BARRY HILLS can put the record straight by landing the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot today with Royal Applause. The trainer had high hopes of taking this valuable, five-furlong event eight years ago with Gallic League, who was spoken of as a likely champion sprinter after an impressive warm-up victory at Lingfield.

But the 4 to 6 favourite was beaten before the distance and eventually trailed in fifth behind surprise winner Chilibang.

Royal Applause looks a good bet to give Hills his first win in this Group Two event.

He first burst to prominence with victory in the Coventry Stakes at this meeting 12 months ago and went on to further success in the Gimcrack Stakes and Middle Park Stakes.

Officially rated the second best two-year-old in Europe, he had to be given a crack at the Pertemps 2.000 Guineas last month.

But he palpably failed to last out the one-mile trip, weakening some way from home having set the pace for a long way.

Speed has always been his main asset - unsurprisingly for a half-brother to Nunthorpe Stakes winner Lyric Fantasy - so the switch back to sprinting will suit him ideally.

He is favourably treated by the race conditions, penalised just 3lb for a Group One success and can get the better of the elder Mind Games.

The presence of trail-blazing Eveningperformance should help jockey Michael Hills settle Royal Applause, who is confidently expected to emerge on top by the line.

Horses drawn in the middle to low-numbered stalls may enjoy an edge in the six-furlong Wokingham Stakes, towed along by likely front-runners Youdontsay and Selhurstpark Flyer.

Best bet to take advantage could be Espartero (stall eight) who developed into a useful sprinter last year and went close to landing the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood.

His form had been similarly progressive this term, until he failed to stay seven furlongs last time, and he is well worth another chance now that he reverts to a more suitable trip.

Irishman Kevin Prendergast can land another big British prize by lifting the Hardwicke Stakes with Oscar Schindler.

The trainer, who took Tuesday's Coventry Stakes with Verglas, scooped last month's Ormonde Stakes at Chester with this colt who looks a much-improved performer as a four-year-old.

Oscar Schindler was always travelling like a winner on the Roodeye and was good value for a length-and-a-half defeat of Election Day. ,