TIM EASTERBY'S stable has struck form just at the right time as far as Royal Ascot is concerned, significantly boosting the prospects of his stable-star Bollin Eric (3.05).

Easterby sensibly side-stepped the likes of the Epsom Derby in search of slightly easier pickings and he could well have come up trumps by opting to wait for this afternoon's £135,000 King Edward V11 Stakes.

There's no such thing as a "soft" Group 2 event, but Bollin Eric comes out the top-rated colt in the contest according to most of leading agencies lists, an encouraging sign for connections hoping to bring the substantial first prize back to North Yorkshire.

Kevin Darley has been booked to partner the selection, who proved himself to be one of this season's leading middle-distance three-year-olds when chasing home Moon Ballad in the Dante Stakes at York's May meeting.

That form was franked in no uncertain terms when the latter went on to finish third in the Derby and one thing's for sure, had Bollin Eric run at Epsom he wouldn't have beaten Aidan O'Brien's classy duo High Chaparral and Hawk Wing.

Patience is nearly always a virtue in the great sport of horse racing and Easterby's decision not to take on O'Brien's crackerjacks seems as if it may be vindicated in the mile-and-half feature at Ascot - a trip which on all known evidence should suit Bollin Eric to perfection.

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that the Great Habton yard will come away with a double since Time To Remember (5.30) has the right sort of credentials to claim the closing seven furlong Buckingham Palace Handicap.

Owned by Timeform guru's Jim McGrath and Reg Griffin, Time To Remember won our very own Northern Echo Handicap at Redcar last August.

Admittedly it takes a tremendous leap of faith to believe that the four-year-old can make the transition from Redcar to Royal Ascot, nevertheless just like Bollin Eric, Time to Remember appears to be running into prime form having finished third in a hot heat at Doncaster recently.

In the most valuable race of the day, the £250,000 Group 1 Coronation Stakes, Gossamer bids to establish herself as the leading one mile filly of her generation by following up a runaway success in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Luca Cumani has always had the utmost faith in Gossamer, however, I'm not sure she will handle the fast ground and prefer to take a pot-shot with Misterah (3.45).

Marcus Tregoning has already had two winners at the Royal meeting, and if Misterah responds to the fitting of blinkers, the Lambourn-based handler might easily make it three.

She certainly appeared to be right out of the top drawer when blitzing her nine rivals in the Group 3 Nell Gwynn Stakes at Newmaket in April.

Misterah then returned to Headquarters for our 1,000 Guineas and by all accounts simply failed to fire.

"She was unsuited by the muddling pace of the Guineas," said a despondent Tregoning after the fillies' Classic.

Nonetheless the well-bred daughter of Alhaarth lived to fight another day and the application of the blinds might just provide the spur Misterah requires to re-establish her somewhat dented reputation.

Nearer to home at Redcar, Blythe Spirit (3.55) can make amends for a slightly disappointing effort at Newcastle last time.

Richard Fahey's raider didn't to himself any favours at the Tyneside track by hanging under pressure on the rain-softened ground.

Today's quicker surface will suit far better, helping Blythe Spirit to resume his winning ways.

* Eoghan O'Neill's Maranilla and John Dunlop's Inglenook both bid for German Group glory in different locations on Sunday.

Maranilla, looking to add to a Group Three win in Frankfurt in April, tackles the Walther J Jacobs Rennen at Bremen

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