Further rain overnight means that the ground will be testing for Ascot’s card, and that asks new questions of most of the runners in the Princess Margaret. Pretty Crystal kept on late when a creditable fifth in the Albany Stakes over C&D last month, and being by Dubawi out of a soft-ground Group 3 winner, she should be at least as happy on this softer surface.
It’s worth noting that this contest has been run five times, and only once has the winner carried more than 11st 1lb, and it’s hardly surprising that flat sprinters struggle when having to lump big weights.
Soul Seeker won this race a couple of years ago for David O’Meara, and on that occasion he carried the impost of 11st 7lb. Since then he’s fallen in the weights by a remarkable 17lb, and despite making the frame on his last five starts, he finds himself languishing near the foot of the weights. He’s likely to find winning form again soon given how he’s been shaping, and with this unusual contest clearly suiting him (badly drawn when unplaced here last year), he looks the one to be with.
Leodis Dream was runner-up last year, and while disappointing over 6f here last time, looks a threat dropping back to the minimum trip. Trainer Paul Midgley has won three of the five previous runnings of the race, and he looks like he’s been targeted at the contest.
With Ameynah off the track since the 1,000 Guineas last year, it’s hard to gauge her current merit, and while Random Harvest is the one to beat after her excellent effort in the Duke of Cambridge here last month, she’s likely to be vulnerable to an improver, and Cadeau Belle fits the bill.
A winner on soft ground at Gowran on her debut in May, she progressed to beat Cigamia in a 10-runner Listed race at Navan last time. That form does need improving on if she’s to make a breakthrough at Pattern level, but given her late start, it’s hard to imagine that she doesn’t have more to offer, and conditions will hold no fears.
Summerghand was a regular in this column in 2022, often enjoying little luck, but he justified the faith with three wins, one over course and distance off today’s mark before landing the Ayr Gold Cup last September from 5lb higher. It’s been a familiar story with him this season, with the veteran not yet recapturing his old form at a time when the stable was quiet, but likely to take advantage of his falling mark before long. He has an excellent record over 6f at this time of year, with his lifetime turf record in August reading 1214212415. Granted, we’re a couple of days ahead of schedule, but the figures and his yard’s recent revival do paint a positive picture of his prospects.
If it’s not Saturday, then the revival can’t be far off.
Plenty of these are regulars in the big 7f handicaps, and four of the first six home in the Bunbury Cup reoppose, with Biggles expected by the market to maintain his superiority under a 3lb penalty. He has form here on soft ground, having finished second in the Victoria Cup behind Rebel Territory, and he needs to be high on any shortlist.
I do just prefer the claims of last year’s Victoria Cup winner Vafortino, who was only a neck back in third that day, and is 4lb better off at the weights ignoring jockey claims. Vafortino had no luck on his next start here and again ran well when just beaten by Northern Express at York last time, form which has already been advertised by third-placed Gweedore.
Vafortino has a record in high-end 7f handicaps on good or softer ground which reads 1232, and the booking of the excellent Kaiya Fraser is a bonus with regular rider Benoit de La Sayette having lost his claim.
If judging this field based on soft-ground handicap form at Ascot, then Escobar also merits a strong mention. His record in Ascot handicaps at 7f/1m on easy ground reads 023139610, and he’s back on the same mark as when winning the Challenge Cup here last October on a similar surface. David O’Meara’s older handicappers have largely underperformed in the first half of the year, but 11 wins from 56 runners with his older horses in July shows that a big corner has been turned, and his is a stable to keep onside in the coming weeks.
Checkandchallenge didn’t get the chance to show what he could do at this trip when given a negative ride at Royal Ascot, and previous comments still apply. He kept the best company last season, winning a Listed race at Newcastle and the Group 3 Prix Daphnis at Deauville and is bred to improve for tackling trips in excess of a mile.
