The ‘Ascot Derby’ or King Edward VIII Stakes looks a good competitive renewal with Derby sixth Delano Roosevelt trading favourite.
I’m not convinced he truly wants a mile-and-a-half and I’m not sure Ryan Moore partnering him is as big a tip as it might seem.
Aidan O’Brien is firing three big bullets at this race with Seamie Heffernan, the apparent second in the jockey order, picking Giuseppe Garibaldi over ROSTROPOVICH, the mount of Donnacha O’Brien.
The same Donnacha O’Brien who won both the 2000 Guineas and The Oaks, so perhaps we shouldn’t see it as a negative.
He’s a good jockey and Rostropovich looked a very good horse at Chester in the Dee Stakes, before his bubble was burst in the French Derby when he simply failed to keep pace with the leaders.
That was supposedly raced on good ground but it was allegedly softer and I suspect the return to fast ground will suit, while he was staying on one paced at the finish at Chantilly so there’s a good chance the step up to 12 furlongs can suit.
I suspect Aidan O’Brien will dominate this race, as he has most of the middle distance races this week, and I can’t really see this son of Frankel coming outside the first three, so an each-way play seems wise.
1pt each-way Rostropovich @7/1, 15:05 Royal Ascot, Friday (1,2,3, 1/5)
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