CONNECTIONS of Canford Cliffs believe he is unlikely to be inconvenienced by going round a bend for the first time in Ascot's St James's Palace Stakes.

Last year's Coventry Stakes winner finally lived up to the hype when running out a ready winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas.

He has ground to make up on his Newmarket conqueror Makfi and stablemate Dick Turpin, who has beaten him twice already this season, but Richard Hannon jnr, the trainer's son and assistant, is feeling bullish.

"He's in very good form and he's come out of the Irish race very well," he said.

"I wouldn't have thought going round a bend will bother him, he's very straightforward. He has ducked left on occasions but he's very straightforward generally.

"They went a very good gallop in Ireland and he was able to just get a nice tow off the leaders. The way he won, he won it so well, he never looked as if he was going to be beaten. He was very impressive and it definitely suited him being held up.

"He came home so well at Newmarket I was a little bit disappointed he didn't win that day.

"He'd had a prep run and there was no issue with the trip so it was maybe the dip that beat him.

"We are taking on the winner again but we'll still fancy him," he told At The Races.

BUSHMAN could head to Ascot for the Group Two Summer Mile next month following his success in the Diomed Stakes at Epsom on Friday.

Trainer David Simcock believes victory in that Group Three contest shows the six-year-old is still progressing.

"He seems to be improving as he's getting older and becoming more adaptable," said Simcock.

"We're delighted and he's come out of the race absolutely fine.

"He'll possibly go for the Summer Mile at Ascot in July."

RALPH Beckett is going to give Ceilidh House plenty of time to recover from her exertions in the Investec Oaks.

The Whitsbury trainer had high hopes of the Julian Richmond-Watson-owned filly in the Epsom Classic they won with Look Here in 2008.

A creditable third in the Lingfield Oaks Trial on her seasonal debut, she finished 14th of the 15 runners, a long way behind the winner Snow Fairy.

"It obviously didn't work. Whether it was the ground or whether it was the track combined with the ground, I'm not sure," said Beckett.

"We are going to give her a bit of time to get over it and we'll work out from there, but obviously it wasn't her true running."

PACO Boy's team are in confident mood ahead of Royal Ascot's 'race of the week' - the Queen Anne Stakes.

Dual Breeders' Cup Mile heroine Goldikova and Sussex Stakes winner Rip Van Winkle are preparing to take on the apple of Richard Hannon's eye in what should be a thrilling contest.

His son and assistant Richard jnr admits that Paco Boy still has it to prove against opponents of that calibre, but believes if he is ever going to do so, then it will be this year.

"The Queen Anne looks like being the race of the week and hopefully they will all turn up and it will be a very good race," said Hannon jnr.

"Goldikova is very good and she'll be very hard to beat.

"I think he's better this year, he seems to have improved but Goldikova is a champion and Paco Boy is not at that status yet.

"He does seem better this year than ever and if he's ever going to beat her, it will be this year.

"There is still a very small chance we might have a look at the Golden Jubilee, but I would say that it is more than likely he'll run in the Queen Anne. He's very adaptable, he's very fast.

"We need them all to meet for racing. Not that we need to build Royal Ascot up, but I imagine there will be a lot of people going just to see that race alone."

TED Spread is to be aimed at the Ladbrokes St Leger despite failing to make an impact in the Investec Derby.

Trainer Mark Tompkins blamed the fast ground for his Chester Vase winner only finishing 11th behind Workforce at Epsom on Saturday.

"We had him spot-on for the day. The unfortunate thing was that there was no rain at all and the ground was fast and pretty firm," said the Newmarket trainer.

"We could all see from half way that he was chopping and changing his legs and hating every minute of it.

"He was perfectly OK when we got him back home, has eaten everything we have given him and will now just have a gentle few weeks before we start preparing him for an autumn campaign: hopefully, the St Leger in September."

OPINION Poll's participation in the Gold Cup at Ascot is still up in the air after his fair performance at Goodwood on Friday evening.

Michael Jarvis' promising stayer finished third behind the impressive winner Holberg on ground that would have been plenty quick enough for him.

With soft ground unlikely at the Royal meeting, Jarvis is holding fire on definite plans.

"We felt that we had to run him because he's a very idle worker at home and he was getting fairly unfit, so we had to get a run into him," said Jarvis.

"We are not quite sure where we'll go with him yet, whether he will run in the Ascot Gold Cup or not.

"He's very ground dependant and he's such a different horse on soft ground it's difficult to be positive about where he'll go yet.

"He's got an entry in the Curragh Cup (June 26) but it's even quick ground over there at the moment, just like here it can change in 24 hours though."

MICHAEL Bell believes Sariska is in for a lucrative second half of the campaign after her commendable run in the Investec Coronation Cup.

Last season's dual Oaks winner found only the brilliant Fame And Glory too good in a vintage renewal of the Group One for older middle-distance horses at Epsom on Friday.

However, the Newmarket trainer will not unveil any firm plans for his star four-year-old until he has spoken to her owner Lady Bamford.

"She ran a huge race, but just came up short against a very good horse on the day and we're very proud of her. She'll have a big season hopefully," said Bell.

"She's come out of it absolutely fine, she cantered this morning and hasn't left an oat since the race.

"She's a clever filly and looks after herself on that ground. We've got some big targets ahead but I have to have a proper chat with her owner Lady Bamford before making plans.

"Nothing is set in stone yet as I need to have a proper discussion with the owner."

JAMES Given is looking long-term with his impressive Epsom winner Dandino and is hoping he can develop into a St Leger candidate.

Even though the Dansili three-year-old was only winning off a mark of 82, the manner in which he came home suggested he was a Pattern horse in the making.

A trip to Royal Ascot is first up, but which race he lines up in depends on how harshly the handicapper reacts.

"We are keeping our options open, which is an unhelpful way of saying we are not sure where he is going to go next," said Given.

"It will depend on what the handicapper does. If he leaves us room to manoeuvre in handicaps then it could possibly be the King George V Handicap at Ascot and if he doesn't there is the Hampton Court Listed race.

"He's come out of the race very well but there are a number of options after Ascot.

"There's plenty of handicaps over a mile and a quarter and I do what to try him over a mile and a half soon, but I suspect we'll be looking at Stakes races by then.

"It's very rare you see a horse win a competitive handicap in the manner of a Group horse."