, and a lucrative season awaits the Roger Varian-trained colt.

HIGHFIELD PRINCESS (King’s Stand Stakes, 3.40 Tuesday)
WANEES (Royal Hunt Cup, 5.00 Wednesday)
SUBJECTIVIST (Gold Cup, 4.20 Thursday)
KING OF STEEL (King Edward VII Stakes, 3.05 Friday)