STEERING punters towards winners at Royal Ascot is never an easy task, but let's hope Tillerman can put us on the right course in the opening Group 2 Queen Anne Stakes.

Paddock viewers will hardly be able to miss Amanda Perrett's giant six-year-old, who will almost certainly tower over the majority of his rivals.

Not surprisingly, though, it takes more than sheer size and strength in order to lift such a prestigious prize - previous track and trip form is much more important in the search for success at the Royal meeting.

And using that basis as the fulcrum of the argument, it's a fact that Tillerman (2.30) nearly always reserves his very best efforts for the testing straight course at the historic Berkshire venue.

Twelve months ago he finished fourth in the six furlong Cork & Orrery Stakes and in the eyes of many was a dreadfully unlucky loser having failed to obtain a clear run at the half-way stage of the race.

For all of his natural brilliance, jockey Richard Hughes needed a helicopter to get Tillerman out of the ruck that day and needless to say when the pair finally did see daylight the leaders had already gleefully waved bye-bye.

Thankfully similar complications are not nearly so likely to occur over today's distance of a mile since the field have a couple of furlongs more in order to sort themselves out.

Tillerman was also a massively impressive scorer on his seasonal reappearance at Leicester earlier this month, further evidence of his well being in preparation for this shot at the big-time.

It's going to be impossible trying to keep Aidan O'Brien out of the winners' circle this week, the Irish wizard possessing even more firepower than the mighty Godolphin.

O'Brien has two, Rock Of Gibraltar (3.45) and Landseer, entered in the feature event on the card, the £250,000 Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes. The former, winner of both the English and Irish 2,000 Guineas, just getting the nod in the colours of Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.

It must have been a bitter pill for Rock Of Gibraltar's jockey Mick Kinane to swallow after Johnny Murtagh beat him on High Chaparral in the Epsom Derby. Kinane got it wrong by choosing Hawk Wing that day and in truth there's no guarantee he's picked right this time because in the guise of the high-class Landseer, Murtagh has a magnificent ride to look forward to.

Twelve months ago fans of this column who availed themselves of the 10-1 nap selection Takamaka Bay went home very happy indeed after Mark Johnston's gelding did the business in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes.

Confidence in Takamaka Bay (4.55) isn't anything like as high this time as his preparation "has been slightly rushed" according to Johnston. Nonetheless the five-year-old will be fitter for a recent spin at Epsom and is at least worth an each-way punt.

Another northern raider with definite each-way prospects is the David Nicholls- trained, Fire Up The Band (5.30).

Having been badly squeezed not long after leaving the stalls the selection did brilliantly to finish a close third in the William Hill Trophy at York on Saturday.

Clearly on top of his game the Sessay-based handler boldly whips his improving three-year-old again, although it's dead unfortunate for his regular partner Adrian Nicholls, who is suspended and has to make way for super-sub Ollie Pears, having his first ever ride at the Royal fixture.

Thirsk cannot hope to compete with the star-studded action down south, however for the nap we do go to the North Yorkshire track and side with the promising three-year-old Purring (5.40) in the Sinclair Maiden Auction Stakes

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