Royal Ascot Friday 20th June 2014

Not quite such a successful day yesterday but still managed one winner and two (profitably) placed from the main selections as well as two more places and a winner from the suggested forecast and other selection bets. So a level stakes profit if all were backed meaning we are up on all three days so far. Today doesn’t look to have the class of the last three days but there is still some competitive racing and a few difficult races to try and solve.

The opening Albany Stakes at 2.30 features another high quality bunch of progressive and unexposed two year old fillies with nine of them still unbeaten. The clear form choice though is PATIENCE ALEXANDER who has looked a cut above in her two previous starts and beat Tiggy Wiggy, who ran so well here the other day, in her last start. She is a confident selection and Bitter Lake would be the suggestion to follow her home.

The Wolferton Handicap at 3.05 is tight handicap with more than half a dozen that could have cases made for them. If First Mohican springs back to his best he has a good chance at the weights as does Sennockian Star although they are both more exposed than some of the others so don’t appeal today. Saxo Jack is progressing nicely and Rebellious Guest has been in good form of late and need considering but my fancy is the reliable and well weighted DICK DOUGHTYWYLIE. John Gosden’s hoeses are in fine form and Dick Doughtywylie looks to be a perfect fit for the contest. The improving Cafe Society is taken to chase him home and is by far the runner with the most scope for improvement.

The King Edward VII Stakes at 3.45 is often contested by horses that ran in the Derby but todays field is made up entirely of horses who bypassed the Epsom classic after Western Hymn’s defection. One time Derby fancy Snow Sky would be of obvious interest if the ground was a little softer as he loks best suited by a little cut. Scotland has dissapointed this season but is held in high regard at home and could bounce back to form. Italian Derby winner Dylan Mouth has to burden a three pound penalty but is difficult to assess and could be a surprise winner. The suggestion though is ADELAIDE from the same stable as Derby winner Australia and they must surely have a pretty clear idea how he stacks up against top three year old form this season. He looks to have been aimed specifically at this race. Dante fifth Bunker could improve past the others to follow him home.

The days feature race The Coronation Stakes at 4.25 doesn’t appear to have the class feild it usually attracts but shoukd still be a fascinating affair. Lightning Thunder second in two Guineas will be a popular selection but two tough races may have taken their toll. TAPESTRY was amongst the best fillies last year and may prove to be a cut above the rest of the field. Her race in the 1000 Guineas is best ignored as she was eased when something appeared amiss. She is obviously in fine fettle now or her connections would not be running her, tney also have plenty of alternatives they coukd have run instead. Similarly Lesstalk In Paris could bounce back from her dissapointing run in the French Guineas to chase her home.

The two mile Queen’s Vase at 5.0 is always a fascinating race and this year looks to be no exception. Century and Hartnell both look class acts but preference is for the more progressive MARZOCCO who has look of a proper stayer.

The closing handicap at 5.35 is another tricky affair in which I was expecting to tip the beautifully bred Russian Realm as he is one of my horses to follow for the season. However close scrutiny of the race has veered me away from him as there are potentially better treated and less exposed horses on offer. Notably WATCHABLE who looks well treated by the weights and has plenty of scope for improvement. Blessington also looks nailed on for a good run and may chase him home with Hillbilly Boy the suggestion for third.

2.30 PATIENCE ALEXANDER(NB)
3.O5 DICK DOUGHTYWYLIE
3.45 ADELAIDE
4.25 TAPESTRY (NAP)
5.00 MARZOCCO
5.35 WATCHABLE

Royal Ascot Thursday 19th June 2014

Yesterday proved quite successful with three winners including the nap Muteela (taken at 8/1 in the morning) and two forecasts which folowing on from the three winners on Tuesday has made for a good start to the week. Today thouh looks a little trickier and has been made more so by the late defection of my intended nap Wrangler in the last. Hopefuly though we will still find a couple of winners but it is looking like a low stakes day to me.

The warm order for the first race at 2.0 The Norfolk Stakes is The Great War. Touted as the latest Aiden O’Brien superstar and the top rated two year old seen so far for many he will certainly figure in many multiple bets across the country. However, I am slightly concerned by the fact that he didn’t run in the more prestigious Coventry Stakes on Tuesday especially as he would appear on breeding to be suited by the extra furlong. MUKHMAL looked a top sprinter in the making given weight and overcoming a bad daw to win a decent event at Chester in May and at the likely odds he makes more appeal.

