Runner-up in the 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes, Delegator can claim a deserved Group 1 success by beating a small, but select field in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot tomorrow.

Purchased by Godolphin out of Brian Meehan's yard, the Dansili colt made an impressive winning debut for Sheikh Mohammed's operation when landing the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood last month.

Though looking boxed in halfway up the straight, once Delegator saw daylight, he powered home up the hill and appeared to have improved on what he had previously achieved.

The fast ground will suit him and his turn of foot may be too much for Rip Van Winkle, who was narrowly behind Delegator when fourth to Sea The Stars in the Guineas in May.

There have to be some reservations that, although he was unlucky in running at Newmarket, ongoing foot problems may have limited Rip Van Winkle's preparation for tomorrow's mile event. There was a similar injury scare before he won Goodwood's Sussex Stakes.

As such, trainer Aidan O'Brien has left in Mastercraftsman, who touched off Delegator over course and distance in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, merely as a precaution.

With Frankie Dettori performing near his best again on a track that he rides so well, there's every reason to think that the 11-4 offered by William Hill and Skybet for a Delegator victory looks a big price.

BBC2 cover four other races from the Royal course and it could be a successful afternoon for Godolphin as LONG LASHES (3.05) has a good chance of landing the Group 1 Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile.

The filly found heavy ground against her at the Curragh at this level last time. That testing seven furlongs last month didn't see her in anything like her best light and Long Lashes is best judged on a previous run when winning the Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket in July.

Though looking inexperienced that day, she did the job nicely off and was better the further she went.

Tomorrow's step up in trip will benefit as should the first-time fitting of a tongue strap to aid breathing.

HIGH TWELVE (2.30) looks a very decent colt in the making and, because of his relative inexperience, he should be a good price to land a strong renewal of the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes.

He caught the eye on his debut at Sandown and confirmed that promise when taking his maiden there in style.While the time of that early August contest was nothing special, High Twelve did everything that was asked and trainer John Gosden believes his juvenile has improved a lot since.

In the opening Listed fillies' handicap, run over a mile, SHAMWARI LODGE (1.55) appears to have a favourable high draw.

Richard Hannon's three-year-old won a decent handicap over this trip at York under a big weight last month, before finding the high-class Fantasia too good over seven furlongs at Doncaster. She has been holding her form well and still appears to be progressing.

WITHOUT PREJUDICE (3.40) may be on a 9lb higher mark than when he accounted for a decent field at York last time but he appears to have been transformed by the visor.

Jeremy Noseda's four-year-old may have won on an easier surface than is likely here, but has shown in the past he handles fast ground perfectly well.

Milham's Ascot TV selections

1.55 Shamwari Lodge, 2.30 High Twelve, 3.05 Long Lashes, 3.40 Without Prejudice, 4.15 Delegator.