Tuesday, 19 June 2012: Former Australian trained three-year-old Helmet now under the care of Godolphin's Mahmood Al Zarooni makes his European debut in the Queen Anne Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.

The three time group one winner at two and three in Australia has been below form since his tough victory over Manawanui in the mile 2011 Caulfield Guineas, a race that seemed to take more out of both those gallopers than first thought.

That aside, Helmet's lapse in form in four runs since could easily be explained as bad manners and failing to stay 10 furlongs.

Two of Helmet's failures since his Caulfield Guineas win were in a gruelling Cox Plate against older more seasoned weight for age performers over the extended 10 furlongs and in the UAE Derby on the tapeta surface in Meydan also over 10 furlongs.

Sandwiched between those efforts were below form runs against his own age in Melbourne in the Autumn where his bad manners more than anything else could be attributed to his lacklustre efforts.

On current form Helmet's weight adjusted rating is assessed at 132 some 25 pounds below unbeaten Frankel.

If Helmet's below form run continues, he could not be expected to get any closer to Frankel than 9.6 lengths.

However should Al Zarooni have worked some “magic” and Helmet was return to his Caulfield Guineas winning peak rating giving him a weight adjusted rating of 142, then the gap between him and Frankel would be closer to 6 lengths.

Either way Helmet cannot beat Frankel, but if he did mend his manners and return to peak form, then he is certainly capable of making the frame.