Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1)

(Published – 07.40, June 19) – This great race well and truly revolves around one horse,CRACKSMAN. If he is at his best then the others really do have their work cut out. Frankie Dettori’s mount is a special racehorse when at the top of his game, as we saw over this course and distance last October when he slammed Poet’s Word by seven lengths in the Group 1 Qipco Champion Stakes. He looked very good as well on his seasonal return when hacking up in the Group 1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp from a high quality field, but was below-par and looked beaten at Epsom earlier this month in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes, only to somehow find enough to reel in the enterprisingly-ridden Salouen, saving punters’ bacon in the process.

Clearly Cracksman was not at his best at Epsom and had a hard race than anticipated – hardly an ideal preparation for this tougher challenge – but, on balance, it is hard to oppose him on the assumption he is back on his ‘A’ game.

Poet’s Word is officially rated 11lb inferior to Cracksman and has plenty of ground to make up on their Champion Stakes form. Sir Michael Stoute’s colt is a very smart performer in his own right though, and after running a fine race to chase home Hawkbill in the Dubai Sheema Classic in Meydan in March, he won with plenty in hand in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown last time out. If the Epsom race has left its mark on Cracksman, James Doyle’s mount may well be the one to take advantage.

It's a tenth success in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes for Sir Michael Stoute and a fifth for Ryan Moore as Poet's Word is too good for his four rivals @Sandownpark.

Results ➡️ https://t.co/7iJOPsvjqx pic.twitter.com/JqY9FYhwqz

— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) May 24, 2018

Hawkbill was beaten 25 lengths by Cracksman at Epsom last time. He didn’t look himself that day and clearly didn’t run his race, but even in top form he would find this tough, and it’s hard to see the addition of first-time blinkers making enough of a difference. Eminent, a close fourth in last year’s Derby and a brave third in the Group 1 Qipco Irish Champion Stakes, ran a shocker at Chester last time. That was too bad to be true, but he needs to take a big step forward to figure.

Aidan O’Brien’s classy Cliffs of Moher, runner-up in last year’s Derby, ran second to stable companion Lancaster Bomber in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last month and has place prospects, while Desert Encounter and French raider Royal Julius appear to fall short of the required standard.