By Daithi Harvey
The highlight of Wednesday's card at Royal Ascot, the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. over ten furlongs has attracted a field of nine with recent G1 Coronation Cup winner Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) back out in search of a sixth Group 1 triumph. They don't come tougher than this 5-year-old and he overcame transport problems last time at Epsom, arriving a little over an hour before the race, but shrugged off any such inconvenience to register a comprehensive success over Godolphin's Frontiersman (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Godolphin provide a serious opponent on Wednesday through the lightly raced Jack Hobbs (GB) (Halling). The John Gosden trained 5-year-old overcame a long absence to win the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March, a race in which Highland Reel finished in rear so it will be fascinating to see the pair lock horns again. Scottish (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) last seen running second in the G1 Caulfield Cup in Australia also represents Godolphin for Charlie Appleby while further home team defense is provided by Roger Charlton's recent Curragh Group 1 winner Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Roger Varian's Nezwaah (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the Sir Michael Stoute trained pair of Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Queen's Trust (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Jean Claude Rouget's team has bounced back in no uncertain terms and he sends over Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea The Star {Ire}) whose last time defeat of Robin Of Navan (Fr) (American Post {GB}) in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan was boosted by that victim's weekend success in the G3 La Coupe Longines. The field is completed by the Ballydoyle second string Johannes Vermeer (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
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