After a wonderful opening day of Royal Ascot where we landed a 12/1 winner and two places, it is time to get cracking on day two where the top class racing keeps on coming. The Duke of Cambridge Stakes is the big race on the card on Wednesday and we’ve got a bet in that and a few others on the card.
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2.30 Ascot: Queen Mary Stakes
2 year old fillies start the day over the minimum trip & we have an American trained favourite, ridden by Frankie Dettori who rode a treble on Day 1. Chelsea Cloisters is the filly & she could be tough to beat but I’m wary about backing a Wesley Ward favourite after Lady Aurelia’s disappointment. I think Shades Of Blue is drawn on the wrong side of the track, whilst you don’t often see a horse coming into this off a defeat landing the spoils so I’m against O’Brien’s main hope So Perfect.
Servalan, another Irish challenger, carries my money & she finished in front of So Perfect last time out when winning a Listed race at Naas over 6 furlongs. She was 3 lengths clear of the O’Brien horse that day & that form looks to be the best on offer here. She ran a bit green there too so I’m expecting there’s more to come. That race was on good to firm ground so she’ll have no issues with conditions & whilst she’s down a furlong in trip, the big field, furious pace & stiff track should negate that concern. Her draw in 9 is a positive too with horses drawn low to middle looking to be favoured so I’m expecting a big run against some beatable market leading rivals.
Tips
Back Servalan (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 11.00 Bet365 BOG (¼ odds 1-4)
3.05 Ascot: Queens Vase
Kew Gardens is the favourite &, in my book, is a worthy favourite. I think there is a lack of challengers but, even so, 7/2 isn’t a price I want to play at so I’ll distribute my Day 2 bets elsewhere.
3.40 Ascot: Duke Of Cambridge Stakes
This looks a poor Class 2 with the outstanding horse being Hydrangea. However, horses carrying a penalty in this race have an awful record so let’s look for something to take on the 7/4 favourite with. 4 year olds have won the last 9 runnings of this race so there has to be doubts over Aljazzi & Wilamina. Urban Fox is not dismissed lightly & I wouldn’t put anyone off backing her.
However, I plumped for Tomyris. A winner of 3 of her 7 starts, she still has low mileage & looks to be the type to improve this year. Last term, she won a listed race & twice finished in the places in Group company. This year, she’s been out once & that was a most impressive performance in landing a Group 3 at Lingfield on similar ground to this. She’s been trained for the race, will appreciate the ground & the extra furlong and, with a lack of serious rivals, she is decent each way value at the current prices.
Tips
Back Tomyris (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 12.00 Betfair BOG (⅕ odds 1-3)
Back it here:
4.20 Ascot: Prince Of Wales Stakes
Surely this is all about Cracksman? There’s not even any each way value to be had with only 7 runners. A race to enjoy, I feel.
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4.55 Ascot: Royal Hunt Cup
1 mile on the straight track, there’s 30 runners from which to pick from. 4 year olds hold sway & I’m sticking to that approach here. I’ve already alluded to the fact that a low to middle draw looks preferable, and you need a horse with proven form in big fields. I’ve gone with 2 bets.
Saltonstall is the main bet, exiting from stall 3. Very lightly raced with only 7 runs to his name, he’s a winner of 2 of those including a handicap last time out off 5lb lower. Previous to that, he finished 2nd in the 20 runner Irish Lincolnshire so big fields should pose no problem. He’s drawn close to pace, with those coming from stalls 1 & 2 both likely to go forward. A very shrewd stable who landed this race with Portage 2 years ago, there appears to be plenty in his favour with a top jockey in the saddle.
The 2nd bet has a higher draw in 23 but Tricorn is no forlorn hope. A winner of 3 of his 9 starts, his best run was in last year’s Britannia where he finished 3rd of 29 off 4lb lower than today’s mark. He’s not shown much form since but hasn’t had his ground and/or the race wasn’t run to suit. The top yard have targeted this race for quite a while now & interestingly they reach for first time headgear (2 of the last 10 winners have done the same). Despite his draw, he’s only 2 stalls away from a confirmed front runner so I’m happy to get involved at the price.
Tips
Back Saltonstall (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 13.00 Skybet BOG (⅕ odds 1-7)
Back Tricorn (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 21.00 Skybet BOG (⅕ odds 1-7)
Back them here:
5.30 Ascot: Jersey Stakes
7 furlongs for 3 year olds here & it’s often been won by a horse that placed in a Classic earlier in the season, when probably not getting the trip. There’s quite a few in the field that have raced in Classics but only one that was placed & that’s the horse I’m siding with.
The favourite, Could It Be Love, is the one for me & despite her position at the head of the market, I think 5/1 is a shade on the generous side. She was 8th in the French 1000 Guineas but had a terrible draw & too much use was made of her in getting to the front that day. She was a different proposition in the Irish 1000 Guineas where she went to the front & skipped 8 lengths at halfway. She was only headed 50 yards from home by a fast finishing Alpha Centauri but still finished in front of both Happily & Soliloquy. Dropping down in trip can only be seen as a positive &, provided she breaks quickly & gets to the front, I think she’ll prove tough to catch.
Tips
PLACED – Back Could It Be Love (e/w) for a 1.5/10 stake at 6.00 Bet365 BOG (¼ odds 1-4)
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