Racing Chat - Friday 18th June

[The Brigadier]

Day 4 of Royal ascot and having missed the majority of the rain the ground was riding good to firm today but once again we have the threat of overnight thunderstorms so there is the realistic possibility of the ground changing overnight. Here my thoughts on the 7 races.

 

Ascot 2.30

The 6F Albany Stakes for 2yo fillies kicks off Day 4 with the possibilty of some dig in the ground. Flotus looked particularly smart when hosing up at Goodwood on her debut 27 days ago. The ground that evening was soft and with Dettori booked must go well for the Crisford’s. She looks the main play to me here although it may also be worth a small investment in the George Boughey trained Cachet who won by 5L on her debut at Newmarket in the style of a decent juvenile. Hello You is the other filly here who was visually impressive on her debut all be it it on the all weather at Wolverhampton. Throw in a well bred winner of Aidan O’Briens in Prettiest and we have some race. Flotus is my main pick with a saver on Cachet. 

FLOTUS 2 points win @ 10/3 Bet365         

CACHET 1 point each way @ 9/1 Bet365 1/5^th 1234

 

Ascot 3.05

A disappointing turn out for this year’s renewal of The King Edward Vll Stakes with only 8 going to post and with the top rated only 108 the standard is not set too high. The one to beat has to be William Haggas’s Alenquer who was last seen winning the Sandown Classic Trial by 1/2L in April from none other than this year’s Derby winner Adayar with Yibir who re-opposes here only a neck away in third. He’s a winner in soft ground so will handle any juice in the ground and can take this. Yibir may be the one to chase him home having been gelded since last seen. Title is a good ground Yarmouth maiden winner who will need to step up to take this whilst Aidan O’Brien saddles The Mediterranean who was runner up in a listed contest last time at Leopardstown. 

ALENQUER 2 points win @ 2/1 Bet365

 

Ascot 3.40

A bumper field of 21 go to post for the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup over 6F for three year olds. A case can be made for plenty with the French raider Suesa coming here unbeaten in 4 outings in her native country on soft ground so the softer the conditions the better for her. Whether stall 8 is a good draw or not is debatable. Campanelle is over from America for Wesley Ward and is 3 from 3 over sprint trips having failed to stay a mile in last season’s Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, with Dettori in place she can be a big runner. Dragon Symbol is a horse I have a lot of time for and is another with a chance.  My best outsider is the Ken Condon trained Miss Amulet who had some smart juvenile spring form but flopped on her re-appearance in the Irish 1000 Guineas where she may not have stayed, back in trip here she looks fair ew value. A wide open contest but I’m going to stick with last year’s form of Campanelle and give Wesley Ward his first 6F winner at the Royal meeting with a small saver on Miss Amulet. 

CAMPANELLE 2 points win@  9/2 Bet365

MISS AMULET ½ point each way @ 25/1 Paddy Power 1/5^th 12345 

 

Ascot 4.20

The Group 1 Coronation Stakes is run over 1m for 3 year old fillies and has attracted a field of 13 runners. Aidan O’Brien saddles two, his Irish 1000 Guineas winner Empress Josephine and English 1000 Guineas winner Mother Earth. The latter is the pick of Ryan Moore and followed up her 1000 win by finishing runner up in the French version a fortnight later. She’s the form horse here and the one they all have to beat. Alcohol Free raced on the slower part of the track in the English 1000 Guineas and did well to get to within 2L of Mother Earth and it wouldn’t be a shock to see her get closer although any further rain probably wouldn’t suit her. An interesting runner is the Sir Michael Stoute runner Potapova who will need to step up considerably on her Redcar win and is unproven  on slow ground, she is very exciting mind. The German 1000 Guineas winner Novemba is also of interest as she made all to win comfortably by 7L and although this will be tougher comes here as the highest rated horse in the race and also top on Timeform ratings. She’s drawn still 1 and will surely go forward from there and attempt to make all.  

MOTHER PEARL 3 points win @ 4/1 Paddy Power

 

Ascot 5.00

A maximum field of 30 fillies will hurtle down the straight mile here in the Sandringham Handicap which looks as hard a handicap as I’ve seen all week. Bets should really be kept a minimum here with my shortlist comprising of top weight Friendly of Aidan O’Briens who ran 6th in the Irish 1000 Guineas although his mark of 102 seems rather high. Lucid Dreamer of Roger Charlton’s making his handicap debut off of 90 which looks a workable mark though a stall position of 9 doesn’t excite and Belief a lightly raced Cheveley Park Stud owned filly trained by William Haggas and Star Of Emaraaty who maybe well drawn in stall 2 on the far side and was last seen running 9^th in the 1000 Guineas. A real head scratcher with stakes split small ew on Lucid Dreamer and Star Of Emaraaty. 

