It’s impossible not to start this week with a very brief review of Royal Ascot – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The good – how impressive was Baeed in kicking off the meeting, but then again, what did he really best? He probably does deserve his tag of best racehorse in the World at the moment, but those comparing him to Frankel looks wide of the mark to me, though there may well be a bit of nostalgia in my thought process I confess. Nature Strip pulverised our sprinters as expected, while Coroebus got away with it in the St James’s Palace when Maljoom would probably have won with a clear run.
On Wednesday Dramatise landed the odds impressively in the Queen Mary, Saffron Beach showed she is a filly to follow in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes and was the steal of the meeting at 5/2. While Thursday saw Kyprios take the Gold Cup with the shine taken off his win thanks to Frankie (see below). Friday was all about Inspiral for me – she quickened up in the style of a very good filly despite not being fully fit on her delayed return, and if she takes on the colts later in the year I can only see one winner. Saturday belongs to 40/1 winner Holloway Boy who was only there so the owner could get tickets but still won on his debut – it will be interesting to see if he improves for the experience and where they send him next.
The bad belonged (past tense) to Frankie Dettori after he was slated for his ride on Stradivarius – not his finest hour as I am sure he would agree, but hands up who never makes a mistake at their job – thought as much - and he came out fighting later at the meeting. Irad Ortiz Jnr had an even bigger nightmare, missing the break on favourite Golden Pal before trailing home last, picking up a ban for careless riding in the Queen Mary – it would be interesting to read his review of the UK if he uses Trip Advisor!
The ugly belongs to the Royal Ascot dress code and the age old should they/shouldn’t they conundrum. Despite plenty of recent polls suggesting wearing a tie or jacket is outdated in racing full-stop, try telling that to the thousands who love to dress up for a day at the races, spend fortunes on hats suits dress etc, and then partying in to the night – is it really progress to do away with all that because it’s not the way in 2022 – I’d suggest the sell-out crowds tell their own story. Lastly, a big shout out from me for Megan Nicholls who says things as they are and is a breath of fresh air – I may be an old (rhymes with heart), but I have no issues with any age group or any gender IF they know their job – of course
she is still learning but I’m seriously hoping they bring her back more often because I genuinely want to listen to what she has to say (unlike some of the ITV team).
Lastly, huge congratulations to Hollie Doyle for winning the French Oaks on Sunday afternoon on Nashwa for the Gosdens – I admit I do get tired of the “female jockey” mantra rammed down our throats which I feel takes away from the facts – she is a superb jockey full stop – not just a superb female jockey which I think is almost irrelevant when she has just given a riding lesson to all her rivals of any sex.
Tired of reading – hear my opinions plus those of Ron Robinson (World Of Sport, Post Racing etc) here https://theworldofsport.co.uk/2022/06/23/royal-ascot-hollie-frankie-and-the-winners-for-this-coming-weekend/ on the weekly podcast
On to the racing….
Friday
6.43pm The Curragh
A mile and six for this Group Two contest where Queen Alexandra Stakes seventh Wordsworth is turned out less than a week later by Aidan O’Brien. Beaten less than five lengths that day (I tipped the 10/1 winner Stratum by the way), that was over seven furlongs further than he faces here, and I suspect he will be up in the van throughout over this trip. We have to assume he has go over those efforts of Aidan would not run him, but I am wary of stable companion Temple Of Artemis who looks a stayer in the making, and gets over a stone from the suggestion as a three-year-old.
7.10pm Newcastle
A Group Three on the all-weather just reminds me of how far racing off the turf has come over the years, though I know that plenty of you do not necessarily see that as a good thing. Roger Varian (Angel Power) and Sir Michael Stoute (Popova) have both won this twice in the six years it has existed on the racing calendar, while William Haggas (My Astra) won it last year, so you would think it would lie between the three. Never one to follow the herd (well, not always), I’m opposing all of them with 22/1 chance Poptronic, a no-hoper according to the ratings, but very much on an upward curve. Second on her debut at Wolverhampton, she went back there to win last December and reappeared at Ripon with an easy success in a Class Five novice. Yes this is a huge step up in class but she is getting better all, the time, has won on the all-weather, and as she stays further, I suspect she will try to make all and run them in to the ground over this trip – each way material obviously but not without a shout of the win either.
