Both Fallon and Rooney both scored yesterday! Kieren Fallon had his first group 1 win (and also his first Royal Ascot win) in six years and Wayne Rooney scored for England against the Ukraine on his comeback following a two match suspension and a nine month international goal drought. Now if Fallon could ride one of Rooney's horses for a win here next year then they've got it sewn up between them!
There was no such worry about scoring for Frankel connections - for whom "comeback" is nothing but a mere word listed under 'C' in the dictionary! His 11 length decimation of the rest of the Queen Anne Stakes field yesterday has put to bed once and for all any doubters! Timeform have now (finally and at last) given him a provisional rating of 147 - the highest ever rating they've bestowed in their 64 year existence.
15:45 Prince Of Wales Stakes
So You Think would be bucking the trend for exclusively 4yo and 5yo winners the past ten years but he is a class horse despite his not quite living up to expectations and has every right to buck the trend right off into the stratosphere. His defeats came in world class competitions (Dubai World Cup, Breeders Cup Classic, Champion Stakes) and on dirt and polytrack so he has excuses. You'd never have imagined evens or better on offer for him in this a year ago so I'm backing him to leave the Blighty and the Emerald Isle on a win before returning back down under to grow his mane into dreadlocks and hang on the beach or whatever! A runner that I'm keen at an (just about) each way price on is Farhh and not just because I like hearing the racecaller having to repeat it! He's only been on a racetrack three times and won on each occasion. This isn't so much of a step up as a leap up in class but he beat what opposition he had last time out with supreme authority and he has the help of Frankie for the first time here. He's a big boy and ought to love it here.
16:25 Royal Hunt Cup
With a field of 30, it's no surprise that past running have thrown up some double figure prices winners with the biggest in recent years being 28/1 Godolphin/Dettori Invisible Man (I'm still struggling as to why ever it went off at such a huge price two years later!). Again this is a race which the 4yo and 5yo have a virtual stranglehold on (9 of the past 10 winners between them) and after chucking out the mid drawn runners 13-18, these are the ones I've concentrated on. Anything over 33/1 has been crossed off too leaving a more manageable nine runner list which hopefully contains the winner. Edinburgh Knight is bang in there with his Ascot form, big field form and form on good and good to soft. Johnny Murtagh's record here with 20%+ strike rate makes Dimension of interest. This horse has visited Ascot one and won at Ascot once - over 7f though but this extra furlong shouldn't be a negative. It's surprising not to see Fallon booked for this ride as he's partnered Dimension for his last 7 races! He is instead on board Belgian Bill (never ridden before) for George Baker whose stable is in top form presently ...if I was a 5ft something Irishman, I think I'd rather be on Dimension though! The only other two I think are worth mentioning are Arabian Star who will be at the front and is handily drawn for his style of running and Boom And Bust who is returning after 11 months away from the racetrack. He has won first time back after a break in the past but never after such a long spell on the sidelines though. This cavalry charge winner will need so much luck in running that it really is a lottery. Skybet, PaddyPower and Boylesports are paying first 5 places so with this in mind I shall go each way with:
17:00 Queen Mary Stakes
If the last race was a cavalry charge then this is the baby cavalry dash. If this was a smaller field then I'd concentrate on the high drawn runners (62%+) but in this instance as long as you aren't in the middle, the draw advantage would appear to be pretty fair. Again, I've dispensed with the middle 12-16 to kick things off! Hannons 2yos should never be ignored and with a name like Jubilee Diamond at this year's Royal Ascot, you can only imagine that this race has been the plot all along! Sadly she is drawn 14 which is going to make life very difficult. Sharaarah is taking a step back in trip when I would have thought going the other way would have been more obvious. All Fur Coat has made all in her past three races which doesn't necessarily mean that she has to do so today although speed figures give her a good chance of making it if Hayley chooses. The other in the field with comparative speediness and front running tendencies (if you can saddle her with this label after just one run) is Upward Spiral, drawn the other side (23). Richard Kingscote is on board the other Dascombe runner, Ceiling Kitty but Johnny Murtagh's 20% trumps Richard's 7% here for me! The final one I think is worth a mention is Graphic Guest - Mick Channon has very recently hit form and with just three runs under her belt, this horse is already a C&D winner and has beaten The Hairy Rocket.