His only poor effort came on quick ground at Goodwood, and he 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 at a mile this season have again exposed him as lacking the turn of foot needed at the highest level. Softer ground will suit, and the only concern is the fitting of a visor, which might light him up and doesn’t seem necessary. That worry is made up for by the price, however, and he has potential to progress past his rivals if the headgear has a positive effect.
I must say that I expected King Of Steel to make harder work of winning the King Edward VII Stakes over course and distance last month, especially with that race coming hard on the heels of his huge run in the Derby, but he was more impressive (against admittedly weaker opposition) than Derby winner Auguste Rodin was in landing the Irish Derby in workmanlike fashion.
And it’s Roger Varian’s colt who has had the longer recovery period this time.
King Of Steel has shown improved form on a quick surface this season, but it should be remembered that he was hugely impressive when making a winning debut at Nottingham last term, looking well suited by the mud, as you would expect for a horse of his size. He disappointed on heavy ground in the Futurity Stakes at Doncaster subsequently, but that race came just 10 days after his initial outing, and simply came too soon for him. I’d be amazed if he wasn’t a better horse on the soft ground he will encounter here than on a more jarring surface. I fancy him to reverse Epsom form here and show himself to be an outstanding middle-distance colt.
Pyledriver may be held by Hukum on Coronation Cup form from last season, but he has a remarkable record over course and distance and looks best of the rest with soft ground likely to blunt Emily Upjohn’s speed. The others having something to prove.
Horse Racing Tips: Rory Delargy’s fine fancies for Saturday’s ITV Racing
Rory reckons he's found some value on King George day at Ascot.
By Rory Delargy / Horse Racing Tips / 2 months ago
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Rory Delargy’s Horse Racing Tips
13:50 Ascot – Pretty Crystal
14:05 York – Soul Seeker
14:25 Ascot – Cadeau Belle
14:40 York – Summerghand
15:00 Ascot – Vafortino & Escobar
15:15 York – Checkandchallenge
15:40 Ascot – King Of Steel
*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.
13:50 Ascot – Pretty Crystal
Further rain overnight means that the ground will be testing for Ascot’s card, and that asks new questions of most of the runners in the Princess Margaret. Pretty Crystal kept on late when a creditable fifth in the Albany Stakes over C&D last month, and being by Dubawi out of a soft-ground Group 3 winner, she should be at least as happy on this softer surface.
14:05 York – Soul Seeker
It’s worth noting that this contest has been run five times, and only once has the winner carried more than 11st 1lb, and it’s hardly surprising that flat sprinters struggle when having to lump big weights.
Soul Seeker won this race a couple of years ago for David O’Meara, and on that occasion he carried the impost of 11st 7lb. Since then he’s fallen in the weights by a remarkable 17lb, and despite making the frame on his last five starts, he finds himself languishing near the foot of the weights. He’s likely to find winning form again soon given how he’s been shaping, and with this unusual contest clearly suiting him (badly drawn when unplaced here last year), he looks the one to be with.
Leodis Dream was runner-up last year, and while disappointing over 6f here last time, looks a threat dropping back to the minimum trip. Trainer Paul Midgley has won three of the five previous runnings of the race, and he looks like he’s been targeted at the contest.
14:25 Ascot – Cadeau Belle
With Ameynah off the track since the 1,000 Guineas last year, it’s hard to gauge her current merit, and while Random Harvest is the one to beat after her excellent effort in the Duke of Cambridge here last month, she’s likely to be vulnerable to an improver, and Cadeau Belle fits the bill.
A winner on soft ground at Gowran on her debut in May, she progressed to beat Cigamia in a 10-runner Listed race at Navan last time. That form does need improving on if she’s to make a breakthrough at Pattern level, but given her late start, it’s hard to imagine that she doesn’t have more to offer, and conditions will hold no fears.
