Royal Ascot preview: Clodovil can be crowned Europe's champion three-year-old colt over a mile by winning the St James's Palace Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot today.

The French colt, who stretched his unbeaten run to five in the Gainsborough Poule d'Essai des Poulains, can win the battle of the Guineas winners.

He takes on Irish Guineas winner Indian Haven; Martillo, who took the German equivalent; and the Sagitta 2,000 Guineas runner-up, Zafeen. Also possible threats are Aidan O'Brien's France and Hold That Tiger.

Clodovil looked a specialist miler of the highest order when beating Catcher In The Rye by a length in the French 2,000 at Longchamp last month.

Always travelling well under talented Belgian-born rider Christophe Soumillon, he clinched victory with a fine turn of foot once he got in the clear a furlong out.

The highly promising Kalaman, who is stepping up in class, represents the biggest threat, but Clodovil, trained by Andre Fabre, can become the first French-trained winner of this championship race since Sendawar in 1999.

Hawk Wing can silence his remaining critics for good by winning the Queen Anne Stakes.

The mile race has been elevated to Group One status for the first time and it would be fitting if a horse of Hawk Wing's stature were to be the inaugural victor.

And, judging on his seasonal reappearance in the Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, it will be a brave man who opposes the Aidan O'Brien-trained four-year-old.

He was one of the easiest ever winners of a Group One, making all the running under Michael Kinane to beat Where Or When by 11 lengths.

That facile success more than made up for a rollercoaster three-year-old campaign when he won the Coral-Eclipse but was runner-up in the Sagitta 2,000 Guineas, Vodafone Derby and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Connections of his 10 rivals today have been hatching plans to bring about his downfall but they are in for a big disappointment as the Hawk Wing on show at Newbury was a stronger, healthier version than last year.

Dubai Destination returned from a long lay-off with an easy win at Nottingham but this is a totally different level of competition and it could be that the Britain's Queen Elizabeth's Right Approach will follow Hawk Wing home.

Dominica can become the first horse for 69 years to record back-to-backs in the King's Stand Stakes.

She held the fast-finishing Continent by a head 12 months ago and was a creditable fifth to Kyllachy in the Nunthorpe Stakes on her only other start last season.

No horse has won this five-furlong dash two years in succession since Gold Bridge in 1933 and 1934, although Elbio struck in 1991 and 1993.

But Marcus Tregoning has trained Dominica with a repeat bid in mind and it can pay dividends.

She is drawn smack on the rails in stall one, as is Sabbeeh in the opening Group Three Coventry Stakes.

The Michael Jarvis-trained youngster won by 13 lengths on his debut at Ripon and must go close despite taking a big step up in grade.

Gallery God can take the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at the third attempt.

Short-headed by Katiykha in 2,000 and a close third to Takamaka Bay a year later, he missed last year's race. Now with trainer Simon Dow after being with Geoff Wragg, the seven-year-old showed he was as good as ever when beating Zibeline a length and a quarter at Epsom recently.

Move It can wind up first-day proceedings by taking the Balmoral Handicap.

Roger Charlton's young sprinter looked good when notching up a hat-trick at Bath, Windsor and Sandown in the spring and is forgiven his two-length defeat by Bonus at Lingfield. That race was over six and this stiff five will suit him better.