Rakti, rated by trainer Michael Jarvis as the best horse he has trained and by jockey Philip Robinson as the best horse he has ridden, promises to take centre-stage on the opening day of the Royal Ascot at York meeting.

Tomorrow is the day when the talking stops and the action starts, and Rakti has all the credentials to take top-spot in the £250,000 Queen Anne Stakes - provided he's on his best behaviour.

For all his enormous talent, the six-year-old can occasionally prove to be his own worst enemy by getting too wound-up and pulling like the proverbial express train.

Such antics have cost him dearly in the past but when he remains calm he is a truly outstanding performer, as he showed last month on his seasonal reappearance in the Lockinge Stakes, where he hacked-up by five lengths.

Winner of the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot last year, Rakti will take the world of beating tomorrow as he bids to add another Group 1 victory to his roll of honour. Provided he remains cool and calm, he should collect.

The St James's Palace Stakes is tomorrow's other Group 1 showpiece race and, in what promises to be a cracker, Irish challenger Indesatchel is selected to hold sway over the Godolphin pair, Shamardal and Dubawi.

With Frankie Dettori suspended, Sheriff Hutton's Kevin Darley gets the mount on Shamardal, the winner of the French 2,000 Guineas and the French Derby this season.

Darley won the Dewhurst Stakes on the colt last season when he was trained by Mark Johnston.

My worry about Shamardal, however, is that tomorrow's race is only nine days after his latest success, and with Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Dubawi having had only ten days to recover from his leg-weary third to Motivator in the Vodafone Derby, both horses might not be at their peak.

Consequently, Indesatchel, trained in Ireland by David Wachman, gets my vote. He was only a head behind Shamardal in last month's French '2,000' after not enjoying the run of the race, which the winner did.

The tables, I feel, will now be turned, with Indesatchel, previously a three-times winner this season, coming out on top under Jamie Spencer.

Speed will be at a premium in the King's Stand Stakes over one of the fastest five-furlong courses in the country. With no outstanding runner in the line-up, it might be worth looking for a value bet in this Group 2 contest.

My tip is Striking Ambition, who went off too fast and failed to last home over six furlongs in the Duke Of York Stakes last month.

He has the pace to mix it with five-furlong horses and promises to be tempting each-way value in a field which includes last year's winner The Tatling, a horse with obvious claims once more.

Northern trainers have excellent prospects in the opening Coventry Stakes with Kevin Ryan (Amadeus Wolf), Bryan Smart (Sir Xaar) and Howard Johnston (Masta Plasta) facing the starter. Of the three, I marginally favour Masta Plasta, who was hugely impressive at Newcastle last time out.

Tuesday's tips:

Royal Ascot at York

2.30 Masta Plasta, 3.05 Striking Ambition, 3.45 Indesatchel, 4.20 Rakti, 4.55 Contact Dancer (Nap), 5.30 Championship Point.

Carlisle

2.15 Outlook, 2.50 Toshi, 3.25 Pepper Road, 4.00 Colonial Girl, 4.35 The Old Soldier, 5.10 Toni Alcala.

Tomorrow's other race meetings are at Herefore (evening, National Hunt) and Newton Abbot (evening, National Hunt).

Tom O'Ryan's Nap for today's racing is: Cyber Santa (6.45 at Warwick).

Updated: 10:40 Monday, June 13, 2005