AUSSIES OFF THE PACE THIS TIME

Two meetings down, three to go in England's Royal Ascot carnival, and Australia's sprinters failed on opening day in what has become 'Australia's race', Tuesday's Group 1 King's Stand Stakes (1000m). Trainer David Hayes is likely to send Nicconi (fourth) to stud, whereas Gary Portelli might keep Gold Trail (10th) in England for the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes (1000m) at York in August.

Equiano (b h 5, Acclamation (GB)-Entente Cordiale (IRE), by Ela-Mana-Mou (GB)) won the King's Stand - he was eighth to Australian Scenic Blast last year after winning it in 2008, when Takeover Target was a half-length away in second place.

The headliner on day one this year was Goldikova (b m 2005, Anaaba (USA)-Born Gold (USA), by Blushing Groom (USA)), winner of the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes (1600m). Goldikova, with nine Group 1s in her 12 wins from 17 starts, has only America's darling, Zenyatta, as a competitor for the crown as world's best racemare.

(Unbeaten Zenyatta (b or br m 2004, Street Cry (IRE)-Vertiginieux (USA), by Kris S (USA)) won her 17th race on Monday - the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap for fillies and mares (1800m) on the cushion track at Hollywood Park, Inglewood, California.

And America's 'other darling', Rachel Alexandra, returned to the winning circle in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap (1800m) on the dirt at Churchill Downs, Kentucky, on Saturday after two losses this time in. Rachel Alexandra (b m 2006, Medaglia D'Oro (USA)-Lotta Kim (USA), by Roar (USA)) won nine straight starts before her latest spell and is 12-17 overall.)

Tuesday's other Group 1 at Royal Ascot, the St James's Palace Stakes (1600m) for three-year-old colts, went to Canford Cliffs (b c 2007, Tagula (IRE)-Mrs Marsh (GB), by Marju (IRE)), impressive winner of the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas (1600m) at the Curragh last month.

Yesterday, Byword (ch h 2006, Peintre Celebre (USA)-Binche (USA), by Woodman (USA) won the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes (2000m).

The Group 1 Gold Cup (4000m) is on today (12.50am overnight on Sky World Racing and TVN). The remaining elite races are the Coronation Stakes (1600m for fillies) tomorrow and the Golden Jubilee (1200m) on Saturday, in which Starspangledbanner, running for Coolmore's trainer Aidan O'Brien, and Paul Messara's Alverta will be of particular interest to Australians.

Meanwhile, the race for the Hong Kong jockeys' premiership went up another notch yesterday when the Sha Tin meeting began with Australian Brett Prebble four wins ahead, 86-82, in his bid to dethrone South African Douglas Whyte, winner of the past nine titles.

Whyte rode four winners for Australian trainer John Size, but made no ground on Prebble, who landed four of his own to take their tallies to 90-86 with seven meetings (68 races) to go to the season's end on July 14. The next round in what the South China Morning Post has called a heavyweight stoush, is at Happy Valley on Sunday.

The gap between the top two and the other riders is shown by them being 40-odd wins clear of all others, and by riding eight of the 11 winners yesterday.

Size has 66 winners for the season and appears to have the training premiership won. Another Australian, John Moore, is next with 54.

The Singapore Turf Club has allocated stables at Kranji to New Zealand's leading trainer Mark Walker, who intends setting up there in September. The club's meetings this weekend are on Friday and Sunday.