There are no fewer than five Group races on the card at the fourth day of the Royal Ascot meeting on Friday, on a day where some big horses come out to showcase their talents in some very valuable races at the Berkshire track.
We have already gone through the handicaps elsewhere on this site but not is time to look at the feature races. We’ve scoured the card in detail and have come up with bets in four of the five races through the afternoon.
1.50 Royal Ascot
Preview
It’s the turn of the 2 year old fillies as 14 line up for this 6 furlong Group 3 sprint, the Albany Stakes. Mother Earth is the one O’Brien & Moore rely on & she was 2nd on debut at Navan when finishing well. This extra half furlong & stiffer track should suit.
Golden Melody, meanwhile, won well at Haydock but it looked a poor race & the form may turn out to be questionable. Dandalla has a great chance at a bigger price judged on her debut win at Newcastle but the rail draw may not be the advantage it was earlier in the week. There’s a US raider in here too but Flying Aletha has some stamina doubts.
Betting
Setarhe is the one here & she should go really well. She won her maiden at Newmarket over this trip & looked impressive in doing so as she overcame a slow start, a large pace bias & greenness to win in fine style. That day, she was scrubbed along early but, once she got the hang of things, she quickened well.
Her dam’s sire Fast Company produces lots of good soft ground form, so the recent rain should bring about improvement as should the stiffer test of Ascot. She’s from the in form Roger Varian yard who has won 2 of the last 6 runnings of this, and the yard’s form here this week with runners priced less than 10/1 reads 11112. She’s sure to be tough to get out of the frame here.
Tips
PLACED – Back Setarhe (e/w) for a 1.5/10 stake at 8.00 Coral BOG (1/5 odds 1-4)
Back her here:
2.25 Royal Ascot
Preview
Another 2 year old race & this time it’s 13 runners over 5 furlongs for this Group 2 event. Eye Of Heaven is a worthy favourite having broken the 2 year old track record at Newmarket on debut where he got the better of Royal Ascot winner Tactical. The only doubt is the easier ground he’ll face here.
Ballydoyle’s Lippanzer has been seen twice but has finished 2nd on both occasions, he should be on the premises again. The US horses will be opposed off the back of reports from local judges so Golden Pal has a line through it.
Betting
This leaves us with the each way bet of the race, Imperial Force, who is ridden by the excellent James Doyle. He looked good on debut when 2nd behind Creative Force at Newmarket over 6 furlongs. That day, the pair quickened up well & it was a sustained duel that the selection looked to be winning until the last half furlong proved a trip too far.
The drop back to 5 furlongs should suit and, being a son of Camacho & dam sire being Iffraaj, the rain softened ground should bring about lots of improvement. With 4 places on offer, it’s hard to see her out of the frame.
Tips
PLACED – Back Imperial Force (e/w) for a 0.75/10 stake at 11.00 Betfair BOG (1/5 odds 1-4)
Back it here:
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3.00 Royal Ascot
Preview
The Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes over a mile & half is next up. There are 11 in the field but, with 5 of the field available at 50/1 or bigger, you can effectively say this is a 6 horse race paying 3 places. Last year’s winner is here in Defoe but he needs good or better ground to show his best. That, coupled with an opening disappointment recently at Newmarket, is enough to ignore him
On the flip side, Morando needs more rain & with the rain expected to largely stay away, it might not be soft enough. The one filly in the field, Fanny Logan, is up against the boys & just falls short of this class. The front 2 in the market look solid though; Elarqam is a top performer with the one doubt being this extra 2 furlongs whilst last year’s Derby winner, Anthony Van Dyck ran a cracker on reappearance & provided he’s over that, is the one to beat.
Betting
If the front 2 fail to fire, Hamish is the most likely to profit and is taken at a nice each way price. He’s a similar type to Group 1 Royal Ascot winner Lord North in that he’s fast tracked through handicap races to take his chance in Group company.
After winning a Windsor novice last summer, he won a pair of top York handicaps including the Melrose on varying ground before an excellent neck 2nd to Trueshan off level weights in a race where the pair came 15 lengths clear. He travelled best that day but the heavy ground just took its toll late on. He stays all day, is unexposed &, with the better ground in his favour, could be the one to improve past the market principles.
Tips
Back Hamish (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 9.00 888sport BOG (1/5 odds 1-3)
Back it here:
3.35 Royal Ascot
Preview
The big race of the day is the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup over 6 furlongs. There’s a field of 16 from this year’s Classic generation with some very interesting ones amongst them. Pierre Lapin is 2 from 2 for Varian including the Group 2 Mill Reef and could be very special indeed. Golden Horde has similar top class potential with his last run particularly eyecatching when just edged out by the excellent Earthlight.
Many of the other main fancies are on Guineas recovery missions including Lope Y Fernandez, Millisle & Mums Tipple amongst them. The first named farest best in the Classics, finishing 3rd in the Irish 2000. There’s also a US challenger here in Kimari who was 2nd in last year’s Queen Mary but he’s more speed than stamina which is a worry over the 6 furlongs here.
Betting
The one at a bigger price is Royal Crusade from the Charlie Appleby yard. He won a shade cosily on debut & then was edged out behind Threat in the Champagne Stakes, finishing in front of 2000 Guineas 5th Juan Elcano. His next & final start was in France for a Group 3 on very soft ground where he lost out to a canny front running ride by Mikael Barzalona. However, he finished in front of Wooded that day who was taken out of this yesterday when his price was just 5/1. On that run, the market had it wrong so it’s interesting to see our selection in double figures.
The trainer has said he’s strengthened up lots over the winter & has got quicker, appreciating the drop to 6 furlongs on this stiff track. Comments like “he’s got a big chance” is encouraging for one at these odds. That said, it may be difficult for him to get the better of Pierre Lapin & Golden Horde so the 2nd bet in here is to take him in the market without those 2.
Tips
Back Royal Crusade (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 11.00 Skybet BOG (1/5 odds 1-5)
Back Royal Crusade (e/w) in the ‘without Pierre Lapin & Golden Horse’ market for a 0.75/10 stake at 8.50 Bet365 (1/5 odds 1-3)
4.10 Royal Ascot
The 1 mile 6 furlongs Queens Vase is a no bet race. The market leaders probably have this between them with Born With Pride and Santiago the 2 most likely. If anything, try the reverse forecast.
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