MAJOR upsets are par for the course in the £300,000 Queen Elizabeth 11 Stakes and in this afternoon's Ascot showpiece Tillerman (4.20) might have the edge over assured market leader Hawk Wing.

Twelve months ago 33-1 shot Summoner stunned punters by lowering the colours of the cream of Europe's top milers.

Tillerman will not be quite such a long-shot, however, with Kieren Fallon aboard, and odds-on favourite Hawk Wing and his jockey Mick Kinane are by no means guaranteed to have things all of their own way.

Despite being tagged as a "wonder horse" at the start of the year, finishing runner-up in big races has become something of a dubious pleasure for Hawk Wing, second in the Sagitta 2,000 Guineas, Vodafone Derby and, most recently, when touched off by Godolphin's Grandera in the Irish Champion Stakes.

Make no mistake, form-wise Tillerman definitely has a bit to find with both Hawk Wing and second favourite, Saeed Bin Suroor's Best Of The Bests. But it is Tillerman's hold-up style, plus Fallon's legendary ability to execute such dare-devil tactics, that lead me to believe it is worth taking a dip on the talented duo scooping the pot at an anticipated starting price of 10-1 or better.

At least we know Tillerman, trained by Amanda Perrett at Pulborough in West Sussex, comes into the race in superb fettle having cut down a class field to claim the prestigious Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood last time out.

Curiously though, Perrett's hunky six-year-old has himself in the past stood accused of being an underachiever, such is his imposing physical presence.

However that particular ghost could be well and truly laid to rest today, especially if the plan to bring Hawk Wing back to a mile backfires on trainer Aidan O'Brien.

Six years ago to the day Frankie Dettori re-wrote racing's history books by riding all seven winners on the card at cumulative odds of 25,095-1!

Realistically Frankie hasn't got a prayer of repeating the so-called "magnificent seven", although he might still get on the score-sheet via Three Points (3.05) in the six-furlong Brunswick Diadem Stakes.

Three Points needs it rock hard to show his best and by all accounts the ground at the Berkshire track is lightning fast after a prolonged dry spell.

In the opening Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes, the most expensive yearling sold in the world during 2001, the $6.4m Van Nistelrooy, attempts to redeem himself after a shock defeat at the Curragh 13 days ago.

Van Nistelrooy is bound to go off at cramped odds and once again I recommend sniffing around for a bit of each-way value by siding with Unigold (2.00).

Ed Dunlop's colt was still far too tubby to do himself total justice at Doncaster's St Leger meeting, but still managed to get within a length-and-a-quarter of the potentially high-class colt Silver Gilt.

If Unigold doesn't do the business for Ed, don't rule out his Surprise Encounter (3.40) in the valuable Tote Trifecta Handicap.

Like so many of Dunlop's inmates, Surprise Encounter has not sparkled this term, probably due to a virus affecting his team. There have been signs of a revival lately and it's well worth recalling that the smart six-year-old is returning to the scene of his finest hour when spreadeagling a quality field in last year's Royal Hunt Cup.

The go-ahead executive at Market Rasen has once again whistled up some cracking prize money for their National Hunt fixture.

The £12,000 UK Hygiene Handicap is a particularly good race and with both Dat My Horse and Noel's Pride bidding to complete four-timers, competition is fierce.

Waiting in the wings to try to thwart that fast-improving pair is El Viejo (2.40), who might well have been specifically laid for the race by his able handler, Lawrence Wells.

Mark Johnston's bank balance could be considerably swollen on a potentially super Sunday for his Middleham yard with live chances of lifting the Grade 1 Canadian International with either Zindabad or the gallant veteran Yavana's Pace.

If they don't happen to collect, Systematic (2.00), Love You Always (2.35), Scott's View (4.20) and Itemise (4.55) are all fancied to get in the money at Ascot.

* Van Nistelrooy bids to get back on the scoresheet in the Hackney Empire Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot today after losing his unbeaten record.

While his namesake, the Manchester United striker is likely to miss the Premier League clash at Charlton because of a hamstring problem, the equine version will strut his stuff on the Berkshire track.

Last season's most expensive yearling was beaten by Refuse To Bend in the National Stakes at the Curragh two weeks ago after winning his first three starts.

Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien also saddles Newfoundland in the Group Two contest over the round mile for which nine horses have been declared at yesterday's overnight stage.

O'Brien has high hopes of a treble as he has strong contenders in the two Group One horses on the card - Reach For The Moon in the Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile and Hawk Wing in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. The final declarations for those two races were made on Thursday.

Malhub, short-headed by Invincible Spirit in the Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup at Haydock, heads a field of eleven in the £100,000 Brunswick Diadem Stakes.

John Gosden's sprinter should have the fast ground he favours as he bids to repeat his success in the Golden Jubilee Stakes over the same six furlongs at the Royal Meeting in June.

Gosden is also responsible for the strongly-fancied Demonstrate in the £75,000 Tote Trifecta Stakes. The four-year-old is 5-1 favourite for the seven-furlong handicap