This looks a tricky and competitive renewal of this mile-and-a-quarter Royal Ascot Group Three. Hawkbill seemingly sets the form standard for Charlie Appleby, having beaten the favourite, Abdon, on good-to-soft ground on their seasonal reappearances. The market seems to be expecting a reversal on this softer ground, but I’m not…
1pt win Architecture @10/3, 15:40 Ascot, Thursday
It might be too soon after The Oaks for ARCHITECTURE to run to her best, but at 11/4 and almost a stone clear of all her adversaries on ratings and she might be good value. She hasn’t won yet this season, finishing second the last twice, but that might be a blessing…
0.5pt each-way Tryster @28/1, 16:20 Ascot, Wednesday
Japanese raider A Shin Hikari, the highest rated racehorse in the world, sets the loftiest of standards and appears a certainty for the Prince Of Wales Stakes, the feature race on Royal Ascot’s Wednesday card. A wide-margin demolition of a top-class Group One field on very soft ground last time…
1pt win Lady Aurelia @3/1, 15:05 Ascot, Wednesday
I’m a big fan of American trainer Wesley Ward. He lets punters know when he’s got a good thing and the noises he’s making about his Queen Mary Stakes raider LADY AURELIA are too positive to ignore. This is a race he targets as he’s won it twice since 2009, most recently…
1pt win Tepin @5/1, 14:30 Ascot, Tuesday
We’re set for a rare soggy start to Royal Ascot and the deteriorating going has had a big impact on the betting market for the opening Queen Anne Stakes, won last year by superstar miler Solow for France, in what’s possibly the race of the week. A setback has prevented a…
0.75pt each-way Mongolian Saturday @25/1, 15:40 Ascot, Tuesday
Unlike recent renewals, this season’s King’s Stand Stakes – the first of two British Group One five-furlong sprints each year – will be raced on soggy, slow ground. That’s caused many of the leading players to defect, including dual-winner Sole Power and the much-hyped American raider Acapulco. With each defection…
0.75pt each-way Robin Of Navan @12/1, 15:15 Chantilly, Sunday
I really like ROBIN OF NAVAN‘s chances of landing the Prix Du Jockey Club – the French Derby. He’s already won three times and placed twice in France – a run including Group One success in the Criterium De Saint-Cloud. The form of that race is strong, with Epsom Derby third…
1pt win Maljaa @9/1, 0.5pt EW Mukaynis @14/1, 15:45 Epsom Downs, 'Dash'
The 5f Epsom ‘Dash’ is regarded as one of the fastest sprint contests in the racing calendar year, with a devilishly quick descent to contend with and 18 runners going to post this year. The ground was definitely riding on the slow side yesterday, so I do not expect any…
2016 Epsom Derby Selections: Cloth Of Stars, Harzand, Across The Stars
It’s Derby day at Epsom, the second and most valuable of three British Classics for colts, and 16 three-year-olds are declared to seal their future stud values with victory. It’s been a race kind to punters in recent years with favourites Golden Horn, Australia and Camelot all obliging at short odds – but…
1pt each-way Simple Verse @5/1, 15:10 Epsom, Saturday
The Coronation Cup, run over the same one-mile-four course and distance at Epsom as the Derby Stakes on the same card, looks a strong renewal this year with four recent Group One winners heading the market. Arabian Queen‘s 100/1 success in the Juddmonte International at York was this column’s finest…