The Tercentenary Stakes at 3.05 looks realy tight with six runners all coming within a pound or two on my ratings. Somewhat has posted the best time figure but looks more exposed than the others whilst Cannock Chase could be the one with most improvement in him. Barley Mow and MUTAKAYYEF are closely matched on recent form but I expect the later who has taken a little longer to come to hand to improve past him. Having said thst it is almost certainly a minimum stakes race as some sort of case can be made for all eight runers.

The Ribblesdale at 3.45 features a host of talented three year old fillies and Oaks fourth Inchilla reappears lessthan two weeks after Epsom. She may have some of the best form but she had a tough race in the classic and may not be at her best today. French raider VAZIRA looks a better proposition today although she is no guaranteed stayer.

Today’s feature race is The Gold Cup at 3.45 and has an interesting look to it. Last years winner Estimate doesn’t look as strong as last year, Tac de Boistron would prefer more give in the ground and I am not sure Brown Panther hasthe class to win. LEADING LIGHT however has the look of a hores who could dominate in this categaory after winning last years Queens Vase and the St Leger. An easy winner on his reappearance he has to be the selection despite the ungenerous odds on offer. An outsider of interest is Shwaiman generaly available around the 66/1 mark. I had earmarked him as a potentially good handicapper over long distances earlier in the seasonand it is something of a surprise that connections are risking his handicap mark. He could run well and sneak into the frame.

The 5.0 is a 30 runner straight mile handicap and cases can be made for a good dozen of the runners. BILIMBI just shades it for me despite a disappointing run at Haydock last time. The ground will suit him better today and he is slightly prefered to Hors de Combat and Pupil who I expect to chase him home.

The final race is just as difficult to assess as it is packed with unexposed potential improvers. Initial selection Wrangler has come out overnight to make things even more difficult. Godolphin second string PERSONAL OPINION just gets the vote here from the interesting outider Fire Fighter who could run well at a big price. The other Godolphin runner Elite Army looks the one for Tricast purposes.

2.30 Mukhmal (nb)
3.05 Mutakayyef
3.45 Vazira
4.25 Leading Light (Nap)
5.00 Bilimbi
5.35 Personal Opinion

Royal Ascot Wednesday 18th June 2014

No better time than Royal Ascot to resurrect the racing blog. Time sadly beat me yesterday and technical problems have resulted in todays copy disappearing with a weak internet connection but at least I got the selections up before the first race as I had a one two !!

Things get under way at 2.30 with the Jersey Stakes over the specialist distance of seven furlongs. Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum has a strong hand here with horses placed in both the French and Irish 2000 Guineas. The Irish renewal looks stronger to me especialy after Kingman romped in again yesterday. Given that MUSTAJEEB also beat older horses earlier in the season he is a confident choice for the opener. Muwaary should follow him home.

The Queen Mary at 3.05 is as tricky as ever and the American raider Spanish Pipedream could follow in the footsteps of yesterdays winner for connections. However you are taking a lot on trust and I prefer ANTHEM ALEXANDER who romped home by a wide margin at Tipperary and looks the type to go on improving. The consistent Tiggy Wiggy looks the one for the forecast.

French wonder filly TREVE looks nailed on for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at 3.45. A classy winner of the Arc she lost nothing in her only defeat in the Ganay to Cirrus Des Aigles and is a good six pounds better than all on my ratings. The tough Mukhadram is the safest forecast bet and could be each way value.

The Duke of Cambridge Stakes at 4.25 sees the return of last years champion filly miler SKY LANTERN and despite seeming to be unfancied by the bookies and having to give five pounds to the improving Integral the memory of her performance in last years Coronation is difficult to get away from and she may well have the class to concede the weight.

I am loathe to select such a short priced horse as ABSEIL in the cavalry charge that is the Royal Hunt Cup at 5.00 but he does have the look of a group performer in a handicap and is the clear pick at the weights. His recent win at Epsom has the look of solid form and he should still have plenty of improvement in him. The other unexposed horse of interest in the race is Hugo Palmer’s Short Squeeze. The more exposed Burano is also worth an each way interest at a big price.

We have to wait until the Sandringham Handicap at 5.35 for my best bet of the day though. The unbeaten MUTEELA like Mustajeeb in the first race is owned by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum and she can top and tail the day with winners for him. On my ratings she is well clear of all the other runners and should have something in hand. She has also posted a very good timefigure and looks a group horse in the making. Midnite Angel was a decent two year old and could be the one for the forecast. Alutiq could also run well if coping with the trip.

2.30 Mustajeeb
3.05 Anthem Alexander
3.45 Treve
4.25 Sky Lantern (nb)
5.00 Abseil
5.35 Muteela (Nap)