BARRING accidents Rakti (4.20) seems certain to clinch the £250,000 Queen Anne Stakes, easily the most valuable race on day one of Royal Ascot at York.

There's an authoritative school of thought currently promoting the theory that Rakti is the top miler in the world, an assertion that is hard to deny after the six-year-old shattered the eight-furlong course record at Newbury last month.

On that occasion his regular rider, Philip Robinson, soon had Rakti way out in front and in total command. A cursory glance over his shoulder at the furlong pole revealed the combination had a top-class field completely shot to bits, enabling Robinson and partner to coast home in splendid isolation.

That dazzling success came as no real surprise to students of form because the Michael Jarvis-trained entire is no stranger to high-profile victories. Last year for instance, he notched a magnificent brace of Group 1 Ascot triumphs in the Prince Of Wales' Stakes, plus the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, both times destroying his rivals with ruthless efficiency.

The only potential fly in the ointment revolves around the Rakti's flighty tendency to get himself revved up in the preliminaries, which means he sometimes ruins his prospects by pulling too hard and wasting vital energy in the early stages of his races.

It is a genuine worry and given that his odds are already going to be pretty skinny, punters thinking of taking a short price about Rakti ought at least to wait until he's safely at the start before investing their hard-earned cash.

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