WELCOME OFFER FOR ROYAL ASCOT AVAILABLE HERE
PRICE BOOSTS MAX BET £10
BOOSTED ODDS FOR EURO 2021 AVAILABLE!
2.30 - Chesham Stakes (Listed, 7f)
The trio to focus on may well be New Science and Reach For The Moon - first and second on debut at Yarmouth recently - and POINT LONSDALE - an impressive Curragh debut winner five days later for Aidan O'Brien.
It's the Australia colt that just about gets the verdict as his trainer bids to win this Chesham Stakes for the fourth time in six years. He's a brother to Ballydoyle's smart performer Broome and that opening gambit at the start of this month in Ireland was promising.
Seamie Heffernan laid him up on the early pace and once he was asked to go about his business in the final quarter-mile, Point Lonsdale really did put the race to bed impressively. There should be good improvement in him from first-to-second run and he can prove the one to beat in the opener.
In-form Charlie Appleby will have designs on stopping him with Lope De Vega colt New Science. He made most at Yarmouth (7f, good) late last month under William Buick and was a decisive winner, with his rider able to relax close home once the job was in hand. Royal runner Reach For The Moon stayed on late for second having run a bit green at stages of the race and should improve for the experience, but this may be a duel between Coolmore and the boys in blue for the Royal Ascot opener on day five.
Easing conditions will be in favour of soft-ground Goodwood winner Masekela for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy and he is perhaps the each-way contender with more upside to him.
3.05 - Jersey Stakes (Group 3, 7f)
All sorts of possibilities in what looks a cracking renewal of the Jersey Stakes. Mutasaabeq (seventh) lost his unbeaten record in the 2000 Guineas last month but his winning return at HQ previously was impressive and he should have learned plenty in that Classic run. The drop in class could see him right back on track.
Naval Crown (fourth) was ahead of him that afternoon having made the running but it's his earlier defeat to TACTICAL in the Listed Free Handicap at Newmarket that might be worth revisiting.
Andrew Balding's charge had to be game to take the gap on the rail that afternoon, just getting through to win on the line over 7f and a drop in trip back at Newbury next time in a race won by Creative Force didn't seem to suit him. The return to a strongly run 7f here may be ideal for last year's Windsor Castle winner, who remains relatively unexposed at this distance. Good-to-soft ground will be fine for him and the Royal runner can outrun his double-figure odds in this tough contest.
The aforementioned Creative Force is 4-4 at Newmarket and Newbury over 6f (three this season) but he did wilt late on in the Coventry Stakes won by Nando Parrado over the same trip here last summer. He is bred to get 7f, but has got to show it. Nando Parrado meanwhile has plenty to prove on recent form if hoping to repeat that shock (150/1) success.
Khartoum for Ballydoyle and Jessica Harrington's Ace Aussie bring a good Irish challenge, while New Mandate won the Royal Lodge (1m, good) last autumn but does lack a recent run and so may be better for this as he has a penalty to carry too.
Saeed bin Suroor's team are in excellent fettle and Storm Damage was an impressive Kempton winner on debut this month. The gelded son of Night Of Thunder rises sharply in class for this turf switch but it would be dangerous to dismiss him. Jane Chapple-Hyam's filly Bellosa has made every yard in two Newmarket wins (Listed latest) and is clearly quite useful but those forcing tactics might be tough to carry off in this company.
3.40 - Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2, 1m4f)
Idaho in 2017 is Aidan O'Brien's only Hardwicke winner in the previous decade and the Ballydoyle supremo is hoisting the numerical sledgehammer in attempts to alter that stat as he runs Broome, Japan, Mogul and Tiger Moth here. Ryan Moore sides with Broome, inched out in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on heavy ground last month in his bid for a fourth win of the term. He should go well, while Japan and Mogul have questions to answer. Tiger Moth wasn't suited by heavy ground in that same Curragh Group 1 and the Irish Derby/Melbourne Cup bridesmaid could do plenty better today as Adam Kirby picks up a nice ride.
Wonderful Tonight ended last season with Group 1 wins at Longchamp (1m6f) and here (1m4f) on testing ground, both against her own sex. David Menuisier's filly will fancy this as conditions come right but the lack of a recent run is off-putting.
Sir Michael Stoute has won this race no less than six times since 2010 and so Highest Ground must be on any list. He won a Conditions contest at Leicester recently and while this is a lot tougher, last year's Dante second is unexposed at the trip.
With William Haggas and Tom Marquand in form, the progressive and unbeaten Ilaraab cannot be dismissed in haste now tackling Group-race company for the first time. He won a York handicap over this trip last month off a mark of 102 on his first start of the season; coming from off the pace to win in decisive fashion. That puts him right in the mix and it's likely he isn't done improving yet.
All that said, HUKUM is hard to get away from at around 5/1 for Owen Burrows and Jim Crowley. The Sea The Stars colt put away a strong field in winning a C&D handicap at this meeting last summer and won a Newbury Group 3 over 1m5½f in August before a creditable fourth in the St Leger.
A mile-and-a-quarter was too sharp in the Gordon Richards at Sandown in April's comeback but he has since won a soft-ground Listed event at Goodwood beating some established older rivals. This strong traveller will move as well as anything and his course form makes him appealing, as that win four weeks ago gave a strong hint that he's still got a bit more in his locker.
4.20 - Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Group 1, 6f)
The final Group 1 of the meeting and it's a field of 14 established sprinters bidding for Diamond Jubilee glory.
