Sir Michael Stoute's Dartmouth capped-off a wonderful week of racing at Royal Ascot, landing Saturday's Hardwicke Stakes on the fifth and final day of the royal meeting, and is a 16/1 chance with BetVictor to emulate former Stoute inmate Harbinger and land next month's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
That success ensured it was indeed ‘Hats off for the Queen!' at Ascot and put the finishing touches on a sensational week of flat racing. Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore dominated once again, winning the Coventry and the Chesham Stakes with two promising colts for the Coolmore operation, and BetVictor make the pair of Caravaggio and Churchill the new 4/1 (from 20s) and 6/1 (from 25s) market leaders for next year's 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Another animal hyped as a potential classic contender was David Lanigan's Danilovna (7.50) who was entered in both the Oaks and the Ribblesdale prior to her disappointing handicap debut last month at Sandown. The well-bred daughter of Dansili was very weak in the market for the closing BetVictor Million Pound Goal fillies' handicap due to playing up in the prelims and is worth another chance from an unrevised mark. She remains entered in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh but perhaps more significantly is entered in a pair of races at Chester on Friday and could potentially win en-route to following-up on the Roodee under a 6lb penalty.
The William Haggas yard enjoyed, or perhaps endured, a luckless time at the royal meeting but should gain compensation with Winnings Ways (5.50) under Pat Cosgrave in the opener. The son of Lope de Vega is related to a couple of useful juveniles and looks the ideal type to make a winning debut – you could back a winner with this Ladbrokes promotion code.
House of Commons (6.50) was backed into odds-on prior to shedding the maiden tag earlier this month at Ripon and should go close on handicap debut from an attractive mark of 83. The son of Sea the Stars boasts impressive form behind some of last season's leading juveniles and must go close under retained rider Jamie Spencer.
Jeremy Noseda's Sixties Groove (8.20) is another that needed four runs to shed the maiden tag and is a confident selection to reward each-way support under Jim Crowley. He made a winning debut handicapping earlier this month at Kempton and must go close if translating his all-weather form to the turf from an 8lb higher mark.
Kevin Ryan's yard remain in good order and Geno (6.40) should continue the string's excellent form at Wolverhampton under Joe Doyle. The selection has thrived since dropping back to the minimum trip and is aided further by his rider's 3lb claim.
Mark Johnston's Jacquard has been well backed on both career starts thus far and is respected on his all-weather debut under Royston French, however Mr Hobbs (7.10) was unfortunate to bump into one last time out at Salisbury and is taken to make amends under Luke Morris. The promising Harbour Watch colt looked home and hosed a furlong out before tiring in the closing stages but should improve with experience to score for trainer Sylvester Kirk.
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