KELTOS served notice that he is the prince waiting to be crowned king of the milers when he turned Saturday's Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes at Newbury into a procession under Olivier Peslier.
Trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias in France, the almost white Keltos was in a different league to his rivals in the final furlong of the group one contest, eventually scoring by three-and-a-half lengths and one-and-a-half from Noverre and Olden Times.
Owner Gary Tanaka pointed out that his charge had started favourite for the French 2,000 Guineas last season and done little wrong since being very unlucky in running in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last June.
The Japanese, who spends much of his time in the United States and England, and has a house in Kingston, said: "I think we'll do the same as last year's winner (Medicean) and head straight for the Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal meeting.
"It bothers me that he will have to carry his group one penalty in the race and, for me, the Queen Anne should hold group one status.
"He's probably a late-maturing horse and that augers well for later in the year when we'll be looking at the Sussex Stakes, the Breeders' Cup Mile in Chicago and a race at Woodbine."
A stewards inquiry into to separate cases of interference in the final furlong revealed that runner-up Noverre tried to take a bite at the winner. It is now likely that Noverre, who has worn the device previously, will be equipped with a net muzzle on his next start.
It has taken Henry Cecil a while to find his feet this season but the victory of High Pitched in the Grundon Stakes brought a fresh spring to the trainer's step.
The colt demoralised his opponents to score by seven lengths from Warrsan to tee himself up for a crack at either the Hardwicke Stakes or the Ascot Gold Cup.
Cecil faces a poser in that High Pitched does not enjoy going down to the start and had to be backed on to the course by Richard Quinn on this occasion. Quinn will have to employ the same tactics at the Royal meeting.
The jockey enthused of his mount: "The last time I won this race was on Snurge and I hope this fellow can follow in his foorsteps.
"The problems with the start have always been there. It's a quirk and I've known a lot of talented horses to have those! As long as I'm allowed the time to get him to post it's not a concern to me, because in the race itself he's fine."
We might have seen one of the Royal Ascot two-year-old winners take the opening Racing Review Magazine Maiden Stakes, as it is hard not to be wholly impressed at the way Richard Hannon's Cap Ferrat came from last to first under Darryll Holland to score going away from Kawagino.
Owners the Waney Racing Group are hoping Cap Ferrat, a son of Robellino, enjoys more luck in running in the Coventry Stakes than their runner last year, Redback.
The feature of Friday's card was the Swettenham Stud Fillies' Trial Stakes in which Monturani could be named the winner early in the long straight. Clear at the distance, Monturani was good value for her length-and-a-quarter winning margin over Protectress.
Geoff Wragg will now point Monturani at the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, rather than fork out the £20,000 necessary to supplement her into the Vodafone Oaks.
Henry Cecil was delighted with Protectress, who is a definite runner at Epsom and makes plenty of appeal at current odds of around 14-1.
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