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THE King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes always used to be the highlight of the turf flat season in Britain and indeed Europe as the classic generation pitted its wits against the older horses, but for the past 20-odd years it has seemingly played second fiddle to Arc in Paris in autumn.

Despite the late withdrawal of last year’s Epsom Derby hero, Desert Crown, this year’s renewal, due off at 3.40, harks back to the golden era of this race with 11 set to go to post.

With 17mm of rain from Wednesday night through to Thursday morning, the word “soft” is guaranteed to appear somewhere in the going description and that is certain to suit HUKUM who dismissed the 2022 Derby winner with utter disdain in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown Park in May.

Kept fresh since then, the recent rains are massively in his favour and it would be no surprise to see him challenge this year’s Derby winner, Auguste Rodin, for market leadership come race time.

The last named had to come under serious pressure to see off his stable mate Adelaide River in the Irish Derby. I still cannot understand why there hasn’t been much more of a furore about the way the runner-up was ridden with the words “very tenderly” coming to mind … it certainly didn’t look good on the eye. He remains open to more progress on only his eighth career start and looks sure to be in the mix, but he still strikes me as a horse that takes time to get rolling, and that wouldn’t be the best run style turning for home down the short Ascot stretch.

I feel that Westover has been underrated in the betting. That may be partly to do with his poor run in the race last year, but in a tactical contest 12 months ago he ran way too freely and there was simply nothing Colin Keane could do about it. I suspect regular partner Rob Hornby will try to get him settle in mid-div this time around and wind him up from three and a half furlongs out. That shouldn’t be a problem this time with the two O’Brien runners, Bolshoi Ballet and Point Lonsdale, likely to set a hot pace here.

Emily Upjohn returns to her best trip after a strong finishing second in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, while last year’s winner Pyledriver is up against a much deeper field here. That leaves King of Steel as a big player for many of you, but I am not so sure his win in the King Edward VII represents a level of form good enough to win this. Still, like his Derby conqueror he remains open to a significant level of improvement especially as he probably possesses more physical scope than the O’Brien champion.

If Roman Mist settles better than she did at the Royal Ascot meeting, she should run above her odds for Archie Watson in the Valiant Stakes at 2.25. But even then she may have to play second fiddle to Soprano and my each-way pick CRY FICTION.

Despite wining on her debut over six furlongs, that trip proved too sharp for the selection when she was stepped up in class for the Listed Empress Stakes at Newmarket when she only just got going when the rising ground came into play.

This stiff mile, allied to the easier ground should prove right up her street and I think that she will take a big step forward here.

The big betting race of the day is the International Handicap Stakes at 3.00 with 27 set to go to post over the seven furlongs.

Bunbury Cup winner Biggles has only got a small 3lbs penalty for that impressive Newmarket success, and looks sure to be involved as long as there isn’t a significant draw bias. But I love the booking of Kaiya Fraser who takes a hugely significant 5lbs off the back of former Victoria Cup winner VAFORTINO. Since that success in May 2022, the five-year-old has won off a mark of 101 and placed off 103 twice, both times here. Down to a rating of 97 here and with the ground very much in his favour I fancy a huge run if box number 12 doesn’t turn out to be a disadvantage. Of those drawn high against the stands’ side fence, Bopedro and Baradar (first time cheek pieces) make most appeal in the conditions.

As far as the rest of the Berkshire card is concerned, I fancy huge runs from the likes of SPIRIT CATCHER (4.50) and CALL ME GINGER off a light weight in the concluding five furlong handicap sprint at 5.25.

There are some very nice prizes up for grabs at York this afternoon, none more so than the Group Two York Stakes at 3.15 where a disappointing field of five are set to go to post headed by the likely tight favourite My Prospero. I think that the son of Iffraaj has been well below par this year even though both runs have come in the Group One company, but the much easier ground will certainly be a plus here and he is the biggest danger to ALFLAILA who is having his first run for fully 294 days, but has an excellent record when fresh.

Five from 12 in his career to date, he could still be open to some improvement and this could be a nice stepping stone to the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October.

Elsewhere at the Roman racecourse, SHOWALONG has solid each-way claims at a double figure price in the jump jockeys sprint handicap at 2.05, while I shall also be having a solid each-way play on CALDWELL in the two-mile handicap at 4.35.