Only Ladbrokes are offering 5 places in this race so I've thrown my dart in just three of these:
17:35 Sandringham Handicap
Pimpernel rather disgraced herself last time out at Newmarket and this is a drop back in class to salvage some of the potential that she showed last year. If she can drop her head back down as well then she may have a hope of placing at least. No explanation/reason/excuse was given for her dreadful run but fillies can be temperamental (and seasonal!!) and I'm willing to give her one last each way chance based on last year. The other filly that caught my eye here is Devotion who will also be better suited back at a mile and in listed rather than group company. These two both hold group 1 entries: Devotion for the Irish Oaks and Pimpernel for the Coronation Stakes in two days, so if Ballydoyle and Godolphin think they are in that class then I'll follow...
Even harder than yesterday (as the actress said to the bishop) so I'll be keeping stakes sensible and hoping for one of those big field/big prices to bring home the bacon!
....finally and inevitably the DailyWail Fail Mail headlined their website on Tuesday evening with a feature about Ascot and the "fashion police"
There was no such worry about scoring for Frankel connections - for whom "comeback" is nothing but a mere word listed under 'C' in the dictionary! His 11 length decimation of the rest of the Queen Anne Stakes field yesterday has put to bed once and for all any doubters! Timeform have now (finally and at last) given him a provisional rating of 147 - the highest ever rating they've bestowed in their 64 year existence.
Watch the monster out for his stroll in the park below:
For anyone feeling extremely lucky, the Tote Jackpot is carrying over £88K+ from today's pool to Ascot tomorrow (Wednesday)
14:30 Jersey Stakes
No favourite has won this in the past ten years but then nothing bigger than 20/1 has either. It would appear that in larger fields a low to mid draw holds the advantage and if this pans out then Reply would look to be pick of the form on that side with a not-too-shabby third in the Irish 2000 guineas bringing him along nicely for this. The other Ballydoyle runner, Ishvana came 2nd in the Irish 1000 Guineas but is up against the boys here and shouldn't be good enough. If my take on the draw is way out then Sovereign Debt is interesting as he's shown up here twice in the past and won both times. This is a step up in class but he won his last race easily enough to suggest he can make the necessary improvement. He has to be held up so will need some luck in running but he has the right jockey to make this with him!
- Reply UP
- Sovereign Debt (e/w) UP
15:05 Windsor Forest
Michael Stoute has won this three times past ten years but has no runner in this year's renewal. James Fanshawe has won twice though (in ten years) and with Kieren Fallon booked and confidence riding high after Tuesday's win then Captivator is a mare to consider at an each way price. She is relatively lightly raced and the hood that she has on today (aka "gimp mask" in our house) has worked the oracle since it was first tried last year with 4 wins from 8 runs in it (the remainder were 2 x 2nds, 1 x 3rd and 1 x UP). She'll appreciate the drying ground but this is quite a step up in class and I doubt she'll do better than a place - although it would be nice if she did! Nahrain is using this as a stepping stone for the rest of the season and holds an entry for the Pretty Polly at the Curragh on 01 July. She is so classy (2nd in the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Turf last seen) that winning this wouldn't take too much effort. She's extremely lightly raced and dropping down to a mile here so we may not see her all out should she get into a battle with Chachamaidee who has been laid out for this race by Sir Henry and would look to have the credentials to take this. I'll take Chachamaidee with Nahrain for the forecast and an each way on Captivator.
- Chachamaidee 2nd
- Nahrain UP
- Captivator (e/w) UP
So You Think would be bucking the trend for exclusively 4yo and 5yo winners the past ten years but he is a class horse despite his not quite living up to expectations and has every right to buck the trend right off into the stratosphere. His defeats came in world class competitions (Dubai World Cup, Breeders Cup Classic, Champion Stakes) and on dirt and polytrack so he has excuses. You'd never have imagined evens or better on offer for him in this a year ago so I'm backing him to leave the Blighty and the Emerald Isle on a win before returning back down under to grow his mane into dreadlocks and hang on the beach or whatever! A runner that I'm keen at an (just about) each way price on is Farhh and not just because I like hearing the racecaller having to repeat it! He's only been on a racetrack three times and won on each occasion. This isn't so much of a step up as a leap up in class but he beat what opposition he had last time out with supreme authority and he has the help of Frankie for the first time here. He's a big boy and ought to love it here.