14:40 York – Summerghand
Summerghand was a regular in this column in 2022, often enjoying little luck, but he justified the faith with three wins, one over course and distance off today’s mark before landing the Ayr Gold Cup last September from 5lb higher. It’s been a familiar story with him this season, with the veteran not yet recapturing his old form at a time when the stable was quiet, but likely to take advantage of his falling mark before long. He has an excellent record over 6f at this time of year, with his lifetime turf record in August reading 1214212415. Granted, we’re a couple of days ahead of schedule, but the figures and his yard’s recent revival do paint a positive picture of his prospects.
If it’s not Saturday, then the revival can’t be far off.
15:00 Ascot – Vafortino & Escobar
Plenty of these are regulars in the big 7f handicaps, and four of the first six home in the Bunbury Cup reoppose, with Biggles expected by the market to maintain his superiority under a 3lb penalty. He has form here on soft ground, having finished second in the Victoria Cup behind Rebel Territory, and he needs to be high on any shortlist.
I do just prefer the claims of last year’s Victoria Cup winner Vafortino, who was only a neck back in third that day, and is 4lb better off at the weights ignoring jockey claims. Vafortino had no luck on his next start here and again ran well when just beaten by Northern Express at York last time, form which has already been advertised by third-placed Gweedore.
Vafortino has a record in high-end 7f handicaps on good or softer ground which reads 1232, and the booking of the excellent Kaiya Fraser is a bonus with regular rider Benoit de La Sayette having lost his claim.
If judging this field based on soft-ground handicap form at Ascot, then Escobar also merits a strong mention. His record in Ascot handicaps at 7f/1m on easy ground reads 023139610, and he’s back on the same mark as when winning the Challenge Cup here last October on a similar surface. David O’Meara’s older handicappers have largely underperformed in the first half of the year, but 11 wins from 56 runners with his older horses in July shows that a big corner has been turned, and his is a stable to keep onside in the coming weeks.
15:15 York – Checkandchallenge
Checkandchallenge didn’t get the chance to show what he could do at this trip when given a negative ride at Royal Ascot, and previous comments still apply. He kept the best company last season, winning a Listed race at Newcastle and the Group 3 Prix Daphnis at Deauville and is bred to improve for tackling trips in excess of a mile.
His only poor effort came on quick ground at Goodwood, and he 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 at a mile this season have again exposed him as lacking the turn of foot needed at the highest level. Softer ground will suit, and the only concern is the fitting of a visor, which might light him up and doesn’t seem necessary. That worry is made up for by the price, however, and he has potential to progress past his rivals if the headgear has a positive effect.
15:40 Ascot – King Of Steel
I must say that I expected King Of Steel to make harder work of winning the King Edward VII Stakes over course and distance last month, especially with that race coming hard on the heels of his huge run in the Derby, but he was more impressive (against admittedly weaker opposition) than Derby winner Auguste Rodin was in landing the Irish Derby in workmanlike fashion.
And it’s Roger Varian’s colt who has had the longer recovery period this time.
King Of Steel has shown improved form on a quick surface this season, but it should be remembered that he was hugely impressive when making a winning debut at Nottingham last term, looking well suited by the mud, as you would expect for a horse of his size. He disappointed on heavy ground in the Futurity Stakes at Doncaster subsequently, but that race came just 10 days after his initial outing, and simply came too soon for him. I’d be amazed if he wasn’t a better horse on the soft ground he will encounter here than on a more jarring surface. I fancy him to reverse Epsom form here and show himself to be an outstanding middle-distance colt.
Pyledriver may be held by Hukum on Coronation Cup form from last season, but he has a remarkable record over course and distance and looks best of the rest with soft ground likely to blunt Emily Upjohn’s speed. The others having something to prove.
Saturday’s Racing Tips
13:50 Ascot – Pretty Crystal
14:05 York – Soul Seeker
14:25 Ascot – Cadeau Belle
14:40 York – Summerghand
15:00 Ascot – Vafortino & Escobar
15:15 York – Checkandchallenge
15:40 Ascot – King Of Steel
*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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