Saturday
2.05pm Newmarket
A double digit field for this Listed event for two-year-old filles over the six furlongs on the July course and an interesting if difficult to call contest. Eight of the 11 declared won last time out, and two arrive unbeaten, so I suspect the form may well be worth following for the rest of the season. The Hannons have won four of the last 10 runnings so they should know the sort needed, and they rely on the once-raced Minnetonka here. A daughter of Kingman out of a Dark Angel mare, she ran away with a Salisbury novice when quickening clear of her field for a five length success, and as she was sent off at 17/2, I am going to take a guess that she may not have been 100% tuned up that day and may have even more to offer – Jim Crowley takes the ride.
2.25pm Newcastle
Although three-year-olds do not have the best record in this race I am hoping that Sense Of Duty can buck that trend and become another weekend winner for the William Haggas team. She was all out when getting back up to beat Flotus (now rated 111) last time out at level weights, but the runner-up franked that form with a close-up third in the Group One Commonweath Cup at Royal Ascot suggesting the form may be even better than it looked at first glance. She arrives here nice and fresh having given Ascot a swerve, and although she does have a serious challenger in the shape of Ebro River, I am hoping her class and guts will see her home.
2.40pm Newmarket
Although I can see why Rebel’s Romance heads the market here, with his better form head and shoulders above these, do you really want to get involved with a horse whose two races this year at Meydan have seen him come home a 25 length eighth and a 27 length eleventh – me neither. Amazingly, this will be his first run on turf as well as his first try over a mile and a half and with no many negatives I can let him run unbacked. Stable companion Kemari is the interesting one even if he may be better over further (and William Buick has presumably chosen to ride the jolly), and I have to wonder if he will make this a test of stamina to hurt the favourite (as he should) – or not as he races in the same colours. All in all a race to watch and not one I will be betting on.
3.05pm The Curragh
Blackbeard was seen by many close to the Aidan O’Brien yard as one of their bankers of the Royal Ascot meeting but things didn’t go according to plan as the son of No Nay Never came home a distant fourth. I felt he found the faster ground didn’t suit him that day but the Curragh going seems likely to have a bit more cut in it and if I am correct, I feel he can get back to winning ways this afternoon with the on-fire Ryan Moore in the saddle once again.
3.15pm Newmarket
Three-year-olds haven’t won this race since Markaz in 2015, and that puts me off Epsom winner Ever Given and leads me to weigh in with an each way bet on Art Du Val instead. The six-year-old is trained by Charlie Appleby (tick), ridden by William Buick (tick), and has placed in better races (tick), but better still, he drops back to seven furlongs. Last time out over a mile he tried to make all before being caught late on and just holding on for second spot, and if he tries the same tactics here, I am hoping he can last home and hit the top two to make us all a profit.
3.20pm Windsor
Chindit has been running against Baeed recently so no surprises that he been put in his place, and he may be the biggest danger to My Oberon here. Although the four-year-old has won two of his three starts this year, I get the feeling he keeps a little bit back for himself if he can, so Stevie Donohoe will need to earn his riding fee to get him home in front. Last time out he won by a nose at Newcastle after cruising up to challenge and I wonder if he tried to down tools once he thought his job was done. If so, expect him to arrive fast and late once again here, but hopefully get the job done regardless.
3.45pm The Curragh
Tuesday has been supplemented to run here and is a worthy favourite after holding off Emily Upjohn to win the Epsom Oaks, and with the three length third going on to win the French Oaks last weekend, it is hard to crab the form. That said, would she be expected to beat Epsom Derby winner Desert Crown here, I rather doubt it, and that leads me to Westover who travels over for Ralph Beckett. Third to Desert Crown in Surrey, he was denied a clear run at a crucial stage and may felt that he would have won with a better passage, suggesting he is the one to beat here. The track at the Curragh looks more suitable for the son of Frankel (have a look at him if you can, he is a taking individual), and if the assessment that he should have won the Derby is correct, then he really ought to win here.
4.20pm The Curragh
Our final race for Saturday is a Group Three over a mile and a quarter – but to be honest it makes very little appeal from a betting perspective. Mac Swiney hasn’t won a race in seven starts since taking the Irish 2000 Guineas last spring, but his overall form still leaves him miles clear of any of these. That said, he is yet to win beyond a mile and weakened when seventh over this sort of trip in the Group One Tattersall Gold Cup here on his return, and at predicted odds of 2/1 or less I won’t be risking any of my hard earned I’m sorry to say – though I cannot oppose him either.
Sean Suggestions:
Westover 3.45pm The Curragh
Comments