BOOKMAKERS have unanimously inserted Canford Cliffs as favourite in his defining clash with Makfi in Saturday’s Sony-sponsored Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Bookmakers have unanimously inserted Canford Cliffs as favourite in his defining clash with Makfi in Saturday's Sony-sponsored Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

John Oxx has still to make a decision on the future for Arazan following his creditable comeback effort at the Curragh on Sunday.

ELEANORA Duse gave the Ballymacoll Stud their biggest success of the season when landing a narrow victory in the www.thetote.com Blandford Stakes at the Curragh yesterday.

Chrysanthemum proved a cut above when making a winning debut in the Flame Of Tara EBF Stakes at the Curragh.

AIDAN O’Brien’s highly-touted St Nicholas Abbey is a fascinating possible contender for the Diamond Stakes at Dundalk on October 1.

Aidan O’Brien’s highly-touted St Nicholas Abbey is a fascinating possible contender for the Diamond Stakes at Dundalk on October 1.

Connections of Steinbeck feel the colt may be on the way back up after winning at Killarney on Tuesday evening.

STEINBECK, having mixed it with the best without much success since the start of the campaign, outclassed the opposition in the Vincent O’Brien Ruby Stakes at Killarney last night.

FROM Saratoga in America to the county of Kerry is the road travelled by Steinbeck, the likely favourite for the featured Listed Vincent O’Brien Ruby Stakes at Killarney tonight.

FAMOUS Name powered to victory over Steinbeck in the Group 3 Jockey Club Of Turkey Meld Stakes at Leopardstown last night, the ninth career win for Khalid Abdullah’s classy five-year-old.

THE classy Famous Name can prove too strong for Steinbeck in the Group 3 Jockey Club Of Turkey Stakes at Leopardstown tonight.

Aidan O'Brien looks to have very strong claims of winning both Group races at Leopardstown on Thursday night.

WILLIAM Buick has needed to wait a while, but in this Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse he will finally get his second chance to ride Dar Re Mi.

TWICE Over heads the market for Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse with the sponsors as his trainer Henry Cecil bids for his first win in the race in over 30 years.

Dubai Sheema Classic winner Dar Re Mi features among 13 remaining entries in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday.

The form of the Aidan O’Brien stable has been a concern for punters all through the week of Royal Ascot but the performance of Age Of Aquarius, though beaten in yesterday’s Gold Cup, gives rise to some hope that his top horses can produce their best form on this stage.

AS Festival openers go, today’s first day of the Royal Ascot meeting exceeds with regal abandon.

Aidan O'Brien hopes Steinbeck has progressed enough to give Canford Cliffs a race in tomorrow's St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

THE three first three home in the 2000 Guineas are among a nine-strong line-up for the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot tomorrow.

OLIVIER Peslier is set to pick up an incredible spare ride aboard Makfi in next week’s St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, with his usual jockey Christophe Lemaire retained for Siyouni.

THE Prince of Wales’s Stakes has emerged a fascinating option for Fame And Glory after his stroll in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.

The Prince of Wales’s Stakes has emerged a fascinating option for Fame And Glory after his stroll in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.

Canford Cliffs, trained by Richard Hannon and ridden by Richard Hughes, won the Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh.

MALE and female, the Classic generation’s milers are the most difficult groups to get a handle on and it’s not certain that this weekend’s Guineas at the Curragh will make the picture all that much clearer. In today’s colts’ Classic, the talent is all at the top of the market but there are enough doubts about Canford Cliffs’ stamina and Steinbeck’s readiness to advise a watching brief.

CANFORD CLIFFS, despite obvious worries regarding his abilty to truly stay a stiff mile, gets the vote in the Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh this afternoon.

Aidan O’Brien is looking to see Jan Vermeer push his Investec Derby claims in the Airlie Stud Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

Steinbeck heads a six-strong team from the Aidan O’Brien stable in the Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

FRANK Ennis believes Sebastian Flyte is not a complete no-hoper in the Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

Ralph Beckett is looking forward to running Oasis Dancer in the Abu Dhabi Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

RICHARD Hannon has high hopes Canford Cliffs can give him a third Irish 2000 Guineas success at the Curragh on Saturday.

Richard Hannon has high hopes Canford Cliffs can give him a third Irish 2000 Guineas success at the Curragh on Saturday.

Clive Cox believes Xtension will be suited by the course when he goes for Classic glory in the Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

AIDAN O’BRIEN has moved to outline his StanJames.com Guineas plans – with a few notable exceptions.

Aidan O’Brien has moved to outline his StanJames.com Guineas plans – with a few notable exceptions.

AIDAN O’BRIEN’S St Nicholas Abbey, the incredibly impressive winner of the Racing Post Trophy and 100-30 favourite with the sponsors, was among the entries revealed yesterday for the StanJames.com 2000 Guineas.

SO now we know. Heading to Doncaster on Saturday, St Nicholas Abbey was no more than a promising colt.

Aidan O’Brien’s Beethoven caused an almighty shock in the Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

Jim Bolger's Chabal features among 15 runners declared for the Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

RIP VAN WINKLE delighted his connections in his latest workout ahead of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

JIM BOLGER’S Gold Bubbles is fancied to land the featured Listed Ballygallon Stud Stakes at the Curragh tonight.

Elaine Steinbeck, the former actress who married John Steinbeck and became a self-described ambassador of the Nobel laureate’s legacy, has died. She was 88.