One down, four to go! Yes Royal Ascot is up and running and however you did on Tuesday I’m back trying to bang in a few winners Wednesday.
Let’s get straight to it and see who might score on ITV and Sky Sports Racing.
Ascot 13.15
The card kicks off with the Silver Royal Hunt Cup over 1m. I’m taking a complete chance here with ZHUI FENG trained by Amanda Perrett and the mount of Derby winner Martin Dwyer. On recent form he has no chance, but he loves this type of event and is well handicapped if having a going day. Big price but capable.
Ascot 13.50
Straight to Group 3 class for the second of the day with the Hampton Court Stakes over nearly 1m2f. I’m not sure about the trip for Juan Elcano but RUSSIAN EMPEROR is a proven stayer for Aidan O’Brien and will take some stopping. He was beaten but far from disgraced in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial.
Ascot 14.25
Race three is the King George V Handicap over nearly 1m4f. Very few of the runners are proven at the trip, so plenty of guessing to do. I’ll risk CONVICT for William Haggas and Tom Marquand. He was an easy winner of a weak event at Newmarket at the end of last season and is bred to enjoy this distance.
Ascot 15.00
The big race of the day is the fourth on the card, the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes over nearly 1m2f. JAPAN will probably be odds-on and deservedly so. O’Brien’s colt has long been the apple of Ryan Moore’s eye, and his win in the Juddmonte International at York is fine form. I can’t see any of these stopping him.
Ascot 15.35
It’s handicap company once again with the Royal Hunt Cup over 1m. WILLIE JOHN cost an absolute fortune and has disappointed in general terms. However, I’m not sure he’s been getting home over 1m2f and he drops to this trip off a good mark for Roger Varian and Andrea Atzeni. I’m hoping he might come good at a biggish price. So will back him eachway.
Ascot 16.10
The penultimate event of the day is the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes over 5f. Not much to go on here, but TACTICAL ran really well on debut at Newmarket for the in-form Andrew Balding and could run big for The Queen. James Doyle takes the ride and the form of his Newmarket effort is better than it looks as he was hampered inside the final furlong.
Ascot 16.40
And finally the Copper Horse Handicap over an extended 1m6f. Let’s hope it’s a good day for Atzeni and Varian as I am with them again here with FUJAIRA PRINCE. He has not run since this time last year when third behind Baghdad in the Duke of Edinburgh over 1m4f. He has always looked as this trip would be fine and if ready could run well.
Good luck and pray for Yeeehaaas! You hear me Paddy?
Find a full range of odds from Royal Ascot over on paddypower.com