- So You Think 1st
- Farhh (ew) 3rd
16:25 Royal Hunt Cup
With a field of 30, it's no surprise that past running have thrown up some double figure prices winners with the biggest in recent years being 28/1 Godolphin/Dettori Invisible Man (I'm still struggling as to why ever it went off at such a huge price two years later!). Again this is a race which the 4yo and 5yo have a virtual stranglehold on (9 of the past 10 winners between them) and after chucking out the mid drawn runners 13-18, these are the ones I've concentrated on. Anything over 33/1 has been crossed off too leaving a more manageable nine runner list which hopefully contains the winner. Edinburgh Knight is bang in there with his Ascot form, big field form and form on good and good to soft. Johnny Murtagh's record here with 20%+ strike rate makes Dimension of interest. This horse has visited Ascot one and won at Ascot once - over 7f though but this extra furlong shouldn't be a negative. It's surprising not to see Fallon booked for this ride as he's partnered Dimension for his last 7 races! He is instead on board Belgian Bill (never ridden before) for George Baker whose stable is in top form presently ...if I was a 5ft something Irishman, I think I'd rather be on Dimension though! The only other two I think are worth mentioning are Arabian Star who will be at the front and is handily drawn for his style of running and Boom And Bust who is returning after 11 months away from the racetrack. He has won first time back after a break in the past but never after such a long spell on the sidelines though. This cavalry charge winner will need so much luck in running that it really is a lottery. Skybet, PaddyPower and Boylesports are paying first 5 places so with this in mind I shall go each way with:
- Edinburgh Knight (form pick) e/w UP
- Dimension (jockey pick) e/w UP
- Arabian Star (gamest horse of the pack pick) e/w UP
- Belgian Bill (current trainer form pick) e/w UP
17:00 Queen Mary Stakes
If the last race was a cavalry charge then this is the baby cavalry dash. If this was a smaller field then I'd concentrate on the high drawn runners (62%+) but in this instance as long as you aren't in the middle, the draw advantage would appear to be pretty fair. Again, I've dispensed with the middle 12-16 to kick things off! Hannons 2yos should never be ignored and with a name like Jubilee Diamond at this year's Royal Ascot, you can only imagine that this race has been the plot all along! Sadly she is drawn 14 which is going to make life very difficult. Sharaarah is taking a step back in trip when I would have thought going the other way would have been more obvious. All Fur Coat has made all in her past three races which doesn't necessarily mean that she has to do so today although speed figures give her a good chance of making it if Hayley chooses. The other in the field with comparative speediness and front running tendencies (if you can saddle her with this label after just one run) is Upward Spiral, drawn the other side (23). Richard Kingscote is on board the other Dascombe runner, Ceiling Kitty but Johnny Murtagh's 20% trumps Richard's 7% here for me! The final one I think is worth a mention is Graphic Guest - Mick Channon has very recently hit form and with just three runs under her belt, this horse is already a C&D winner and has beaten The Hairy Rocket.
Only Ladbrokes are offering 5 places in this race so I've thrown my dart in just three of these:
- Upward Spiral e/w 4th
- All Fur Coat e/w UP
- Graphic Guest e/w UP
17:35 Sandringham Handicap
Pimpernel rather disgraced herself last time out at Newmarket and this is a drop back in class to salvage some of the potential that she showed last year. If she can drop her head back down as well then she may have a hope of placing at least. No explanation/reason/excuse was given for her dreadful run but fillies can be temperamental (and seasonal!!) and I'm willing to give her one last each way chance based on last year. The other filly that caught my eye here is Devotion who will also be better suited back at a mile and in listed rather than group company. These two both hold group 1 entries: Devotion for the Irish Oaks and Pimpernel for the Coronation Stakes in two days, so if Ballydoyle and Godolphin think they are in that class then I'll follow...
- Devotion UP
- Pimpernel UP
Even harder than yesterday (as the actress said to the bishop) so I'll be keeping stakes sensible and hoping for one of those big field/big prices to bring home the bacon!
....finally and inevitably the Daily
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