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Royal Ascot Review – Part 2: The Eyecatchers

Morning all,

Part two of my look back at Royal Ascot.  Today the focus is on the eyecatchers. Plus, you’ll find my Tuesday nap at the end of the main piece.

Royal Ascot Review – Part 2

There will be plenty of next time out winners to come out of Royal Ascot. Since 2016, leaving out 2020 for obvious reasons, 353 horses from 2270 runners (16%) won on their next start after running at the Royal Meeting.

I have got horses from each day of Royal Ascot that should be kept on side in the coming weeks.

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Tuesday

Royal Scotsman caught the eye in the Coventry Stakes both before the race and during it. He was one of the best looking in the parade ring and was just done for pace 2f out before staying on into 3rd behind Bradsell.  A winner at Goodwood on his previous start and he should stay 7f.

Okita Soushi – Joseph O’Brien

Making his handicap debut in the 1m 6f Copper Horse Stakes (Handicap). The 4-year-old was only making his fourth start when finishing a 2-length 3rd of 16 to Get Shirty. Doing best of those who came from off the pace in a steadily run race. A more strongly run race will suit him and he might well stay 2m.

Wednesday

State Occasion had won at Chelmsford on her seasonal return, both career wins on the all-weather, shaped well enough and when 2 ¼ length 4th of 20 to Rising Star. She didn’t get the best of runs 2f but it probably didn’t make the difference to her winning chance. Lightly raced for a 4-year-old she’s only had one start at 1m 2f and she looks worth another start at that trip on a sound surface.

Sinjarri – Harry & Roger Charlton

Sinjarri   doesn’t hold any secrets from the handicapper but did better than his 3 ½ length 5th of 29 to Dark Shift in Royal Hunt Cup suggests. The 6-year-old did best of the high drawn runners (33). His last success came over 1m 2f at York in June 2020 and he’s yet to win since joining his present yard last year. He showed here that he can be competitive over a strongly run mile. Cambridgeshire anyone? A return to 1m 2f likely beckons, perhaps in the John Smith Cup a race he won in 2020. Although he probably needs all the cards to fall right off a mark of 106.

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Thursday

It looked a strong renewal of the Buckingham Palace Stakes Handicap (7F) and the form will be worth following. Montassib 3-3 coming into the race lost his unbeaten run but still ran a good race when finishing a 1 ¼ length 5th of 29 to Inver Park. A step up to a mile looks worth investigating and he could go well in a race like the Golden Mile Handicap (Goodwood). Tactical did best of those racing in the near side group back in sixth and was doing his best work at the finish. A strongly run 7f suits well with a race like the Bunbury Cup looking ideal for the 4-year-old.

Whoputfiftyinyou – Clive Cox

Whoputfiftyinyou came into the Britannia Handicap 4-4 after a taking success in the Silver Bowl at Haydock. He continued his progressive ways with another good effort when a 1 ½ length fourth of 30 to Thesis. Doing best of the drawn high (28). The form of the race is likely to prove strong as ever and the colt may not have stopped his improvement just yet.

Friday

Hala Hala Athmani was thrown in the deep end on just her third career start in the Commonwealth Cup. A half-sister to Group 1 winner Hello Youmzain. She finished an encouraging 3 ¾ length 7th of 20 to Perfect Power. A big strong filly. She's open to further improvement with racing and there are races to be won with her. 

Bond Chairman 4th of 27 in last season’s Listed Windsor Castle Stakes had been gelded at the end of last season. He looked nicely treated for his handicap debut in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes (Handicap) and so it proved in finishing a 1 length 4th of 27 on his seasonal return. Plenty of future winners should come out of the race. Peggy Sioux finished a ½ length 3rd. The filly might have gone for home a stride early but is on a fair mark. Korker lost any chance with a very slow start, giving away five lengths to his rivals and was only beaten 3 ½ length into 11th. He’s a Group sprinter but he’s now been slowly away on his last three starts which is a worry.

The Sandringham Stakes (Handicap) should be a source of plenty of future winners.

The winner Heredia is now 4-4 and is a Group filly after this success. The Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at next month’s July Festival was mentioned after the race as a possible target. Runner-up Zanbaq could also hold her own in pattern company.

Fresh Hope travelled through the race like she’s on a good mark and did best of those who raced more far side. Just behind her in that group was Persist. The daughter of Frankel’s dam won a Group 1 so she’s she bred to be better than an 83 rated filly.

Other’s worth noting include Washraa who stumbled two out and remains on a good mark and Love Interest. The latter a 10-length 13th of 28 but she ran better than her final position suggests. She was still going well but didn’t get a gap 2f out. Her mark (95) looks tough, but Friday’s big field helped her settle better and she might be worth another chance.

Sir Rumi – Richard Hannon

Sir Rumi ran much better than his 10-length 6th of 18 to easy winner Candleford in Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap) suggests. Dropping back to 1m 4f he was making headway when he didn’t get a clear run 2f out. Once in the clear he was doing his best work at the finish. He would likely have finished second with a better run and is on a winnable mark.

Saturday

The Wokingham Handicap usually produces form you can rely on, and I expect it do so again. Recent York eyecatcher Summerghand showed he remains capable at this level in 5th. The 2020 Goodwood Stewards Cup winner will no doubt be heading to Goodwood to try and win that race again and granted a favourable draw and quick ground won’t be far away. Silver Samurai was drawn away from the main action in stall 5 and is worth another chance.

Fresh did best of the drawn in the first half of the draw. He needs all the cards to fall right to win off his present mark, but they could do so when he gets easier ground.  Blackrod remains a sprinter to keep onside. A good winner at Newmarket on his seasonal return he’s 4-9 on turf and remains open to further improvement. Trainer Michael Dods was concerned that the ground might be a bit to quick for the 4-year-old and so it proved. He’s one to keep onside going forward.

Knightswood – Charlie & Mark Johnston

The Golden Gates Stakes (Handicap) was won in good style by the useful Missed The Cut. The race was run to suit those coming from behind. Groundbreaker didn’t get the best of runs 2f out and ran on into 4th and would probably have finished second with a clear run.  However, the one to take out of the race could be Knightswood. The coltdid best of those ridden up with the pace and despite some early keenness the colt was still in in contention 1f and only gave way in the final half furlong. This was only his third career start and looks capable of better.

Tuesday Racing

There are flat cards this afternoon at Brighton and Beverley and the action continues this evening with a jumps fixture and flat meetings at Sligo and Newbury. Another low-key day of sport but as I said yesterday it gets better as the week goes on. I have had a look at the last four handicaps on the Newbury card and I have selection in the 7:40

Newbury

7:40 – A tricky little 7f handicap with not much pace forecast for the race of the evening. That pace scenario could Bell Shot who made an encouraging enough handicap debut when a 3 ¼ length 4th of 10 at Newmarket on his seasonal return. Al Ameen went into my notebook when a strong finishing 1 length 3rd of 18 three starts back. Not built on that promise on two subsequent starts and stamina for 7f wasn’t proven last time. Charlie Fellowes trained last year’s winner, so you must respect his runner Atomise who was back to form when a 3 length 3d of 10 at Yarmouth last month. She seems fairly treated with Harry Davies taking off 5lb.

Tuesday Selection: 1pt win – Atomise – 7/1 @ Bet365.

Good luck with your Tuesday bets.

John

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