Royal Ascot Tips: Rory Delargy’s sweet selections on Day 1

Rory reckons he's found some value on day one of the five-day fiesta.

Rory Delargy 2023

By / Horse Racing Tips, Royal Ascot / 1 year ago

Rory Delargy’s Royal Ascot Tips

14:30 – Triple Time
15:05 – Asadna
15:40 – Mitbaahy
16:20 – Paddington
17:00 – Ahorsewithnoname
17:35 – Checkandchallenge
18:10 – Get Shirty

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

14:30 – Triple Time

I’d prefer Inspiral of those in single figures here, with her most impressive win last year coming here on her seasonal debut, but I’ve long been a fan of Triple Time, and while he hasn’t the form to win this, he is about the only one in the field who hasn’t had the opportunity to show how good he is.

Described as a “special talent” by the normally equable Kevin Ryan, he was strongly fancied for the 2000 Guineas last year but went wrong in his final gallop, and was still short of his peak when winning the Superior Mile on his belated return after exactly a year off. He found soft ground against him on Arc weekend, and is clearly capable of much better if he can be kept sound. He missed the Lockinge with a vet’s certificate, which is a slight concern, but at the same time evidence that he’s been ready to run for a while, and he’s capable of causing a shock.

15:05 – Asadna

Juvenile races at Royal Ascot are the most exciting thing on earth for a certain type of punter, but there’s too much to take on trust for me to have a proper crack at them, so it will be small stakes here.

For a horse who won by 12 lengths on debut, Asadna seems to be getting no love at all at present, and if he drifts on the day, as seems likely, I might have an interest. The draw is a bit of an unknown, but I think I’d rather be drawn high where the best of the early speed appears to be, and that will give Asadna a tactical edge over River Tiber. The latter is sure to progress again, and is respected, but there is a worrying lack of pace on the far side to tow him and Givemethebeatboys into the contest, and that might be crucial in the final reckoning.

15:40 – Mitbaahy

I’m in no way against Highfield Princess or Manaccan here, who would have been my pair to follow in sprints this term, but the current value lies in finding one to hit the frame at a price, and with loads of speed on display, I expect the leaders to be flagging late on when the stiff finish asks another question, and that will suit the slow-starting Mitbaahy.

His chance is clear enough to see given that he beat Manaccan at level weights in the Dubai Airport World Trophy at Newbury last autumn, and defeats since (ground much too soft in the ‘Abbaye, and badly drawn in the Temple Stakes) are easy to forgive. You don’t want to miss the start in 5f sprints, but if there is one track which forgives such failings, it’s Ascot, where it is imperative that you can see your race out strongly on the straight track. Expect Mitbaahy to be weaving through in the final furlong, and while a win would be a pleasant surprise, he has a major chance of sneaking into the frame if this race plays out as expected.

16:20 – Paddington

2000 Guineas winner? Check. Irish 2000 Guineas winner? Check. French 2000 Guineas winner? Near as dammit. It would appear that the St James’s Palace Stakes is a cracker on paper, but it leaves me stone cold. I love Chaldean but harbour slight concerns about his draw (stall 1 ought to be good here, but is often a tough spot to get out of) and the suitability of the track, while I don’t particularly rate the overall form of either the Irish 2000 or the Poulains.

Ryan Moore probably has the easiest job in slotting into a nice spot behind Chaldean and trying to pick him off on Paddington, but Frankie knows that, and is likely to have a Plan B as well, so O’Brien colt is a decidedly lukewarm selection.

17:00 – Ahorsewithnoname

Willie Mullins could dominate the staying handicaps, and I’m not going to pick holes in either Bring On The Night or Vauban, but oh my eyes, the prices! However good you are, you need a slice of luck in a big-field event on the round course here, and I’d rather back one of a few proven stayers each-way.

In truth, I hoped the odds about Ahorsewithnoname would be juicier, but she is very solid, and for an eight-year-old is remarkably low mileage, winning four of her six Flat starts over the years, and she was better than the bare result when sent off favourite for the Cesarewitch on her latest run in this sphere, arguably produced too soon to dispute the lead two furlongs out, and then hanging. It could be argued that she didn’t quite stay there, but I think she needs to be produced late, and she again hung right when hitting the front in a Listed hurdle at Cheltenham last time. William Buick will be tasked with producing her as late as possible, and there are few better man around for that kind of job.

17:35 – Checkandchallenge

This is a remarkably competitive contest based on official ratings, with ten of the runners rated 110-112. That makes Saga look a shocking bet given he’s got a mark of 106, and only rank outsider Savvy Victory is rated lower.

I really like Checkandchallenge here, in the hope that he will improve a little for stepping up in trip. He kept the best company last season, winning a Listed race at Newcastle and the Group 3 Prix Daphnis at Deauville. He might not want quick ground, although I think the track at Goodwood was more responsible for his only poor effort, and he really caught the eye when staying on stoutly to be beaten just over two lengths in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes here on Champions Day.

That run suggested that he would benefit from a stiffer test, and both runs this season have again exposed him as lacking the turn of foot to be a Group 1 miler. The drop in class here is a positive, and if improves just a couple of pounds for the longer trip, he will have a huge chance. A bit of rain wouldn’t go amiss, either.

18:10 – Get Shirty

This is about the only race run during the meeting where a high draw is definitely a negative, due to the very short run to the opening turn at a trip rarely used here, and I’d narrow the field down to those drawn in single figures as a result.

Vauban can have no excuses from stall 7, and could start very short indeed given most of his obvious threats are drawn wide, but the race again appeals to me from an each-way perspective, and I’m drawn to the claims of last year’s winner Get Shirty at a big price. He’s been well held in two runs on home soil in recent weeks, but had been given a break since running well at both Meydan and at Riyadh early in the year, and he’s slipped back to his last winning mark.

He ran over a sharp 1½m last time and should appreciate the return to a stiffer test, while David O’Meara wins handicaps at this meeting at big odds, with his three winners (from 51 runners since 2014) obliging at 16/1, 25/1 and 33/1. Indeed, backing all O’Meara’s handicappers at Ascot has been profitable long-term despite a strike-rate which is only around 5%.

Rory Delargy’s Royal Ascot Tips

14:30 – Triple Time
15:05 – Asadna
15:40 – Mitbaahy
16:20 – Paddington
17:00 – Ahorsewithnoname
17:35 – Checkandchallenge
18:10 – Get Shirty

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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