Top horses, top jockeys and top hats come together this week to make Royal Ascot the most popular five-day festival in the Flat racing calendar.

Racegoers don't have to wait too long before getting into the swing of things because the first race today, the Queen Anne Stakes, is a cracking Group 1 contest with last year's winner Goldikova back to take on the Richard Hannon-trained Canford Cliffs.

The feature race today, and of the week, is the St James' Place Stakes at 3.45pm and all eyes will be on the mighty Frankel after his romp in the 2,000 Guineas.

Trained by Sir Henry Cecil and again ridden by Tom Queally, Frankel, unbeaten in six, is an exceptional talent and shouldn't be missed.

Although he is odds on to win and some bookmakers are pricing him up to break the track record, he has some smart horses in opposition including Dubawi Gold who was runner-up at Newmarket last time out.

And, with just under nine mm of rain falling on Sunday, Dream Ahead could be the value each-way bet in the race.

For the week, I believe the northern trained horses are very strong in depth, especially the two-year-olds, and I will be surprised and disappointed if there aren't a few winners along the way.

As always, Middleham trainer Mark Johnston is sure to be well represented and one of his best chances comes up in the Coventry Stakes at 4.25pm, with Fulbright.

A very impressive winner of the Woodcote Stakes on Derby day at Epsom, Fulbright will be ahead of the market but has got 22 rivals and dangers are the Richard Fahey-trained Gabrial and the Kevin Ryan inmate Brocklebank, who was such an impressive winner at York last time out.

Thursday has always been one of my favourite Royal Ascot days and hopefully that will continue as my nap of the week goes in the first race of the day, the Norfolk Stakes with the Kevin Ryan-trained Bapak Chinta.

The dogs were barking before this flying grey made his debut at Hamilton a month ago and he didn't disappoint coming home a ready winner, and looking like there was a lot more to come.

The form of that race has been boosted as the second home, Frederick Engels, won in a very fast time since at Musselburgh.

Ryan has had a vintage time with his two-year-olds this term and stable jockey Philip Makin is looking forward to getting back on Bapak Chinta, saying: "He's a class little horse. He looks like a two-year-old but rides like an old horse and he is totally professional, I will be shocked if he doesn't run a big race in the Norfolk."

The longest Group 1 of the week is the Ascot Gold Cup, also on Thursday, and a fantastic each-way bet in the line-up is Blue Bajan.

Trained in Nawton by rookie David O'Meara, Blue Bajan has only had a few starts for his trainer and a reproduction of his Sandown win last time should see him in the three at the very worst.