ROYAL ASCOT 2014. DAY FIVE SATURDAY 21st JUNE

DAY FIVE

OUR FINAL DAY OF THIS SEASON'S MEETING AND IT'S BEEN A BIT HIT AND MISS MOST AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, FAR TOO MANY PLACES AND NOT ENOUGH WINNERS ONCE AGAIN.

NOT DETERRED WE GO AGAIN FOR SATURDAY, I USED TO REMEMBER THIS AS ASCOT HEATH DAY AND YOU COULD GET INTO THE COURSE FOR A POUND. ADMITTEDLY THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO BUT IT WAS ALWAYS PACKED AND MEANT REAL RACEGOERS COULD HAVE SOME FUN. ANYWAY THOSE DAYS ARE OVER NOW, LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT THE BIG RACES FOR SATURDAY>>>

2.30 CHESHAM STAKES 2yo's -- WHILE I EXPECT THE AIDEN O'BRIEN DICK WHITTINGTON TO BE A POPULAR FAV I THINK IT'S WORTH LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF BIGGER PRICED HORSES AGAINST HIM. 

CLIVE BRITTAIN HAD A GOOD WINNER ON FRIDAY AND HIS VIA VIA LOOKS WORTH A CHANCE AT 20/1. AND WILL GO WITH THE UNRACED NAFAQA FOR BARRY HILLS WHO IS LOOKING AFTER THE YARD OF HIS LATE SON JOHN HILLS. 

3.05 DUKE OF EDINBURGH STAKES --  OFTEN THE TARGET OF SIR MICHAEL STOUTE IT WOULD BE NO BIG SURPRISE IF HIS ARAB SPRING DEFIED TOP WEIGHT AND RACKED UP A FOUR TIMER IN THE PROCESS. 

CLEARLY THIS IS A DIFFICULT CONTEST AND THE OPPOSITION IS NUMEROUS, HAMELIN WOULD BE POPULAR HERE FOR LADY CECIL AND HAS A STRONG CLAIM GETTING 8LB FROM THE STOUTE HORSE. AN ATTRACTIVE EACH WAY SHOT WOULD BE THE DAVID ELSWORTH TRAINED DASHING STAR.


3.45 HARDWICKE STAKES -- ANOTHER BIG CHANCE FOR THE STOUTE / MOORE TEAM HERE WITH TELESCOPE. A HORSE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN OUT OF THE FIRST TWO IN HIS CAREER CERTAINLY HAS THE SCOPE TO WIN THIS. 


4.25  DIAMOND JUBILEE STAKES -- A GROUP ONE SPRINT WHICH SEES SLADE POWER LOOKING TO MATCH HIS STABLE-MATE SOLE POWER WHO WON EARLIER IN THE WEEK. DUE DILIGENCE LOOKS THE BETTER FORM PICK OF THE O'BRIEN PAIR BUT JOSEPH IS ON DARWIN WHICH IS INTERESTING AT 16/1.


5.00 WOKINGHAM STAKES HANDICAP -- JUST THE 29 RUNNERS FOR THE BIG HANDICAP OF THE DAY, THE HIGH DRAW SEEMED TO HAVE  AN ADVANTAGE IN BIG FIELDS SO FAR BUT WE WILL AIM TO HAVE ONE FROM EITHER SIDE SINCE PACE MIGHT BE THE KEY. 

ALBEN STAR FROM RICHARD FAHEY IS OUR FIRST SELECTION AND PRICED GENEROUSLY AT 20/1 AND FROM STALL 10 HOOF IT WITH KIEREN FALLON ON BOARD LIKES A BIG HANDICAP AND COULD STRIKE HERE TODAY.  


5.35 QUEEN ALEXANDRA STAKES  -- RUN OVER 2m 6f THE LONGEST DISTANCE ON THE FLAT RACE CALENDAR AND A RACE OFTEN TARGETED BY THE NATIONAL HUNT TRAINERS WHO ARE AGAIN WELL REPRESENTED HERE. 

WILLIE MULLINS HAS PIQUE SOUS, ALAN KING RUNS TIGER CLIFF AND NICKY HENDERSON HAS ROYAL IRISH HUSSAR SO WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN DUTCH THOSE THREE AGAINST THE FIELD.