Horse Racing: Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

Despite the fact that the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is not being run at its spiritual home of Ascot, this year's renewal, which takes place on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket on Saturday, lacks nothing in terms of quality.Indeed, apart from the defection of Sussex Stakes victor Proclamation, and the absence of the prematurely retired Shamardal, this race will bring together those that have impressed most over a mile this season - Dubawi, Rakti and Starcraft - and, at 11-4 with Blue Square and Sporting Odds, it's the last-named that is fancied to come out on top.The five-year-old, who was a top-class performer in Australia before joining Luca Cumani's Newmarket yard, created a big impression on his first start in the UK - and his seasonal reappearance following nearly eight months on the sidelines - when staying on well to finish third behind Valixir and Rakti in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot at York in June.Next time out, he was very fractious when mounted in the parade ring ahead of his next assignment in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and he failed to run any sort of a race, trailing in a well-beaten sixth of seven. As a result, there was much speculation regarding the entire's temperament. However, those enigmatic creases appeared to have been well and truly ironed out when he lined up for the Group One Prix du Moulin at Longchamp earlier this month when, seemingly galvanised by being ridden aggressively, he produced a power-packed display to make every yard of the running en route to beating Gorella by a very cosy two and a half lengths.Back in the rut there were the likes of Whipper and Valixir, so the form looks very solid. Indeed, on a line through that latter duo, Starcraft has every chance of beating the likely hot favourite for Saturday's showdown, Dubawi.Godolphin's charge came out best in a highly tactical running of the Jacques le Marois at Deauville where he hit the front just over a furlong out and ran on well to beat Whipper by a length and a half. It is worth remembering, however, that Dubawi was receiving 7lb from that runner up, while, in contrast, Starcraft had him over three lengths adrift in fourth off level weights in the Moulin.Don't get me wrong, Dubawi did impress at Deauville, as he did when landing the Irish 2,000 Guineas at The Curragh in May, but I'm personally not convinced that he's the superstar that many seem to think and, at around the 13-8 to mark, he's way too short.Rakti is capable of the sublime and the ridiculous in equal measures; he is arguably one of the most highly strung horses in training and often loses his races before the stalls have even sprung open. He was awesome when landing this race last year and tore his rivals to shreds when landing the Lockinge at Newbury on his seasonal reappearance in May.However, it is hard to forget his run in the Queen Anne where he was firmly put in his place and beaten a ready length and a half by Valixir. Starcraft was just half a length adrift in third on what was his seasonal reappearance, first run in the UK, and debut for Luca Cumani, so, on that evidence, you'd have to say that the selection was likely to come out on top this time.Oh, by the way, did I mention that K Fallon has been booked to ride Starcraft?Recommended bet: 2pts win Starcraft @ 11/4 (Blue Square & VCBet)