Tuesday Weather update -- High 18C Starting dry. Areas of cloud around, especially during the morning, and fair chance of showers throughout the afternoon.
Going -- Good
This years Royal Ascot meeting will be the usual fashion stakes and social event, and Her Majesty The Queen still celebrating her 90th birthday ... but is it more than just a celebration and a fashion parade?
YES is the correct answer ... Well if you can get in and fight through the crowds (or better still grab yourself a bit of free corporate hospitality "hint hint" Betfair) then at least you can say you are seeing some of the best racing of the season with Group 1 races each day, top class sprints and big field competitive handicaps.
Can I suggest that you get there early as travelling is a nightmare.
Six races to enjoy starting at 2.30 with our first Group 1 of the meeting which is the QUEEN ANNE stakes over the straight mile course.
A fantastic opening race with runners from Uk, Ireland, France and USA competing for the £340k prize plus Group 1 glory. It's the overseas stars that I would focus on for betting purposes, ERVEDYA won the Coronation Stakes here last year and must be worth a bet at 5/1 but the class horse here seems to be the American trained TEPIN, winner of 8 races back in the USA and unbeaten in four top races this year too certainly hasn't come here for the weather.
2:30 Result
1st -- Tepin (Julien Leparoux) 11/2
2nd -- Belardo (J Doyle) 9/2 joint-fav
3rd -- Lightning Spear (Oisin Murphy) 20/1
The Coventry Stakes is our second race and takes place at 3.05 over the straight 6f track. This Group 2 race for 2yo's has attracted a field of 19 and it's a minefield with only a few having no winning form to boast about but all could run well and finding the winner here will be tricky.
You ignore the claims of any Aiden O'Brien horse at your peril but you can't say they have been banging in the winners lately and some high profile defeats in the Classics (Minding aside) suggests that you would want to be a Layer of CARAVAGGIO today at a short price.
I was at Sandown when MEHMAS failed to reel in Global Applause and if he fluffs the start again here will not find it easy to get a decent run in a big field. So I am looking at a couple of alternatives with THUNDER SNOW / YALTA my pair against the field.
3:05 Result
1st -- Caravaggio (R L Moore) 13/8 fav
2nd -- Mehmas (L Dettori) 8/1
3rd -- Psychedelic Funk (C T Keane) 9/2 2nd-fav
At 3.40 our second Group 1 race of the week is the Kings Stand sprint over 5f, where 21 line up to charge down the course and the draw will be as vital as the splits for some.
The top two in the market at MECCA'S ANGEL and her recent conqueror at Haydock PROFITABLE. The latter certainly improving and would be interesting to see how he goes in this large field from stall 8.
Veterans SOLE POWER [N/R] (drawn 21) and TAKE COVER (drawn 1) will have some supporters but are up against it over this trip with the widest of all draws and I would be looking at how well the 3yo ACAPULCO [N/R] copes with this field again having won the Queen Mary here last year though has the assistance of Ryan Moore.
3:40 Result
1st -- Profitable (A Kirby) 4/1 2nd-fav
2nd -- Cotai Glory (G Baker) 33/1
3rd -- Goken (J P Spencer) 50/1
Aiden O'Brien sends over THE GURKHA whose latest win was a Group 1 in France by over 5 lengths so must be decent and is going to be a warm order favourite for this contest. Against the favourite I would like to be backing ZONDERLAND [N/R] each way if the 20/1 is still available, arrives in good form and should love the going plus the strong pace.
4:20 Result
1st -- Galileo Gold (L Dettori) 6/1
2nd -- The Gurkha (R L Moore) 4/5 fav
At 5.00 it's the Ascot Stakes over the Gold Cup distance of 2m 4f for 4yo's+. Just the 20 runners here but unlike the sprint events I think they should be fairly strung out come the end and we'll focus on two against the field that should find the trip to their liking.
No surprise to see a number of NH stables and runners represented, Willie Mullins will always be strong here having had last years winner and is double handed here with PIQUE SOUS (Ryan Moore) and SEMPRE MEDICI (Martin Harley) also interesting is Nicky Henderson who saddles NO HERETIC.
Will see if it's possible to dutch those three against the field, but as always the market will be very informative.
5:00 Result
1st -- Jennies Jewel (R P Whelan) 6/1 2nd-fav
2nd -- Qewy (James McDonald) 33/1
3rd -- Mill Springs (L Dettori) 25/1
4th -- Moscato (Luke Morris) 18/1
And at 5.35 we finish off Day One with the Windsor Castle Stakes over 5f for 2 year olds only. A max field of 24 runners here and yet it's only 4/1 the field.
Another American raider here with BIG CITY DREAMIN for Wesley Ward and Frankie Dettori, at a bigger price there's TOP SCORE for Godolphin and at a really huge price if you fancy a risk get on Mick Channon's STRINGYBARK CREEK who is forecast at 66/1 but has a bit more experience than some of these and can forget the last run where the jockey lost his whip and eased when chance was gone.
5:35 Result
1st -- Ardad (R Havlin) 20/1
2nd -- Savannah's Dream (P Makin) 100/1
3rd -- Pedestal (R L Moore) 14/1
Result will be updated in the evening and we will have details for each of the five days of Royal Ascot posted up as early as possible. Enjoy the week.
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