Racing: Killer Instinct is on trial for Royal Ascot

KILLER INSTINCT could yet make the line-up for the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot subject to a good performance this weekend. The Henry Cecil-trained three-year-old, who was ante-post favourite for the 2000 Guineas before he even set foot on a racecourse, has been put in the one-mile Heron Stakes at Kempton Park on Saturday evening. He is also entered for the Rose Hill Stakes over a mile and a quarter at Doncaster the same day.

Willie Carson, the racing manager to owners The Thoroughbred Corporation, said: "He runs at Kempton and there is still a chance of him running at Royal Ascot. He has two choices but we wouldn't want to take on the older horses [in the Queen Anne Stakes] so if he wins well on Saturday he could go for the St James's Palace."

Beaten at Ascot on his only start at two and at Newbury on his seasonal debut Killer Instinct finally won his maiden at Nottingham last time. "He's a slow learner and has fluffed his lines a few times," added Carson."So it's up to the horse to do the talking now."