DAVID NICHOLLS has good cause to rue his ill luck at Royal Ascot having had to endure the misery of sending out 38 straight losers at the meeting since 1998.

Neither will two seconds during the 2002 fixture have humoured the Sessay-near-Thirsk-based trainer, although Nicholls is too resilient to allow such setbacks get him down and in any case the tide might be about to turn provided Continent (3.05) comes up trumps in the King's Stands Stakes.

David's assertion that "Continent was desperately unlucky not to pick up the self-same race 12 months ago," has more than a ring of truth because his sprint-star was caught napping when the stalls flew open losing a full three lengths in the process.

And considering the margin of his defeat to Dominica was a head when the pair crossed the winning line virtually in unison only then did the full magnitude of that vital ground forfeited at the start become apparent.

"Ideally all of my runners need some dig, however, Clerk of the Course Nick Cheyne has done a marvellous job watering the track and we'll give it our best shot," reported Nicholls in the run-up to the five-furlong dash.

Such is the strength-in-depth of David's team he also fields the by no means no-hopers Captain Rio and Bahamian Pirate in the King's Stand, plus has a fair chance of kicking off the five-day festival with a winner in the Group 3 six furlong Coventry Stakes via Dellagio (2.30).

Dellagio bounced back from an unexpected defeat at Goodwood to score in impressive fashion at York last Friday. "When we took him to Goodwood he was like a child going to school for the first time and didn't know what to do."

Patently Dellagio is a fast learner as in lowering the colours of a David Loder hop-pot on the Knavesmire just five days ago he immediately established himself as one of the leading colts of his generation.

Hambleton House handler, Bryan Smart, who recently emerged from a 33-day winless spell, reports Monsieur Bond to be in "cracking form" for the feature event on the card, the Group 1 St James Palace Stakes.

Sadly the statistics do not endorse Smart's enthusiasm as eight of the last ten winners had previously made the frame in either the English, Irish, or French Guineas.

Using past history as a definitive guide does not always bear fruit, although in this case I'm all for backing the Irish 2,000 Guineas hero, Indian Haven (3.45).

"I rode him a piece of work on Saturday morning and he went better than ever, I'll be very disappointed if he's not involved in the finish," revealed Indian Haven's jockey, John Egan.

Although nobody is going to get rich backing the certain long odds-on favourite Hawk Wing (4.20) for the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes it does seem inconceivable that he will get beaten.

Horses regularly make fools of us so-called experts, nonetheless the way Aidan O'Brien's four-year-old ripped the heart out of a high-quality field in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury suggests Hawk Wing is by far and away the leading older miler currently in training. Mark Johnston boasts a stunning £52.38 profit to a £1 level stake at the Royal meeting over the last five years and if Arabie (4.55) produces the same sort of zest he shows on the gallops at Middleham the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap could be his.

Arabie, who has rock-solid Royal Ascot form having only been beaten by a head in last year's Wolferton Stakes when in the care of Henry Cecil, is following in the footsteps of the stable's Takamaka Bay, an 8-1 winning nap for the column two years ago

Thirsk racegoers won't have to miss any of the action from Ascot given the benefit of the numerous TV screens dotted around the various enclosures.

One of best races on the card is the Ladies Sprint Handicap featuring Hollow Jo (4.35) and Singularity, who filled second and fourth berths respectively in a similar standard contest at Lingfield last time out. Seeing as Hollow Jo had by far the worst of the draw he performed really well to beat all bar one home and is therefore fancied to confirm the placings, especially as he has the assistance of the excellent Carol Williams in the saddle

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