Mostahdaf puts an unbeaten record on the line in the St James’s Place Stakes and I am confident that he can keep it alive.

The Frankel colt stamped himself as a runner to follow with an impressive win on debut in Newcastle in March and he has won comfortably at Kempton and Sandown in the wake.

This is a decent step up in class, but it has been the target since his debut effort and he has options from the rails draw.

He’ll need some luck after drawing the potentially sticky barrier 12, but Highland Avenue really doesn’t know how to run a bad race, and he can fight out the finish of the St James’s Palace Stakes.

The Charlie Appleby-trained colt has had five starts for three wins and two second placings, and he enters this race off the back of a credible effort behind Mostahdaf at Sandown.

With the right run, I can’t find a reason why he won’t be in the finish again either.

Poetic Flare has returned some eye-catching efforts recently and he is rock-hard fit for his run in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

The Dawn Approach colt has made seven trips to the races and has won four times, including the Group 1 2000 Guineas at Leopardstown in April.

He finished midfield in France two starts back, but responded with a nice effort to finish second behind Mac Swiney in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas last time.

He clearly has the ability, and he wouldn’t look out of place in the winner’s stall again.

I’m going to inject a bit of value into my St James’s Palace Stakes first four and Maximal rates an an each-way chance at around the $26 mark.

Maximal has had two starts back from a spell this time, and chased home Hurricane Lane at Newbury when fresh before returning a similar effort behind El Dreama at his latest.

Breeding suggests he’ll relish the Ascot mile and I’m happy to have something on.