IT IS very much heart versus head tomorrow as Royal Ascot gets underway.

Wootton Bassett, the pride and joy of Richard Fahey’s Malton yard, takes on the unbeaten Frankel, trained by the recently knighted Sir Henry Cecil, in the showpiece event, the £250,000 St James’s Palace Stakes.

Unbeaten last year in five outings and a Group 1 winner on his final start in France, Wootton Bassett finished fifth in the French 2,000 Guineas on his only outing this season and is considered better now by Fahey and stable-jockey Paul Hanagan.

It would be a truly fantastic triumph if the Musley Bank colt could clinch this prestigious Group 1 affair, but that is the heart talking and the head is saying it is impossible to get away from Frankel.

Not only was he an outstanding juvenile, Frankel has continued in similar vein this term.

Successful on his Newbury reapppearance in a race he was entitled to win easily, he then blitzed his rivals in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, going from the front and at such a pace that he had the race in the bag even before half-way.

Frankel is going to be extremely hard to beat. Tom Queally, as usual, has the mount.

The opening Queen Anne Stakes brings together France’s superstar mare, Goldikova, winner of this race last year, and Canford Cliffs, trained by Richard Hannon.

A fascinating battle is guaranteed, but the younger Canford Cliffs, a winner on the opening day of this meeting for the last two years, is fancied to have the edge over Goldikova, who is seeking a 14th Group 1 win.

In the King’s Stand Stakes, the best five furlong specialists in Europe and beyond do battle, and preference is for Sole Power, who proved his 100-1 Nunthorpe Stakes success on Knavesmire last August was no fluke when he won the Temple Stakes at Haydock last month.

The Coventry Stakes and Windsor Castle Stakes, tomorrow’s two juvenile races, have both attracted huge fields and look very difficult to solve.

Kevin Ryan and Fahey are strongly represented in both, but the Coventry vote tentatively goes to Mezmaar, trained by Barry Hills and a stylish winner at Haydock on his debut, where he started favourite after establishing a tall home reputation.

Nottinghamshire trainer David Brown has strong claims in the Windsor Castle with Frederick Engels.

After two rock-solid efforts in defeat, this speedy colt came good in convincing style at Musselburgh in a warm race. He looks to have more to offer and, coming from a small yard, is likely to start at more generous odds than he would had he come from a top stable.

The Ascot Stakes, over two and a half miles, was won last year by David Pipe with Junior. He might well do the double, but my vote goes to another jumping trainer, Nicky Henderson, with recent winner Veiled, the mount of Kieren Fallon.

At Thirsk, an eight-race card is on the menu, and Mick Easterby saddles a likely-looking winner in nap selection Risky Art (2.15), who looked a decent prospect in the making when winning on her debut at Carlisle last month.

Also worth noting is stable-mate We’ll Deal Again (5.15), who has finally begun to look more reliable, and Collect Art (5.50), who was only touched off in the dying strides at York on Saturday.

Racing selections

Royal Ascot

2.30 Canford Cliffs, 3.05 Sole Power, 3.45 Frankel, 4.25 Mezmaar, 5.00 Veiled, 5.35 Frederick Engels.

Thirsk

1.45 First Bid, 2.15 Risky Art (NAP), 2.50 Saint Thomas, 3.25 Elusive Sue, 4.05 Beckermet, 4.40 She’s A Character, 5.15 We’ll Deal Again, 5.50 Collect Art.

Tomorrow’s other meetings

Brighton and Newton Abbot.

Today’s meetings

Sedgefield, Warwick, Carlisle and Windsor.