6f Wokingham Stakes (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2)
It doesn’t look the deepest of renewals for the Wokingham Stakes with several non-runners bringing the field down to a modest number of 24. One that has the potential to materially improve beyond his current mark is the James Fanshawe trained FRESH, who picked up a course and distance success last month ahead of the talented and reopposing Pendleton.
Fresh was raised 5lbs for that success but it still better off at-the-weights here with Pendleton. Fresh has just had the two runs so far this campaign putting in a career best last time out having finished off his three-year-old career strongly including showing a liking for soft ground.
He is drawn 9 which should give him the option to follow the pace towards the stand side rail if a draw bias emerges and this fast finishing son of Bated Breath looks like he will relish the demands of this race. His price is probably just about fair, but they aren’t definitively too many Group horses in this handicap, he could be the one.
I’m also going to take a punt on CHIEFOFCHIEFS who has looked in good form off this mark on his first two starts of the season. Winner of the Silver Wokingham last year, Charlie Fellowes has plotted a course back to this race twelve months on and Chiefofchiefs is a horse that likes to come from the clouds. He also has the perfect partner in Jamie Spencer to ride him in that manner.
Drawn 8, he is another that should have a choice of which pace to follow and he has shown a real liking for racing when the mud is flying. He will need luck in running to go close though, but having won over 1m 2f and 1m earlier in his career, Chiefofchiefs stamina reserves should come to the fore in what is likley to be a strongly-run race.
1pt win Fresh @8/1, 17:00 Saturday, Royal Ascot
1pt win Chief Of Chiefs @14/1, 17:00 Saturday, Royal Ascot