RACING KING GEORGE PREVIEW:MICK KINANE believes Tartan Bearer has solid claims to give him a sixth success in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot this afternoon.

The 50-year-old hit the mark with Belmez (1990), King’s Theatre (1994), Montjeu (2000), Galileo (2001) and Azamour (2005).

This year he gets the leg-up on Michael Stoute’s apparent second-string, with stable jockey Ryan Moore having sided with Conduit.

Tartan Bearer’s form is hardly second rate, however. Beaten just half-a-length by New Approach in last year’s Epsom Derby, the chestnut went down by the same margin in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last time.

“It’s a good ride to pick up, and although I haven’t ridden the horse yet, he seems pretty straightforward,” said Kinane.

“He looks a very genuine type of horse and is very consistent. I’ve obviously seen Tartan Bearer race and he has to be there with a good chance as there doesn’t seem to be a lot between them. Whichever horse gets the run of the race, it could swing their way.

“I’d say it will be doubtful he’ll win it like Montjeu did, but it would be nice if he could.

“It’s always a great race and it’s a great occasion, so it’s just nice to be part of it.”

Moore went for Conduit, who provided him with a Breeders’ Cup win last October, but also holds Tartan Bearer and Stoute’s other runner, Ask, in the highest regard.

“Conduit had a small problem early on and he has been brought along gradually,” said Moore. “The King George was always his midsummer aim and I hope he can carry on improving from the summer, as he did last year, to reach his peak in the autumn.”

Ralph Beckett feels Look Here is ready to give her all as she bids to become the first filly since Time Charter in 1983 to win.

“I think it’s safe to assume she’ll run her race,” Beckett said. “Whether that is enough is another thing entirely.”

Johnny Murtagh goes in search of his third successive win in the race on Golden Sword, having ridden Dylan Thomas and Duke Of Marmalade to land the last two.

“I rode him in work last week and he is definitely going the right way,” Murtagh said.

Connections of Alwaary are keen to find out if he is up to competing at the highest level after he finished a luckless second in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes.

Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, said: “He ran a very good race at Newmarket last time, so we have to assume he would have won if things had panned out a bit differently.”

Richard Hannon admits Scintillo has plenty on his plate after finishing down the field in France on his latest outing.

“Scintillo found the company a bit hot in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud last time, and this looks even hotter,” the trainer said.

“I’d be absolutely delighted if he could finish in the first four.”