Royal Anthem can show he is champion material by beating a top-class field in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes today. Henry Cecil's unbeaten three-year-old only set foot on a racecourse for the first time two months ago, but his star quality is not in question.

The impressive winner of all his three races, the son of Theatrical is now ready to take centre-stage in Britain's premier middle-distance race.

Unraced as a two-year-old, his racecourse debut was well worth the wait, for the £500,000 purchase powered to victory by three lengths over Generous Rosi, a winner since, at Newbury in May.

After blasting on to the scene, he gained more admirers when lowering the course record for Newmarket's 10 furlongs in beating the useful Kilimanjaro by 2 1/2 lengths last month.

That colt again played second to the Thoroughbred Corporation's runner when beaten two lengths over today's course and distance in the King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal meeting.

Royal Anthem covered the mile and a half quicker than Posidonas, winner of the very next race on the card - the Hardwicke Stakes - with last year's King George hero Swain only third.

Royal Anthem may be the most inexperienced member of the eight-strong field, but he will have been prepared to the minute by his trainer, whose three King George winners were all three-year-olds. To be crowned champion, Royal Anthem will have to destroy the 100 per cent record of another three-year-old colt - High-Rise.

Luca Cumani's charge has had only one more race, but his latest victory was in the Vodafone Derby when he held off City Honours by a head.

That was a brave performance and he is the type of horse that just does enough and is difficult to fully assess. But he will know he has been in a race today when he takes on three other Group One winners - Daylami, Swain and Silver Patriarch. The first two represent Godolphin, who aims to avoid the farce of a false pace by running Happy Valentine, himself a smart performer.

There are question marks hanging over Godolphin's big two - last year's French 2,000 Guineas winner Daylami is untried over a mile and a half and Swain was a big disappointment at Royal Ascot.

Swain had earlier failed to repeat his 1997 victory in the Coronation Cup at Epsom where he failed to cope with Silver Patriarch. Last year's Derby runner-up and St Leger winner was also beaten in his last race in France, but it was a muddling affair and best forgotten.

He was only fourth to Fragrant Mix, with Romanov second.

In a typically-fascinating King George, Royal Anthem can take the honours from Silver Patriarch and Swain.