Dubai: Epsom Derby winning handler Charlie Appleby is hoping that Hawkbill will bring his A game to Royal Ascot when he runs in the £750,000 (Dh3.6 million) Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1), the richest race at the five-day summer showpiece in Britain.

The Kentucky-bred son of Kitten’s Joy delivered a disappointing effort on his last start in the Coronation Cup (G1) at Epsom, but Appleby is confident that the globe-trotting five-year-old can rediscover his old spark in Wednesday’s feature event.

“We were slightly disappointed with Hawkbill’s run at Epsom, as he had his ground there,” said the Godolphin handler who is seeking a fifth Royal Ascot victory.

“He is becoming more versatile as he gets older and has put up decent performances on quick ground as well as soft ground. He has been a great campaigner for Godolphin — he has won 10 of his 21 starts and more than £3-million in prize money.

“He does get himself worked up, but he got a bit more worked up as well and maybe there was a bit of freshness as well that day because he had a break since the Sheema Classic victory in Dubai,” Appleby added.

“He’s come out of the race very well and Hawkbill is Hawkbill — when he brings his A game, he is a hard horse to pass.”

And it will take Hawkbill’s best performance if he hopes to outshine four-time Group 1 winner, Cracksman.

John Gosden’s four-year-old is the 8-13 favourite to win the mile and one contest and supply his all-powerful handler with a fifth win in the race.

Cracksman is also attempting to secure his eighth win from 10 starts.

Godolphin are the leading joint leading owner in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes with five wins courtesy Faithful Son (1998), Dubai Millennium (2000), Fantastic Light (2001), Grandera (2002) and Rewilding (2011).

Meanwhile, Godolphin’s Saeed Bin Surour teams up with French champion Christophe Soumillon who will partner Promising Run, in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes.

Saeed and Soumillon last combined for a sensational victory with Thunder Snow in the $10 million Dubai World Cup (G1) at Meydan on March 31.

Bin Surour told the Godolphin website: “She won her first two starts in Dubai before running well against the colts in the G1 Jebel Hatta and the G1 Dubai Turf.

“She always runs well fresh and we have given her a break in preparation for this race. I have been pleased with her work recently. She looks to be in good condition and we are hoping for a good result,”

At a glance

Today’s races (Wednesday)

5:30 Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) 5f

6:05 Queen’s Vase (Group 2) 1m6f

6:40 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2) 1m

7:20 Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1) 1m2f

8:00 Royal Hunt Cup 1m

8:35 Jersey Stakes (Group 3) Cl1 (3yo) 7f ITV 23 runners