Yesterday’s column should have been titled ‘close but no cigar’ as I hit the crossbar a good few times and I’m certainly looking to right that today.
GET AHEAD would probably be my single biggest winner of the week as I have been topping up on her since her debut run at Ascot where she looked well above average. Clive Cox has an excellent record in this race and with sprinters full stop so she won’t lack the ability I’m sure. The draw could have been kinder to her as there did look to be a slight bias yesterday but I’m hoping she can get a good tow into the race and use her finishing kick late on.
The Queen’s Vase looks a real tough event this year and I think WORDSWORTH could be a high class stayer in the making. His full brother, Kew Gardens, won this race a few years back and all of the selection’s runs to date have suggested he too will be a top draw stayer so at 3/1 he looks pretty solid. I will have to have a saver on TAIPAN who I have been following this season and I expect plenty of improvement over this trip back on a sound surface. He should reward each way backers.
The 3.40 wouldn’t be a race that I will be getting seriously involved in but I think DOUBLE OR BUBBLE is a sound bet in the race. Chris Wall knows a good filly when he sees one and this one has certainly looked good so far. Her return at Newmarket was impressive and a return to a course we know she likes, I can see her upsetting a few more fancied rivals.
I’m a big fan of Love and have already backed her accordingly for the Arc later this year but I feel she may be susceptible on her return, over 1m 2f on quick ground to a slightly sharper type. She may well go and win but at 13/8 I’m willing to look elsewhere and her stablemate, ARMORY, looks to be the one to be on. His form picked up at the backend of last season and his run at Chester last time was visually very impressive. He seemed to pick up the leaders with the minimum of fuss and ended up powering away late on. I think this test will suit him well and his race fitness might just catch a few of these out.
I’m definitely picking the wrong one in the Hunt Cup as I have 6 on my shortlist and I’ve forced myself down to 2 and I’ve gone with the two bigger priced ones. First up is ESCOBAR who saves his best for Ascot more often than not and his recent form suggests he should perform well here. He needs a good gallop to aim at and he is almost guaranteed to get that here. At 40/1 he looks too big and I think he will run well.
LUCANDER looks to have been laid out for this race as his reappearance run looked like the perfect prep run. Rightly so, because his profile really suits this race and his second in the Cambridgeshire last year suggests this test will be ideal. Ralph Beckett is no stranger to success at Ascot and I think he could be in the money again today. Please bear in mind, Astro King, Brunch, Grove Ferry & Haqeeqy.
Although the bare form for ALBION SQUARE doesn’t look all that good I suspect he may run a lot better than 33/1 suggests he should. I liked how he found an extra gear when winning last time out and I think the drop back to 5f could be the key to him. He seems to have plenty of pace and I can certainly see him hitting the frame at least here. From the home side it may be worth having a saver on TIPPERARY SUNSET for John Quinn who holds this horse in high regard hence its meaningful name. Visually, he hasn’t looked like a Royal Ascot two year old but sometimes is those ones which you have to respect the most. If he could get a good lead into the race I think he has the attitude to tough it out late on.
Not sure that this last race is worthy of being associated with Royal Ascot but I’ll put a horse up all the same. The form of STUNNING BEAUTY‘s win at Doncaster is strong and rates highly in this field I feel. She looked a high class horse last year but disappointed in Dubai so it was good to see her get her head back in front on Town Moor. If able to build on that I think she could still have a few pound in hand on the handicapper.
2.30 – Get Ahead
3.05 – Wordsworth/Taipan
3.40 – Double Or Bubble
4.20 – Armory
5.00 – Escobar/Lucander
5.35 – Albion Square/Tipperary Sunset
6.10 – Stunning Beauty
