7f Jersey Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3yo)
The Frankie factor probably means that Covey has been overbet here and although he looks like a progressive horse, the form of his recent Haydock success has taken quite a few knocks. The Antartic received a strong form boost with Ocean Quest going close in the Commonwealth Cup yesterday, but it’s not a certainty that the extra furlong on rattling fast ground will bring out the best in him.
I narrowed this down to two with OLIVIA MARALDA just making more appeal than Holloway Boy. Olivia Maralda showed high class form as a juvenile, she was beaten into 7th here in the Queen Mary last season when drawn in stall 1 and ran Meditate to a less than 1 length second in a Group 2 at The Curragh.
Olivia Maralda ran above the bare form in the 2000 Guineas on her reappearance when not showing her best over a 1m trip that probably stretched her, whilst the ground completely whilst the ground went completely against her. She showed her class when coming from the back and a wide draw to win on fast ground at Epsom on the Oaks day beating both the reopposing Holguin and Streets Of Gold convincingly.
The one negative might be her draw out in 15, but she travels strongly and likes to be held up off the pace so I can see Olivia Maralda going very close in this with conditions to suit.
1pt win Olivia Maralda @6/1, 15:05 Royal Ascot, Saturday
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