by Charlie McCann
The Gold Cup is today's feature event at Royal Ascot and Mizzou (9/2 at BetVictor) has long been my recommendation for the race on good or faster ground. Four-year-olds have won the race for the last three years and the selection ran out a ready winner of the Sagaro Stakes on his reappearance on similar ground over two miles here back in April.
That form has been franked by the subsequent win of runner up Vent De Force, re-opposes this afternoon, in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown and this race has been his target all winter. The unbeaten Forgotten Rules (5/2) and the Gallic raider Bathyrhon (10/1) can follow the selection home in a fascinating renewal of this most valuable and prestigious contest.
King Of Rooks (2.30) is impossible to oppose in the opening Norfolk Stakes given he slaughtered subsequent impressive Coventry Stakes winner Buratino 5l in the National Stakes at Sandown last month. The juvenile has subsequently been bought by Al Shaqab Racing but at a shade of odds on at BetVictor (5/6) he makes little appeal although he has an is obvious chance.
An each way alternative is the other Richard Hannon trained 2-y-old the once-raced Log Out Island (2.30) who created a very favourable impression on debut when winning by the best part of five lengths. The son of Dark Angel was subsequently bought by Godolphin and at 3/1 with BetVictor (1/4 odds first three) I would be disappointed if he was out of the frame.
Frankie Dettori picks up the ride on King Of Rooks in the opener and he also rides Time Test (3.05) in the Tercentenary Stakes and I was very taken with the manner of his success at Newbury last time when beating Dissolution under a Ryan Moore masterclass.
This is a much better race and I wouldn't want Dettori to be too far back on the son of Dubawi, but the form of his second to Latharnach on his penultimate start was given a boost on Tuesday and I think there is more to come from Roger Charlton's colt.
Irish 1000 Guineas winner Pleascach escapes a penalty in the Ribblesdale but her stamina has to be taken on trust and she is another who looks too short (5/6 with BetVictor) in the betting with stamina having to be taken on trust. She will certainly get 10f on breeding but will the petrol be empty inside the last furlong.
At 12/1 with BetVictor the lightly-raced Pandora is taken to improve for the step up to 12f on only her third career start for Charlie Hills. The selection finished third in the Musidora last time at York and the winner (Star Of Seville) landed the French Oaks last weekend. Pamona is another who is open to further improvement but her draw in stall ten is a negative.
In the Britannia I thought most things went against Mutarakez (5.00) at Haydock yet his class saw him through and a 6lb rise might not stop him landing the hat-trick. At 7/1 each way five places I would be very disappointed if he wasn't in the frame although there are any number of potential improvers including Stoute's Capel Path.
I nominated the King George V Stakes for Dissolution (5.35) as soon as the colt finished runner up to Time Test (runs 3.05) at Newbury on his reappearance and whilst a 6lb rise for that effort looks punitive he looks sure to appreciate the step up in trip to twelve furlongs and Ryan Moore takes the ride for Sir Michael Stoute. The pair teamed up with 11/2 favourite Colony in this corresponding race in 2008 and he is 6/1 at BetVictor; the only negative is he can be slowly away and in a 21-runner handicap he can't expect to come from last to first in the short Ascot straight.