Plenty of these contested last month's Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes, where Starman came with a late run to thwart Nahaarr on the line, with King's Stand winner Oxted well held in third, and then little to split Summerghand, Ventura Rebel, Art Power and Emaraaty Ana after him.
Ed Walker's Starman is favourite to win this and looks a sprinter with a big future but it's certainly noteworthy his only defeat thus far in five starts was over C&D on soft ground on Champions Day when he beat only two of 15 rivals home.
That York run meanwhile was a career-best from Nahaarr and he'll have to better it again in all probability to win this. Art Power swatted aside his rivals on handicap bow over 5f at this meeting last year and looked a top-class sprinter in the making when he easily won a Naas Group 3 soon after. Things have stalled for him since but he was only beaten a length in the soft-ground Champions Sprint behind front-running Glen Shiel here in the autumn. Tim Easterby's four-year-old could yet still make that transition to the top table.
Glen Shiel meanwhile may have needed his Curragh comeback last month in a Group 2 and a big run from Hollie Doyle's mount is possible.
DREAM OF DREAMS has a score to settle in this race, having beaten a head in the previous two runnings. Sir Michael Stoute's seven-year-old gave weight and a beating to his rivals at Windsor on his return recently and looks poised for another big tilt at this Group 1.
He won the Sprint Cup at Haydock on soft last September and only a real deluge before race-time would be off-putting. With Ballydoyle not represented, Ryan Moore has been secured again and, if he can keep a little closer to the pace mid-race, it may be third time lucky for Dream Of Dreams, who just had too much ground to make up when a fast-finishing second behind Hello Youmzain last June. His is the strongest form at this venue, easily.
5.00 - Wokingham Stakes (Heritage Handicap, 6f)
What a success story Rohaan has been for trainer Paul Evans. He was rated just 55 when winning at Newcastle in December on second start for this yard and now finds himself here on the back of a Group 3 win over C&D (good to firm) and a Haydock Group 2 (heavy) in recent months. It's a magical tale and this three-year-old is due plenty respect.
King's Lynn was a Listed winner at Haydock last month over 5f and comes to this having run a stormer in the Group 1 King's Stand on Tuesday. He met trouble in running before running on late. The extra yardage is no concern and he's 7lb well-in on these terms. A low draw however turns things sour given how things have gone this week.
Repartee has undergone a wind operation since he was last spotted and could go well for Kevin Ryan and Andrea Atzeni, while a 9lb rise isn't sure to anchor Newmarket winner Chil Chil for Andrew Balding in the King Power colours, though softening ground does rate a worry for Silvestre De Sousa's mare.
Danzeno has form in this race and a good draw, he's 1lb lower than last year on ratings and has Ray Dawson's claim to further assist, so they cannot be overlooked at a big price. His stablemate Edraak won at Windsor on Monday evening and may have a say under his 5lb penalty.
ABERAMA GOLD is a solid barometer for Keith Dalgleish and can routinely be relied on to give his best. The four-year-old put up a decent showing in first-time cheekpieces at Epsom a fortnight ago and, with the headgear retained, wouldn't look out of place running a big race from a high draw at chunky odds. He'll work for an each-way angle.
5.35 - Golden Gates Stakes (Handicap, 1m2f)
An opening handicap mark of 98 poses a question but ALFAADHEL could well have the answers for Jim Crowley and Roger Varian in the Shadwell colours. The Night Of Thunder colt won a Chester maiden on second start last month and has since added a Lingfield novice (AW), both at this sort of trip. Runner-up in that Polytrack contest was Sir Rumi, and Richard Hannon's charge advertised the form by winning since at Haydock. The latter is 4lb better off today but may still do well to reverse the previous form with Alfaadhel.
King Frankel's Epsom second this month came in a race where he never seemingly was happy. He gave Ben Curtis a torrid enough time in the rear but he rallied strongly and very nearly claimed the spoils. He's only 3lb higher here and has Frankie Dettori on board. Assuming he's more consenting today, his chance is surely a big one.
6.10 - Queen Alexandra Stakes (Conditions Race, 2m5½f)
Dermot Weld and Frankie Dettori teamed up with FALCON EIGHT to win the Chester Cup last month and they can sign off this meeting with a follow up over this extreme test. That was a first run of the season for the gelded son of Galileo and it represented a career-best. Dettori's mount had plenty to do on the home bend, but he essentially circled the field on the Roodee before swooping home to win decisively, seemingly with lots in hand.
He should get a decent pace to aim at again now and the conditions of this race must surely leave him with a major chance of more glory.
Who Dares Wins won this last year for Alan King on his first flat start of the year. This is tougher and he's got ground to find with the selection on their Chester meeting (4lb worse off here, too).
Stratum represents Willie Mullins and Ryan Moore. He made the most of a good chance at Gowran Park on his comeback but was well-held since in a Navan Group 3 (1m6f, good). He's a former Cesarewitch winner and should relish the distance but he needs his very best.
Stag Horn has the potential for better things at this marathon distance - the longest Flat-race of the UK season - and he ran well in the Sagaro Stakes won by Stradivarius in April. He's got more to offer for Archie Watson and Hollie Doyle but he's not certain to get an easy time in front and he's got to give weight to Falcon Eight.
ROYAL ASCOT ODDS AVAILABLE HERE
18+BeGambleAware
