Hawk Wing can play a starring role on Ascot's superb programme tomorrow by clinching the featured £250,000 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt, runner-up in both the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby, has since won the Eclipse at Sandown before being short-headed by Grandera in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on his latest start.

Hawk Wing is strongly fancied to gain compensation for that slender defeat tomorrow, and again confirm his superiority over Best Of The Bests, who finished a neck behind him at Leopardstown.

Although O'Brien also declared Rock Of Gibraltar for tomorrow's race, Sir Alex Ferguson's record-breaking colt is not expected to face the starter, while Gossamer will also be an absentee unless there is substantial rain in the meantime, which is unlikely.

O'Brien's Tipperary stable can also carry off the £120,000 Hackney Empire Royal Lodge Stakes with Van Nistelrooy.

A massive $6.4million yearling purchase, this son of Woodman lost his unbeaten record to Refuse To Bend in the Group 1 National Stakes at The Curragh recently. But that race was run at a messy gallop and Van Nistelrooy was rather marooned on the outside of the field. He can get back on top here.

Sir Michael Stoute, in second place behind O'Brien in the trainers' championship, can get his name on the scoreboard, courtesy of Rainbow Queen in the Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile.

An easy winner at Warwick on her debut, this daughter of Dazzle, a former classy Stoute performer, is clearly held in high regard.

She should take plenty of beating under Kieren Fallon and is awarded the nap vote.

Malhub, runner-up to Kyllachy in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York and pipped on the post by Invincible Spirit in the Haydock Sprint Cup, can get his just rewards in the £100,000 Brunswick Diadem Stakes.

Richard Hills again has the mount on this high-class sprinter, a previous winner over this course and distance.

The Tote Trifecta Handicap, worth £75,000, offers Mark Johnston's Mister Cosmi, the mount of Kevin Darley, and a winner in Germany last time out, an excellent chance of bagging a major prize.

North Yorkshire has another string to its bow on this important card, through Lady Bear, who represents Richard Fahey's Butterwick stable in the £32,000 Kleenex Tissues Rosemary Rated Handicap.

Winner of a competitive event at Ayr last Saturday, Lady Bear is on course for next weekend's Cambridgeshire Handicap, but is not certain to beat the safety limit in that nine-furlongs dash.

Victory tomorrow, and the ensuing penalty she would earn, would guarantee her a place in the Newmarket field, so plenty is riding on this event.

At Haydock, Undeterred makes plenty of appeal in the Akzo Nobel Holdings Handicap.

David Nicholls' six-year-old would have gone close to winning last week's Ayr Silver Cup, had his saddle not slipped approaching the final furlong when he was challenging for the lead. He is worth another chance.

Also worth noting at Haydock are the progressive Strathspey (1-20) and the promising Makam (2-50).

Tomorrow's tips:

ASCOT: 2-00 Van Nistelrooy, 2-35 Rainbow Queen (nap), 3-05 Malhub, 3-40 Mister Cosmi, 4-20 Hawk Wing, 4-55 Lady Bear, 5-30 Hawkwind.

HAYDOCK: 1-20 Strathspey, 1-50 Passing Glance, 2-20 Undeterred, 2-50 Makam, 3-20 Prairie Falcon, 3-50 Theatre Time.

Updated: 12:02 Friday, September 27, 2002