Wednesday’s Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot now closes, rather than opens, the card and it looks a typically competitive renewal.
John Gosden’s horses are flying as he and Frankie Dettori combined with three winners on Tuesday, so it’s little surprise to see Emaraaty installed as 5/1 co-favourite, stepping out of handicap company.
His overall form falls quite some way short of the best on offer in this race, though, so I’m not jumping on the bandwagon.
He was beaten by Society Power at Goodwood last time out, and can expect to reverse form on much better terms this time, however I’m not sure that’s a given.
William Haggas’s Society Rock colt has won his last five races since placing second on debut, and his hold-up running style makes him difficult to assess as he only just does enough in his races.
Jamie Spencer gets the ride and is well known for his riding of Ascot’s straight mile, so you feel he’ll be given every chance to show his best form – and there’s nothing about the distance or ground to worry about either.
He is sorely tempting, but with so many front runners with form over further I would prefer to back something likely to race from the front.
Tuesday’s main man Frankie Dettori is onboard Purser for Gosden, and that combination alone is eye-catching at 14/1 given he’s a front runner, however his overall form leaves a little to be desired and there are collateral form lines that suggest Mark Johnston’s Lake Volta is ahead of him.
He is a very lively outsider at 33/1 after a good win on soft ground at Epsom last time, but I’m taking the form of that meet with a lot of caution this week.
The Greenham Stakes form is well represented with the first two home meeting again, but James Garfield needs to return to form after finding Sands Of Mali and Invincible Army too hot to handle last time out, while Expert Eye is on a recovery mission.
I prefer Expert Eye of those two and am encouraged that this is his first visit to Ascot, after his reputation has taken a bashing after two shockers at the tricky Newmarket, however I’m a subscriber to the thought that he’s a sprinter running at the wrong trip.
11/1 is nearly enough to tempt me, but there are others I prefer.
Brother Bear has course form and might be over priced at 22/1, and Coolmore’s number one hope Could It Be Love, the favourite, could be very hard to peg back stepping down in trip after getting outstayed during a fine second in the Irish 1000 Guineas.
That might be the best form on offer and the fillies’ weight allowance is a big plus, but Ascot is a tough track to be a front runner and her price of 5/1 is fair at best against such a large field.
One I like is Charlie Appleby’s SYMBOLIZATION at 14/1, as he traveled well in the Irish 2000 Guineas, running into a little bit of traffic, and not quite staying the mile trip.
The drop to seven furlongs and rapid ground should both be in his favour and he looks progressive enough to warrant a bet at the price – especially as horses dropping down from Group Ones generally dominate this race and he’s also drawn among all the market principles, which can only help.
He looks the each-way bet.
1pt each-way Symbolization @14/1, 17:35 Royal Ascot, Wednesday (1,2,3,4, 1/4 with Bet365)
(Apologies, but we originally published with a typo recommending a win-only bet, but the recommendation is very much to back Symbolization each-way)
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