LUCID DREAMER ½ point each way @ 22/1William Hill 1/5^th 123456

STAR OF EMARAATY ½ point each way 33/1William Hill 1/5^th 123456

 

Ascot 5.35

Another maximum field of 19 go to post for the 1m 4F Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap run on the round course. The two current favourites Aaddeey and Quickthorn come here in fine form having won impressively last time but both have been re-assessed to the  tune of 13lb. I’m a fan of the former who is trained by the Crisford’s and he should run a big race. Last year’s winner Scarlet Dragon is back for another go from a 4lb higher mark and will appreciate any easing of the ground whilst Ryan Moore is on the same stables Tritonic who we know from his winter hurdling exploits. Yet again a tough handicap but I’ll stick with Aaddeey who is still improving and won’t mind slowish ground. 

AADDEEY 1 point each way @ 6/1 Bet365 ¼ 1234

 

Ascot  6.10

The final race of the day is one of the newest handicaps on the card, the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes Handicap. A 5F handicap for three year olds only won last year by the 6/4 fav Art Power. Looking at the races over the minimum trip so far this week it appears that either very high or very low seems the place to be. Warrior Brave is 7lb well in for his 2nd to Atalis Bay at Sandown last weekend and looks sure to run well for The Horsewatchers in first time blinkers. He’s one of best handicapped horses in the field though has a middle draw. Significantly looks an interesting runner from stall 24. Karl Burke’s speedster has bumped into two potential Group horses on his last two starts in Creative Force and Dragon Symbol, has form on all types of ground and can run well. Roger Varian’s Boomshalaa makes his handicap debut winning twice at 6F and is dropping back a furlong here and is well fancied Mo Celina is looking for his 6th win on the spin and he’s one who would appreciate any more rain. A competitive race but I will split my stakes between Significantly and Warrior Brave with slight preference for the former as he appears to be better drawn. 

SIGNIFICANTLY 1 point each way @ 9/1 Bet365 1/5^th 12345

WARRIOR BRAVE ½ point each way @ 8/1 William Hill 1/5^th 123456

 

 

 

[Zilzalian]

1 hour ago, The Brigadier said:

Day 4 of Royal ascot and having missed the majority of the rain the ground was riding good to firm today but once again we have the threat of overnight thunderstorms so there is the realistic possibility of the ground changing overnight. Here my thoughts on the 7 races.

 

Ascot 2.30

The 6F Albany Stakes for 2yo fillies kicks off Day 4 with the possibilty of some dig in the ground. Flotus looked particularly smart when hosing up at Goodwood on her debut 27 days ago. The ground that evening was soft and with Dettori booked must go well for the Crisford’s. She looks the main play to me here although it may also be worth a small investment in the George Boughey trained Cachet who won by 5L on her debut at Newmarket in the style of a decent juvenile. Hello You is the other filly here who was visually impressive on her debut all be it it on the all weather at Wolverhampton. Throw in a well bred winner of Aidan O’Briens in Prettiest and we have some race. Flotus is my main pick with a saver on Cachet. 

FLOTUS 2 points win @ 10/3 Bet365         

CACHET 1 point each way @ 9/1 Bet365 1/5^th 1234

 

Ascot 3.05

A disappointing turn out for this year’s renewal of The King Edward Vll Stakes with only 8 going to post and with the top rated only 108 the standard is not set too high. The one to beat has to be William Haggas’s Alenquer who was last seen winning the Sandown Classic Trial by 1/2L in April from none other than this year’s Derby winner Adayar with Yibir who re-opposes here only a neck away in third. He’s a winner in soft ground so will handle any juice in the ground and can take this. Yibir may be the one to chase him home having been gelded since last seen. Title is a good ground Yarmouth maiden winner who will need to step up to take this whilst Aidan O’Brien saddles The Mediterranean who was runner up in a listed contest last time at Leopardstown. 

ALENQUER 2 points win @ 2/1 Bet365

 

Ascot 3.40

A bumper field of 21 go to post for the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup over 6F for three year olds. A case can be made for plenty with the French raider Suesa coming here unbeaten in 4 outings in her native country on soft ground so the softer the conditions the better for her. Whether stall 8 is a good draw or not is debatable. Campanelle is over from America for Wesley Ward and is 3 from 3 over sprint trips having failed to stay a mile in last season’s Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, with Dettori in place she can be a big runner. Dragon Symbol is a horse I have a lot of time for and is another with a chance.  My best outsider is the Ken Condon trained Miss Amulet who had some smart juvenile spring form but flopped on her re-appearance in the Irish 1000 Guineas where she may not have stayed, back in trip here she looks fair ew value. A wide open contest but I’m going to stick with last year’s form of Campanelle and give Wesley Ward his first 6F winner at the Royal meeting with a small saver on Miss Amulet. 

