The four key questions surrounding the Princess of Wales's Stakes

3.35 Newmarket
Princess of Wales's Arqana Racing Club Stakes (Group 2) | 1m4f | 3yo+ | ITV3

Six runners represent three stables in Newmarket's big race following the withdrawal of Poet's Word on account of a temperature. Here are four key questions

Will cheekpieces iron out the kinks in Frontiersman?

There is no denying he is a serious talent. He is not, however, completely straightforward. Nor, on his last two starts, has he run completely straight. As he attempts to land the biggest success of his career, connections are hoping headgear might help.

Since a reappearance defeat at Doncaster the Godolphin improver has significantly upped his game, easily taking a Newmarket handicap before chasing home Highland Reel in the Coronation Cup.

That all augurs well as he drops back a grade from Group 1 to Group 2 for the opening day highlight of Newmarket's July festival. However, he was practically impossible to steer in the closing stages at Epsom, and while the camber was likely a factor there, the four-year-old also hung at Newmarket.

Even so, he is William Buick's Princess Of Wales's pick, leaving his Coral-Eclipse-winning stablemate Hawkbill – partnered by Buick on his last 13 outings – for James Doyle.

“Frontiersman came out of the Coronation Cup in good form and we have been pleased with his preparation for this race," said Appleby.

"We have put some cheekpieces on him just to keep him focused. Hopefully he can run another big race."

Appleby added: "Hawkbill disappointed in France last time and it might be down to the travelling – he is a bit of a character and also didn’t run well out there earlier in the season.

"We keep wanting to give him a break but he has been taking his races so well and we felt that it would be a shame to miss out. If the rain comes and he turns up on his A-game, he will be competitive."

How much will rain help the Gosden trio?

If at first you don't succeed, try, try and try again – with all three of them.

That seems to be the approach being taken by John Gosden. His three big-race runners all contested the Hardwicke Stakes last time but with little joy. Wings Of Desire fared best in fifth, Western Hymn took seventh and Muntahaa finished ninth.

On this occasion the juicier underfoot conditions should help the trio – but will it help them enough?

"The ground quickened up for Wings Of Desire a bit at Royal Ascot, which wasn't ideal, and this drop of rain will help," said Gosden.

"Muntahaa likes some ease in the ground and should run his usual race. The same goes for Western Hymn who is an old favourite and would have found the ground plenty lively enough at Ascot last time."

Can Algometer's personal best effort be built upon?

According to Racing Post Ratings, Algometer has never run better than when second to Poet's Word's stable companion Autocratic last time in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes.

That was over two furlongs shy of the trip he faces now but Kirsten Rausing's colt has performed well over 1m4f in the past and should be more at home in a race where stamina demands are highlighted by the fact that in four of the last five years the winner went on to land a big pot over 2m or further.

Who will the Aussies want this time?

The Princess of Wales's Stakes has become a bit like a high-end department store for antipodean shoppers.

The 2012 winner Fiorente was snapped up by Gai Waterhouse, who went on to win the Melbourne Cup with him, while from subsequent runnings placed horses Dandino and Exosphere were both bought to join Australian stables and then lined up in the nation-stopping showpiece.

Do not be at all surprised if at least one member of Thursday's field is in action at Flemington on November's first Tuesday, either racing for current connections or new ones.