Frontiersman The One To Beat In Cheekpieces

Charlie Appleby believes Frontiersman is the one they all have to beat in the Princess Of Wales's Arqana Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday.

After being forced to miss Royal Ascot, the lightly raced four-year-old will attempt to go one better than when second to Highland Reel in the Coronation Cup at Epsom on his latest start.

The Newmarket handler is also represented in the Group Two event by last year's Eclipse hero Hawkbill, but s aid: "Frontiersman is our number one contender. He has done nothing but please us of late. I am applying the cheekpieces just to help him along.

"He has got an ungenuine head carriage, which is not his fault, but he is not an ungenuine horse. The cheekpieces will just help him concentrate.

"I think they have all got him to beat. He just had a dirty scope a few days before Ascot and I would have loved to have run him there, but thinking long-term you don't want to put these horses under pressure and we have sat patient with him.

"It was a big step up at Epsom and we were delighted with the run as he backed up what he was showing us at home and that is why we supplemented him. He deserved a crack in that race and didn't let us down.

"If he goes and wins this then he will book his ticket to the King George."

Hawkbill was third in the Coronation Cup, but disappointed in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at the start of this month.

Appleby added: "He travelled a bit in and out in France and he did that when he went there in the spring. Those trips don't seem to suit the horse so I don't think we will do it again.

"He has come out of the race well and with rain forecast I would look daft if I didn't leave him in.

"He is a character and we have all seen how he gets hot and sweaty before the race, but that is the nature of the beast.

"He is not ungenuine. He gives us two nice contenders in the race."

Poet's Word bids to provide Sir Michael Stoute with a 10th victory in the mile and a half contest.

The four-year-old made a winning reappearance at Chelmsford before being touched off by Deauville in the Group Three Huxley Stakes at Chester in May.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail, said: "Poet's Word is going into the race in good shape.

"He was going to go to Royal Ascot but the owner couldn't make it, so Sir Michael Stoute switched him to this.

"I think the mile and a half will be his preferred distance and I don't think the ground will be a problem for him.

"The Chester form has worked out well. This track will suit him better than Chester and he goes there a better horse than the one he was at Chester.

"He goes there with a good chance."

The seven-runner field is completed by the John Gosden-trained trio of Muntahaa, Wings Of Desire and Western Hymn, and Algometer from David Simcock's yard.