Queen Anne Stakes

The meeting traditionally opens with the Queen Anne Stakes, named after the monarch who built the track in 1711, and it is impossible to imagine a more dramatic curtain-raiser than today´s race at 15.30 CET. Canford Cliffs (Richard Hannon/ Richard Hughes) against Goldikova (Freddie Head/Olivier Peslier)! The best British miler against the French champion and world record-holder (13 Group One races already won and the 14th possibly due today). The French mare is unbeaten in two starts in Britain, including this race last year when she held off Pako Boy, Canford Cliffs´stable companion; in fact poor Paco Boy raced against Goldikova 4 times last season and was beaten every time, so connections know what a stiff task they face. However they reckon that Canford Cliffs is better than Paco Boy, and to his advantage is the fact that he is unbeaten at Royal Ascot, having win the Coventry at 2 and the St. James´s Palace last year. He has won his last four races, including the Group O ne Lockinge last time, but that was a weak renewal and he has not yet faced Goldikova, who never knows when she is beaten and will be accompanied by pacemaker Flash Dance (Mikael Barzalona).

It is impossible to make a case for any of the others - unless the ground comes up really soft, which would suit neither of them. However the ground conditions, as far as one can tell, should be ideal for Goldikova, while Canford Cliffs would probably like it even faster. The same goes for Cape Blanco (Aidan O´Brien/ Jamie Spencer), winner of the 2010 Irish Derby, but running over this trip for the first time since his 2yo days. Cityscape (Roger Charlton/ Ryan Moore) and Rio de la Plata (Saeed bin Suroor/ Frankie Dettori) are the ones who would benefit if the ground turned really soft.

We expect to see Goldikova lead into the final furlong with Canford Cliffs in pursuit. What happens then is the big question -it could be a tame finish, with one of them winning easily, or it could be the race of the century- we hope the latter and we hope to see the French mare come out victorious.