Kalanisi can rule again

Lydia Hislop13 April 2012

This year's Prince Of Wales's Stakes features perhaps the most interesting clash of the entire Royal meeting. Breeders' Cup Turf hero meets Emirates World Series champion plays Europe's top miler stepping up in trip - Kalanisi versus Fantastic Light versus Observatory.

Both Kalanisi and Observatory won races at Royal Ascot last year - respectively the mile Group Two Queen Anne and the Jersey, a seven-furlong Group Three for three-year-olds.

Fantastic Light ducked the fixture, but his narrow second to Lear Spear in the 1999 renewal of this event - the year before its promotion to Group One status - signalled the start of his marked progression.

All three have gone on to greater things since last starring here, over a variety of distances.

Kalanisi may now be most at home over this ten-furlong trip. In his three-year-old days, it was Fantastic Light's optimum. He's still no slouch at it - as victories in last month's Tattersalls Gold Cup and the Hong Kong Cup in December testify. Jockey Frankie Dettori rode a cannily handy race at Sha Tin to crown his mount the unlikely 2000 World Series winner, but oozed confidence at the Curragh on their latest start.

Yet 12 furlongs may be more Fantastic Light's bag now, even though Kalanisi beat him into fifth over it at Churchill Downs last November. The Godolphin colt had zero luck in running that day and would have been second at least granted a clear passage.

A line through Montjeu also gives Sir Michael Stoute's charge the edge.

Over this trip, the pair are 1-1. But Kalanisi was a touch tubby from his holidays in Ireland last time and has just over three lengths to find on a race-fit Fantastic Light. He'll strip fitter here and had his main rival well adrift in fifth when a close second to Giant's Causeway in the Eclipse.

Tactics will be interesting. Godolphin second string, last year's Ebor hero Give The Slip (progressive, but needs further), set a strong pace in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Bach a distant fifth and held). It's what Fantastic Light likes, but Kalanisi too. It's also what Observatory needs over a mile, yet will ruthlessly expose any stamina flaws in the John Gosden-trained colt.

He flinched not a bit when trying nine furlongs for the first time in the Prix d'Ispahan on his seasonal debut last month, beating race-fit Hightori a short head.

Observatory can improve for the run but, brave as he is, whether he'll be as effective over this trip is not a chance worth taking at the available odds.

Breeding and past performance suggest Hightori could reverse that Longchamp form. This lightly raced colt is high class. He was third in the Dubai World Cup and managed fifth in the Arc last year despite a hugely interrupted campaign due to a leg injury. This step up in trip will suit.

But Endless Hall looks set for minor honours as a dual Group One winner on the continent. A strict line through both Jim And Tonic and Beat All leaves him a bit to find on Fantastic Light, but he can get closer than when returning from an eight-month absence in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Third in both the 1998 2,000 Guineas and Derby, Border Arrow is back to his best since being gelded. Yet even granted that recent revival, his form with Elle Danzig leaves him lacking with Dettori's mount. He holds Compton Bolter, though.

Selections for tomorrow's big race at Royal Ascot: 1, Kalanisi; 2, Fantastic Light; 3, Endless Hall.

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