MARK JOHNSTON'S love affair with Royal Ascot began with Double Trigger's pulsating success in the 1995 Gold Cup - an unforgettable victory which has since led to a string of big-race wins for the unstoppable Middleham trainer at the world's most prestigious horse racing festival.

And over the next five days Johnston bids to uphold his fabulous record at the Royal meeting, but he admits last year's mind-boggling four-timer is going to be a massively hard act to follow.

"The competition at Royal Ascot is so unbelievably tough just getting one winner on the board is the aim, everything else is a bonus. Coming home at the end of the week with a blank scoresheet is the thing I dread most," revealed Mark.

Fortunately that particular scenario appears most unlikely as the Master of Kingsley House has assembled one of his strongest-ever squads (see panel) for this week's star-studded fixture.

For the record, the 2002 roll of honour together with win prize-money reads as follows: Royal Rebel (Gold Cup, £127,600), Zindabad (Hardwicke Stakes, £84,680),

Systematic (King Edward V Handicap, £31,900), plus Helm Bank (Chesham Stakes, £23,200).

To put into perspective the scale of that achievement one must consider the strength of the opposition supplied by the likes of Aidan O'Brien, Godolphin, Sir Michael Stoute, Richard Hannon and Mick Channon, all of whom having been priming their respective big guns for this week's re-match. But fear of his rivals has never played a part in Johnston's mindset, dubbed "Braveheart" by many commentators, his horses are seemingly always at their peak when nothing short of sheer courage is called for in the heat of battle.

The point was immortalised by Royal Rebel's second successive win in the 2002 Gold Cup, because despite looking totally cooked with a furlong still to travel in the two-and-a-half-mile lung-buster, he somehow rolled back off the ropes to get his head back in front just centimetres from the line.

"It's so sad that injury has prevented Royal Rebel from returning to try and retain his crown for a third year running," explained Mark. "Our season has turned out amazingly well seeing as we were initially floored by the early setbacks to some of the yard's other leading lights including Systematic, Scott's View, Sir George Turner, Legal Approach and Akbar," he added.

Things have indeed turned out nicely for Johnston's 180-strong string, already nearing the sixty winner mark for the current campaign, bang on course for a never-before-achieved tenth successive domestic century. Passing Hency Cecil's nine tons on the bounce (1984-1992) has become the central focus of Mark's near frightening will to win. First though, there is work to be done at the world's most famous and illustrious racing event.

Let's hope by the end of the week it's hats off for Johnston and his all-conquering team. Meanwhile, bring on the horses and let the show begin.

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