It is the penultimate day of the Royal Ascot meeting on Friday with another seven excellent looking races set to entertain us at the Berkshire venue where the feature race is the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap run over a mile and a half.
We are nicely in profit for the week and looking to extend that further over the course of the day and a look through the card has thrown up bets in every race apart from one so we’re going into battle with a strong team of picks.
2.30 Royal Ascot: Albany Stakes (Group 3)
The opener on a cracking Day 4 is a 2 year old fillies races with O’Brien saddling the hot favourite in Fairy Godmother. She won a race at Naas that has provided the last 2 winners of this race but it’s actually the filly that came home in 3rd that day, California Dreamer, that carries my cash. She’s still a maiden but has shown more than enough to suggest she can get off the mark here. First time up at Dundalk, she was a beaten favourite but only went down by a head & looked in need of the extra furlong that she then got at Naas. In that Group 3 race, she had them all pushing & shoving and kicked clear a furlong out but perhaps her jockey went a bit too soon & she was worn down late on. The yard is suggesting she’s come on for that run & given the favourite, trading under 2/1, only won by a length & it might have been closer had the jockey held on to my selection, she looks the each way value of the race.
Tips
Back California Dreamer (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 26.00 William Hill (⅕ odds 1-4)
Back her here:
3.05 Royal Ascot: Commonwealth Cup (Group 1)
In my opinion, this is not the hottest Group 1 ever. None of the field have won a Group 1 & the record of the front 4 in the market in the highest grade reads 6th of 11, 8/9, 7/9, 9/9, 8/9, 3/12 & 5/9 so it’s fair to explore some of the bigger prices for a bit of value. Givemethebeatboys is the one I like. This Irish raider has some rock solid form to his name; as a juvenile, he won a maiden & a Group 3, and was 4th to River Tiber here in the Coventry, 3rd to Bucanero Forte in the Group 1 Phoenix & 4th to Vandeek in the Group 1 Middle Park. This term, he’s raced twice, winning first time up in a Listed race where the trip, just shy of 6 furlongs, was definitely as short as he wants to go. Last time out, he was just a head behind proven Group 1 performer Bucanero Forte, rallying in eyecatching fashion near the line. Given the winner would have almost certainly gone off favourite for this had he run, then I’m slightly baffled by the odds of the selection & think he has an outstanding chance today.
Tips
Back Givemethebeatboys (e/w) for a 0.75/10 stake at 9.50 William Hill (⅕ odds 1-4)
Back it here:
3.45 Royal Ascot: Coronation Stakes (Group 1)
You can’t have a bet in all 7 races, can you? Today is as close as I’ve got but this Group 1 contest, with a small field of 9, is the one I’m sitting out today.
4.25 Royal Ascot: Duke of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap)
The first of 3 competitive handicaps has a maximum field of 19 for this mile & a half race. The Mullins / Moore combo saddle a well fancied favourite in the shape of Ethical Diamond but I’m taking him on with 2, the first of which is Irish challenger Safecracker. He had a good summer last year, narrowly failing in a Cork handicap over this trip before making amends off 3lb higher in a handicap at the Curragh. He came from off the pace & won a shade cosily that day. He ran poorly on his last run of the year but that was in a Group 3 on very soft ground so I’m happy to put a line through it. On reappearance, he ran a cracker when 2 lengths 5th of 12 in a Curragh handicap but better is expected here. He finished behind Crystal Black & Deakin that day but I think he can turn the tables given the swing at the weights, the fact he didn’t get a total clear run & the trip was on the short side. This step back up to a mile & a half and the improvement expected now he’s race fit puts him bang in the frame.
I am swayed towards Sea King as my second bet. A winner of 3 of his 10 handicaps, he’s steadily rising up the weights but there are reasons to suggest he can defy a career high mark. Some of his poor runs have been over further & I’m convinced he’s a better horse at this trip, with handicap form figures of 1-7-2-1-1. This year, he’s been seen just once & won at Ripon by half a length. He travelled really well & was short of room so the performance can be marked up as he was value for more than the winning distance. That makes the 3lb rise look lenient. Another interesting thing in his favour is that he’s race fresh after being off for 8 weeks. His career record with a break of 50+ days reads 3-1-7-2-2-1-1. Plenty in his favour & a big price to boot.
