Tuesday's Meetings Royal Ascot Flat 7 Races 2:30-6:10p.m. Stratford N/H 6 Races 1:35-4:30p.m. Thirsk Flat 7 Races 1:45-5:15p.m. Roscommon(E) N/H 8 Races 4:50-8:30p.m. Beverley(E) Flat 7 Races 5:10-8:15p.m. Brighton(E) Flat 7 Races 5:20-8:23p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Royal Ascot 15,40 Golden Pal 3/1 WH 17,00 Pied Piper 11/2 Lads and Coral 17,35 Majestic Dawn 10/1 e/w bet365 five places
I’m taking on majestic Dawn with west end charmer. Good luck anyway . Surrey gold in the 5.00 catches my eye.
From a punting point of view, the Royal meeting does not start very well. The best older horse in training Baaeed should start the meeting off for favourite backers in the Queen Anne Stakes but is really only of interest for people with multiples. I expect that plenty will have 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus is multiples with him as he looks pretty bomb proof in the St James’s Palace Stakes unless My Prospero improves enormously from beating The Queen’s Reach For The Moon at Sandown. Personally I do not touch the two year old races this early in the season as pretty much all of the form is wins in minor events at lesser tracks and there are no reliable form lines, so the Coventry Stakes provides an opportunity to gauge the early pecking order. The two best horses in the King’s Stand Stakes are probably visitors from distant shores. It is difficult to get away from the fact that Golden Pal’s two visits here have seen him beaten, in the Nunthorpe last term and in the Norfolk at this meeting in 2020. There is no way to determine the value of the form of Aussie raider Nature Strip but the record of their raiders is excellent and this guy is all speed. Of the ‘home’ team Man Of Promise has been plying his trade in Meydan but was beaten in the six furlong Al Quoz last time when favourite whilst Lazuli beat Acklam Express in the Blue Point Sprint at the same venue over five with Khaadem well behind. The Queen’s King’s Lynn won the Temple Stakes last time pipping Twilight Calls but he also might be a few pounds short of the market leaders. Arecibo, Mondammej, Existent and Winter Power (favourite) were all behind at Haydock. Tis Marvellous was down the field in the Palace House (sixth), where Khaadem won beating Existent and Saint Lawrence (third), Twilight Calls (fifth), Arecibo and Mondammej. So it seems that much of the home defence is based around a bunch of sprinters who take it in turns winning our races. As usual, half the field for the Ascot Stakes hail from National Hunt stables making it difficult to assess as most of them have little flat form and their race fitness is based on their last appearance over obstacles. I had Evaluation picked out for this as he was bred from The Queen’s Gold Cup winner Estimate and had a 5lb penalty for a cosy win last time; however, he has been taken out. Second choice was Marshall Plan from the Gosden yard, enthusiasm tempered by him stepping up half a mile in trip and being on a career high mark. The Wolferton used to be a Listed handicap but they had to drop the handicap status. Fortunately that has not resulted in a short priced hotpot because almost the whole field have ratings around the 109-112 mark, so the betting is wide open. Cadillac has a Group 3 win at this trip to his name and won a nine furlong Listed race last time by nearly four lengths but carries a penalty here. It is hard to make a case for Dubai Future who returned from a winter on the Arabian Peninsula to finish a very moderate fourth in the Brigadier Gerard. Majestic Dawn is probably the pace angle in this race as he made all to beat West End Charmer at Goodwood last time (Movin Time fourth) but now has to concede that one 3lb; and prior to that he was last in the Huxley at Chester, where Certain Lad was second. Aristia also tried to make all in the Middleton last time and only went down by half a length but she does not have to force it: the problem for both Aristia and Majestic Dawn is their wide draws, so their jockeys will be forced to use up some horse early if they want to lead. Also out wide is Star Safari who has been running over ten furlongs in Meydan at this sort of level but most of his European turf form is over twelve furlongs. Harrovian was stone last in the Dubai Turf where he was totally outclassed but on his previous start he was just behind smart French mare Ebaiyra at Riyadh over this trip. Last year he only won a three runner race on these shores and seems to run in lots of small fields but his inside draw should see him well positioned if good enough. Juan Elcano won this race last year (his second career win that he has not improved on since) and he made the running in the Gordon Richards on his first start this term and finished last of the three with FOXES TALES ahead of him in second on his first start. Andrew Balding’s charge subsequently stepped up in trip in the Aston Park and was more than four lengths fourth. He now drops back to ten furlongs (over which he won a Royal Ascot handicap in 2021) but needs to overcome being widest of all in the stalls.
I'm taking a punt on My Prospero today. I know Coroebus looked a good Guineas winner but I think the draw played a big part in his victory. If that reading is correct then Native Trail's subsequent win doesn't put Coroebus a long way ahead of a lot of colts. In April/early May Appleby was on fire but he's just back to normal now. Obviously a lot of assumptions there, but that's what makes racing interesting. I was at Newmarket when My Prospero made his debut and he lost his chance at the start. Marquand gave him a sympathetic ride, but even if he'd been fit enough he wouldn't have beaten Claymore. He was very impressive when winning on his seasonal debut at Newbury, in what is usually a hot maiden. He was set a searching test in the Heron Stakes by Reach for the Moon, and I thought he came through it manfully (am I allowed to say that?). RftM didn't hang about and the rest of the field were hardly duffers yet My Prospero won commandingly, and a long way from the presumably useful 3rd. MP also showed he could handle firmish ground which is going to be very useful this week.
Any idea what the riding arrangements are in the Haggas yard? I ask because I like his other runner, German 2000 GNS winner Maljoom. Does Tom Marquand get first choice of the yards runners (unless the owner has a retained jockey, eg Crowley)?
I think so. Sometimes with Royal Ascot it's such an occasion that owners want their horses to run. If Maljoom doesn't run in this race then what does he go for? Fallon is definitely Haggas's 2nd choice as jockey.
I'm on Persian Force at 16s antepost. Fingers crossed!! (I have a feeling my fellow Irishman from Ballydoyle might put a spanner in the works with his two)
I'm not usually that bothered about the sprints but the Kings Stand is really interesting today because of the overseas runners, fair play to Wesley Ward and Chris Waller for bringing their runners across
The Queen is a non runner today… Correobus looks a bit short in the main race today - My Prospero the ew bet Blackbeard could be a bit special in the Coventry Interested to see Native Strip in the sprint Arcadian Sunrise ew in the long distance Cadillac ew in the 5:35 too much sport today! Also following the test match and tennis Working from home - you can’t beat it!
A very nice juvenile just won at Thirsk, with the Lope De Vega filly Glenlaurel showing a massive amount of ability. Absolutely cantered all over them. Group horse in the making!
Oddy: Yesterday I looked-up Nature Strip on You Tube, just to watch him win the big Stakes race over 6f at Randwick earlier on this year.. I got more than I bargained for, as they showed at least six or seven big sprint races after this, each one won by Nature Strip. He is an absolute flyer. I thought, well surely he just has to turn up to win our Kings Stand? So, I chucked him in the competition! What a sprinter, he is.an 8-year-old too!