Good morning all,

Royal Ascot is done and dusted for another year.  We’ve just had the privilege of watching five days of fantastic flat racing.  The likes of Poetic Flare, Oxted, Palace Pier, Love, Mohaafeth, Subjectivist, Point Lonsdale, Wonderful Tonight and Rohaan provided us with some seriously good performances last week.

It's probably recency bias at work but it was one of the best Royal Meetings of recent years. The handicaps were competitive and provided plenty of tough puzzles to solve. You can give yourself a well-deserved round of applause if you managed to come out in front. It was one of the toughest Ascot’s from a punting perspective.  I just made a small profit on the meeting but I will take it.

Over the next couple of days, I am going to look back at my Royal Ascot highlights and provide you with a few for the tracker.

Inside today’s main piece I’m looking back to Saturday’s action. Plus, I have a selection from Windsor.

Royal Ascot Saturday Review

After biblical levels of rain on Friday which had turned the going from good to firm to heavy.  The ground had dried out a little by the first race on Saturday. Which made the ground ‘tacky’ and hard work for horses and jockeys.

The highlight for many racegoers on Saturday was seeing a welcome appearance by The Queen which helped to put the the Royal into Royal Ascot.

Here are my four standout performers:

Point Lonsdale

Point Lonsdale got the final day underway with an impressive success in the Listed Chesham Stakes and landed some big bets in the process. His inexperience showed when hitting the front inside the final furlong and hanging towards the stand rail and the son of Australia and a full brother to Broome had to work hard for his victory . Nonetheless, I was impressed by him and I can see him running in the big Group 1 races later in the season.

Both the winner and runner-up Reach For the Moon look good prospects. Point Lonsdale is already an ante post favourite for next seasons 2,000 Guineas & Derby and it looks like Aidan O’Brien has another exciting colt in his yard.

Reach For The Moon is owned by The Queen and given its Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee next year she could have a Derby colt on her hands.

Wonderful Tonight

The rain that fell on Friday came at the right time for Wonderful Tonight. The filly, an improver last autumn winning two Group 1’s, including the Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes here last October.  Making her seasonal reappearance and taking on the males in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes. She ran out a decisive winner. Back better than ever she’s now 4-4 on heavy and 5-5 on heavy or soft ground.

The Arc is her long-term target and she’s got to be rated one of the favourites for Europe’s premier middle distance race. Especially if the mud is flying. Before then she could return over C&D for next month’s King George. Although I doubt she will be risked on quick ground with other targets on the horizon. It was a first Ascot success for trainer David Menuisier.

Dream Of Dreams

Dream Of Dreams who had been beaten a head in the last two Diamond Jubilee Stakes went one better in the race on Saturday. It was a second Group 1 success for the gelding.  Ryan Moore got him nicely settled in the rear and he came with a strong late run to head long-time leader Art Power of those who ran towards the stands side with Glen Shiel back in third.

Dream Of Dreams was the best horse in the field on official ratings but he does owe his victory to the strength of Ryan Moore in the saddle.

Rohaan

Rohaan put in a Group 1 performance to win the Wokingham Handicap. A winner of the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes on his previous start. He couldn’t take his place in Friday’s Commonwealth Cup due to being a gelding. It was a “balls of steel” ride from jockey Shane Kelly who came from last to first to win. The 3-year-old who had won a nursery at Newcastle off 55 back in December was racing off a 57lb higher mark on Saturday. He will have to be supplemented if he’s to go for next month’s Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket. However, if he does go for the race, he’ll likely come up against Dream Of Dreams.

Monday Racing

Its back to more low-key fare on Monday. The going at Windsor was being described as heavy on Sunday evening and with more rain expected today. There must be a chance they may not be able to race.

Windsor

7:00 – Ishvara isn’t the most consistent of fillies. Well beaten in Listed company at Haydock last time she’s better judged on her 2 ¼ length 2^nd of 6 in handicap company at Newmarket two starts back. Yet to win on three starts beyond 5f but she handles soft/heavy ground and looks worth another try at 6f

Chepstow

5:30 – Wild Flower is having her first run for new trainer Adrian Wintle. The previous C&D winner is also having her first start since October but she's won fresh in the past. A three-time winner in 2020. The 9-year-old won three of her last five starts when racing on good or good to firm going and could get into the places.

Monday Selection:

Windsor

7:00 – Ishvara –  6/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes

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Good luck with your Monday bets.

John

John Burke is the tipster behind the long standing Victor Value service you can join him here – https://victorvalue.uk