Rakti established himself as the best older horse in Europe with a convincing victory in the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.

Formerly trained in Italy, where he won the 2002 Italian Derby, the 5-year-old son of Polish Precedent has improved steadily since being turned over to Michael Jarvis by owner Gary Tanaka. Second to Nayef in the Prince of Wales last year when he suffered an injury, Rakti later won the Champion Stakes before chasing home Falbrav, who also started his career in Italy, in the Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin.

Thursday's Ascot Gold Cup at 2 1/2 miles will be a battle royale among the best stayers from England, Ireland, France, and Japan.

The Group 1, $410,000 marathon will be a test for French invader Westerner, whose three-race winning streak was stopped by Forestier in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Longchamp on May 23. Westerner, the winner of last October's 2 1/2-mile Group 1 Prix du Cadran, will have Gerald Mosse on board for the first time.

Refuse to Bend returned to form as a 12-1 longshot when he beat back the challenges of three top-rated fillies to win the Group 1, $455,000 Queen Anne Stakes on opening day at Royal Ascot Tuesday.

The winner of last year's 2000 Guineas when he was trained by Dermot Weld, Refuse to Bend had flopped in the Dubai Duty Free and the Lockinge Stakes since being bought by Godolphin Racing. His winning margin over the filly Soviet Song was just a neck, and the Breeders' Cup Mile winner, Six Perfections, failed for the second time in a row, coming home sixth as the 5-2 favorite.

Rakti rates a slight edge over Sulamani in Royal Ascot's Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes on Wednesday when both 5-year-olds will make their belated seasonal debuts.

Carrying a value of $635,000, the 1 1/4-mile Prince of Wales has been won in recent years by Dubai Millennium and Fantastic Light. First prize is $369,000.

Latice overcame a difficultdraw to win the Group 1 classic Prix de Diane at Chantilly to extend her perfect record to 4 for 4.

Latice, the 9-5 favorite, broke from post 17 in a field of 17 fillies in the $605,000 French Oaks and was still 15th entering the three-furlong stretch. Despite drifting in at the furlong pole, she rallied under Christophe Soumillon to lead 150 yards from the line and defeat Millionaia by three quarters of a length with the Gary Stevens-ridden Grey Lilas third, another half length back.

Royal Ascot begins its prestigious five-day meeting on Tuesday with a pair of Group 1 miles that will highlight the talents of Breeders' Cup Mile winner Six Perfections and 2000 Guineas champ Haafhd.

Something will have to give at Chantilly on Sunday when the best gathering of 3-year-old fillies seen this year will go in the Prix de Diane, or French Oaks.

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Ghost track. It stands empty at the top of a hill a few miles south of central Yokohama, its three ivy-covered towers looming in stark relief on the horizon. Crows, cackling and fearless, fly irregular patrols overhead as if to warn unwitting intruders that the grandstand at the long derelict Negishi Racetrack is strictly off limits. To all, that is, except the spirits of the horses and jockeys who once made this eerie ruin the leading racecourse in Imperial Japan.

Russian Rhythm was withdrawn from the Queen Anne Stakes at Thursday's five-day entry stage, thus denying opening-day fans at Royal Ascot next Tuesday a chance to see her run against the top French fillies Six Perfections and Nebraska Tornado.

Gary Stevens's appeal of the 20-day suspension he received from the stewards at the Capannelle in Rome on May 31 has resulted in a postponement of the ban until a hearing on June 24.

The decision of the stewards frees Stevens to ride in Sunday's French Oaks as well as at Royal Ascot next week.