CAMPANELLE 2 points win@  9/2 Bet365

MISS AMULET ½ point each way @ 25/1 Paddy Power 1/5^th 12345 

 

Ascot 4.20

The Group 1 Coronation Stakes is run over 1m for 3 year old fillies and has attracted a field of 13 runners. Aidan O’Brien saddles two, his Irish 1000 Guineas winner Empress Josephine and English 1000 Guineas winner Mother Earth. The latter is the pick of Ryan Moore and followed up her 1000 win by finishing runner up in the French version a fortnight later. She’s the form horse here and the one they all have to beat. Alcohol Free raced on the slower part of the track in the English 1000 Guineas and did well to get to within 2L of Mother Earth and it wouldn’t be a shock to see her get closer although any further rain probably wouldn’t suit her. An interesting runner is the Sir Michael Stoute runner Potapova who will need to step up considerably on her Redcar win and is unproven  on slow ground, she is very exciting mind. The German 1000 Guineas winner Novemba is also of interest as she made all to win comfortably by 7L and although this will be tougher comes here as the highest rated horse in the race and also top on Timeform ratings. She’s drawn still 1 and will surely go forward from there and attempt to make all.  

MOTHER PEARL 3 points win @ 4/1 Paddy Power

 

Ascot 5.00

A maximum field of 30 fillies will hurtle down the straight mile here in the Sandringham Handicap which looks as hard a handicap as I’ve seen all week. Bets should really be kept a minimum here with my shortlist comprising of top weight Friendly of Aidan O’Briens who ran 6th in the Irish 1000 Guineas although his mark of 102 seems rather high. Lucid Dreamer of Roger Charlton’s making his handicap debut off of 90 which looks a workable mark though a stall position of 9 doesn’t excite and Belief a lightly raced Cheveley Park Stud owned filly trained by William Haggas and Star Of Emaraaty who maybe well drawn in stall 2 on the far side and was last seen running 9^th in the 1000 Guineas. A real head scratcher with stakes split small ew on Lucid Dreamer and Star Of Emaraaty. 

LUCID DREAMER ½ point each way @ 22/1William Hill 1/5^th 123456

STAR OF EMARAATY ½ point each way 33/1William Hill 1/5^th 123456

 

Ascot 5.35

Another maximum field of 19 go to post for the 1m 4F Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap run on the round course. The two current favourites Aaddeey and Quickthorn come here in fine form having won impressively last time but both have been re-assessed to the  tune of 13lb. I’m a fan of the former who is trained by the Crisford’s and he should run a big race. Last year’s winner Scarlet Dragon is back for another go from a 4lb higher mark and will appreciate any easing of the ground whilst Ryan Moore is on the same stables Tritonic who we know from his winter hurdling exploits. Yet again a tough handicap but I’ll stick with Aaddeey who is still improving and won’t mind slowish ground. 

AADDEEY 1 point each way @ 6/1 Bet365 ¼ 1234

 

Ascot  6.10

The final race of the day is one of the newest handicaps on the card, the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes Handicap. A 5F handicap for three year olds only won last year by the 6/4 fav Art Power. Looking at the races over the minimum trip so far this week it appears that either very high or very low seems the place to be. Warrior Brave is 7lb well in for his 2nd to Atalis Bay at Sandown last weekend and looks sure to run well for The Horsewatchers in first time blinkers. He’s one of best handicapped horses in the field though has a middle draw. Significantly looks an interesting runner from stall 24. Karl Burke’s speedster has bumped into two potential Group horses on his last two starts in Creative Force and Dragon Symbol, has form on all types of ground and can run well. Roger Varian’s Boomshalaa makes his handicap debut winning twice at 6F and is dropping back a furlong here and is well fancied Mo Celina is looking for his 6th win on the spin and he’s one who would appreciate any more rain. A competitive race but I will split my stakes between Significantly and Warrior Brave with slight preference for the former as he appears to be better drawn. 

SIGNIFICANTLY 1 point each way @ 9/1 Bet365 1/5^th 12345

WARRIOR BRAVE ½ point each way @ 8/1 William Hill 1/5^th 123456

 

 

 

I really fancy lucid dreamer but like you say the track is a nightmare, personally i wish they would leave well alone and stop the watering, if its firm so be it, if its got a good covering of grass would be fine but now if it chucks it down it will be heavier than it should be. We have seen races this week where half the field have had no chance.