MARK JOHNSTON holds a strong hand for this afternoon's Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup with both Royal Rebel and Darasim worthy of support.

Johnston has won the UK's most prestigious staying Flat race three times over the past nine years. Double Trigger's memorable 1995 success set the standard, while much more recently Royal Rebel followed-up with brilliant back-to-back victories in 2001 and 2002.

Injury prevented the Peter Savill-owned gelding bidding to retain his crown last year, however now fully recovered and raring to go, Royal Rebel has enjoyed a trouble-free preparation this time round.

He's likely to go off at around 12-1 and each-way stakes are recommended along with Darasim (4.20), currently trading at much bigger odds of 25-1.

All the pre-race hype for the £241,000 contest has surrounded defending champion Mr Dinos and Godolphin's Papineau, the pair having fought out a thrilling finale to the Henry 11 Stakes at Sandown in May.

But beware, because in the presence of Darasim I sniff the scent of an upset for the two-and-a-half-mile thriller. Joe Fanning knows his mount really well and even though the combination won a Group 2 two-miler in Germany last time out, the ground was only good that day and Fanning feels his charge is ideally suited by today's much quicker surface.

With Johnston's duo both going off at decent prices, I'll be backing them each-way, together with a reverse forecast should they, by some miracle, fill the first two places, a feat achieved by Double Trigger and his full brother, Double Eclipse, in that memorable battle for the 1996 Goodwood Cup.

All-in-all the Middleham trainer could be in for a sparkling day, although bearing in mind Double Obsession (25-1) beat his better-fancied stable companions, Riyadh (14-1) and Mana d'Argent (12-1) in the Ascot Stakes on Tuesday, arguably the best policy is simply to back all of Johnston's runners.

A couple of prime examples are to be found in the King George V Stakes, in which Johnston fields Etmaam, Asiatic and Golden Quest, plus the closing Brittania Stakes, when Johnston is double-handed with Parkview Love and Master Marvel.

My nap for the entire meeting was always going to be Etmaam (4.20), who has been progressing nicely of late, including at York's weekend fixture, where he came with a withering late run to collar Kieren Fallon aboard the hot-favourite Motive.

The downside of the success was the 7lb penalty he picked up, however very much to his advantage is the extra furlong-and-a-half he has to travel today, which seems certain to bring about significant improvement.

I'm also sweet on the booking of Darryll Holland, whose never-say-die style of riding should suit Etmaam, since on all past evidence the superbly bred son of Intikab needs plenty of stoking.

As far as the Brittania is concerned, Master Marvel (5.30) comes out top of most sets of commercial speed ratings, due in no small part to his impressive triumph in one of the hottest one-mile handicaps of the year, run at the Newmarket Guineas' meeting.

I'll be on duty at Ripon for the Beaumont Insurance Ladies Derby, a race in which Royal Axminster is fancied to carpet his rivals. Royal Axminster showed his turn was near when chasing home Shape Up in an almost identical event at Newmarket late last month