Tips
Back Safecracker (e/w) for a 0.75/10 stake at 17.00 Ladbrokes (⅕ odds 1-5)
Back Sea King (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 29.00 Bet365 (⅕ odds 1-5)
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5.05 Royal Ascot: Sandringham Stakes (Handicap)
Another maximum field, this time just the 30 runners so it’s another race to go double handed. The first of those is Cat Ninja who makes her handicap debut today. She went down very narrowly in a head bobbing finish on debut but stepped up next time out when beating Clove Hitch at Windsor by half a length, the pair coming 11 lengths clear of 3rd. The runner up won next time by 8 lengths & is now rated 101 so the fact my selection is rated 91 makes her arguably very well handicapped. On his last run, he went down to a useful sort in the shape of Dosman but came out well at the weights & is now back racing against her own sex & is back up in trip. A yard that often targets this race, and with a high draw hopefully an advantage, I expect her to go well.
Arisaig has been well supported but I can understand why so she’s my second bet. A winner of 3 of her 6 races, she kicked off this season with her first run on turf & took a while to hand Newmarket but, despite being miles off the pace, she finished off really well to finish 4th of 13 before running to a similar standard next time out when the small field was against her. Last time out, at Lingfield, she was plumb last but finished off in impressive fashion to swoop by the whole field, winning by almost 2 lengths easing down. There’s mixed views on the jockey; he often finds trouble but equally, he loves coming from off the pace. Let’s hope the wide track will ensure a trouble free passage. He has to defy a higher mark but if he backs up that last run, I’d expect him to prove a lot better than his current mark.
Tips
Back Cat Ninja (e/w) for a 0.75/10 stake at 11.00 Skybet (⅕ odds 1-8)
Back Arisaig (e/w) for a 0.75/10 stake at 13.00 Skybet (⅕ odds 1-8)
5.40 Royal Ascot: King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2)
We all know how well touted Diego Velaquez was early in his career & he goes off favourite here but he’s yet to fulfil his potential so can be opposed. I’m chancing Voyage albeit there’s not exactly loads to go on. On his second run, he was pitched into the Derby; that suggests connections believe he’s top class & much better than Group 3 level but unfortunately he stumbled coming out of the stalls & unseated his jockey. This is certainly a bid for compensation & I’m hoping he gets that. He also holds some fancy entries, most notably the Group 1 King George back here. What of his racecourse form? Well, there’s just the 1 race to go off & he won in convincing fashion at Newbury. Despite pulling a little, he travelled supremely well, never looking in danger & when the jockey went for it, he pulled quickly clear to win by almost 2 lengths. The winning margin could have been more too. Provided he breaks ok, I really fancy him to put the Derby disappointment behind him.
Tips
Back Voyage (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 19.00 William Hill (⅕ odds 1-4)
Back it here:
6.15 Royal Ascot: Palace of Holyrood House Stakes (Handicap)
A busy day ends with another impossible handicap puzzle, another maximum field, this time with 28 runners over the straight 5 furlongs. I can’t get away from those near the head of the market with the first of my 2 bets coming in the shape of Vantheman. As a 2 year old, he raced solely over 6 furlongs but this term has dropped to the minimum trip. First time up, he won at Newcastle on the all weather & then ran a cracker in a hot handicap at York, finishing 2nd of 17 behind today’s favourite Jubilee Walk. He’s 5lb better off with that rival for just over a length beating & that might prove enough. However, perhaps a bigger reason to suggest a reversal is the fact that the first 3 of the first 4 home were drawn 1-2-3 yet my selection was drawn away from the action in 13 so the performance can be upgraded. A middle draw gives him options & I expect the speedy type to give us a good run for our money.
Another well fancied type in Dyrholaey is my second bet. 3 runs on the all weather, 3 wins. You cannot ask for more than that & whilst this is his first run on turf, he’s expected to prove just as effective. Wathan Racing have had a superb week & having been acquired by them since his last run, he looks to have been targeted at this for quite some time. This is his handicap debut but his mark seems workable given he’s recorded RPR figures of 93 and 99 on his last 2 runs & gets in here off a mark of 90. Two starts ago, he won over 6 furlongs by 5 lengths & whilst last time he only won by a neck over this trip, the pair came well clear of the 3rd. This stiff track should suit & a high draw near the rail for a horse that’s sure to be prominent might prove advantageous. A good chance for his jockey to land his 4th winner of the week.
Tips
Back Vantheman (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 9.50 William Hill (⅕ odds 1-6)
Back Dyrholaey (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 13.00 William Hill (⅕ odds 1-6)
Back them here:
