Paco Boy will chase revenge in sparkling opening contest

Last year's winner Paco Boy proved a class apart from his rivals in the Lockinge Stakes and would trade as an odds-on favourite for the vast majority of recent Queen Annes.

The fact he sits only third in the betting highlights just how much quality is on show today, and he is out to gain revenge on both Rip Van Winkle and Goldikova.

Aidan O'Brien's Rip Van Winkle eventually lived up to his massive home reputation when connections decided to sidestep Sea The Stars last season, putting Paco Boy firmly in his place in the Sussex Stakes before taking the QEII.

However, he has been sidelined since flopping in the Breeders' Cup Classic, on a night when this afternoon's favourite Goldikova cemented her place in history with a second successive triumph in the Mile.

Freddie Head's superstar has swept virtually all before her in the last couple of years, with the first of a remarkable eight top-flight victories coming in the 2008 Prix du Moulin, where she had Paco Boy in arrears.

She warmed up for her Royal visit with a defeat of Prince Of Wales' Stakes favourite Byword, despite not entirely seeing out the trip of the Prix D'Ispahan and, worringly for her rivals, Head believes she is in the form of her life.

On any other card, the St James's Palace would hog the spotlight and promises another almighty showdown, with the first three home from the 2000 Guineas locking horns once more.

Makfi, a cast-off from the Marcus Tregoning stable last autumn, may have started at 33-1 but there was no fluke about the way he disposed of the Richard Hannon pair of Dick Turpin and Canford Cliffs at Newmarket.

The latter has since franked the form with a performance that oozed class in Ireland and connections are bullish of gaining their revenge, but Makfi has only had three runs in his life and is capable of more improvement on what could be a great day for France.

There is always an international flavour to the King's Stand Stakes, although this year's Australian raiders, Nicconi and Gold Trail, do not arrive with the same credentials as the likes of Choisir, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti and Scenic Blast.

Kingsgate Native leads the home team and looked good in the Temple Stakes, but North Yorkshire handler Robin Bastinman is keen to take him on again with Haydock third Borderlescott, and the ever-popular dual Nunthorpe hero always progresses with racing.

Bryan Smart's exciting juvenile Boundless Spirit has the American speedball Metropolitan Man to beat in the Windsor Castle and there was plenty of encouragement to be taken from his defeat of Richard Fahey's Brocklesby winner Chiswick Bey in the Brian Yeardley at Beverley.

Chiswick Bey goes for gold in the Coventry Stakes – and bumps into another exciting Smart inmate in the shape of cosy Newcastle victor Move In Time – but both have their work cut out to cope with the Aidan O'Brien duo of Zoffany and Samuel Morse, while Richard Hannon compares Strong Suit favourably with last year's winner Canford Cliffs.