Scorpion should show true form

It has been a mostly memorable Royal Ascot 2007 for Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien and his triple Group One winner Scorpion looks capable of putting a seal on the week in today's Hardwicke Stakes.

The 2005 St Leger and Grand Prix de Paris winner has to shoulder a 5lb penalty for the latest of his top-flight victories when beating his stable companion Septimus in the Coronation Cup at Epsom earlier in the month.

That performance knocked on the head any suggestion that the Montjeu horse's best days were in the past.

Michael Kinane will again be on board Scorpion but it is John Murtagh who teams up with The Bogberry who also has to concede weight in the opening Chesham Stakes.

This colt provided Kieren Fallon with the ideal return to action at Tipperary earlier this month where The Bogberry overcame trouble to ultimately win a little snugly. It took substantial talent to do that and defying the penalty may not be beyond the O'Brien runner.

The sixth and final Group One of the week is the Golden Jubilee Stakes where Tuesday's Kings Stand winner Miss Andretti will try and emulate her Australian compatriot Choisir who brought off the double four years ago.

Lee Freedman's mare was extremely impressive in defeating Dandy Man earlier in the week where another Aussie star Takeover Target was back in fourth.

Yesterday there was optimism from the Joe Janiak camp that the positions could switch and the trainer said: "Six furlongs suits him better now. They just went too quick the other day. Now he's older he has just lost a little bit of his early pace so six furlongs suits better."

Hitchcock is the O'Brien representative in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes over a mile and a half but if the going doesn't get too soft, then the wide-margin Newmarket winner Rayhani looks like he will be hard to beat.

Baddam won twice at the festival last year, including the Queen Alexandra Stakes, and he goes for a repeat in the longest race on the British calendar. Judged on last year, a run behind Yeats in Thursday's Gold Cup shouldn't be a problem.

2.30 - The Bogberry

3.05 - Scorpion

3.45 - Takeover Target

4.25 - Beckermet

5.00 - Rayhani

5.35 - Baddam