KEITH DALGLEISH hopes it will be second time lucky at Royal Ascot this afternoon.

The Carluke trainer runs Santefisio in the Royal Hunt Cup, and the seven-year-old is available at around the 50-1 mark.

Dalgleish saddled Stonefield Flyer in the Windsor Castle Stakes two years ago and came agonisingly close to a historic victory at the Royal meeting.

Santefisio is one of the stars of Dalgleish's Belstane Yard in Lanarkshire and the former jockey is in good spirits ahead of today's big race.

He told SportTimes: "The preparations have been good, I am really happy with how he has been going at home.

"However, it is going to be a very tough race. The ground should suit him and he has been working well so I am not going into the race thinking anything other than he is in good form.

"It was a great experience to have Stonefield Flyer a couple of years ago, but this is different.

"It is a big handicap with 30 runners so you need luck.

"He is a horse that comes from behind so he is going to need luck to run a big race.

"We need a strong gallop and hopefully we can weave our way through the field.

"We will need the gaps to open. If they don't then you won't win.

"We are hopeful that he can run a big race."

Dalgleish tasted victory at Royal Ascot, riding winners in the 2002 Chesham Stakes and 2003 King George V Handicap.

Now he is targeting his biggest triumph as a trainer when Santefisio lines up in Berkshire.

He said: "The main thing is we have a runner at a meeting like Royal Ascot.

"It is great to be there and be part of it. As a Flat trainer, you need runners at these meetings and we are fortunate to have a horse good enough to go there.

"We have had him just over a year and he has progressed well, he won nicely at Kempton and went to Dubai and ran some good races.

"It has been a great season so far and I am delighted with the horses."