British summer time has graciously decided to show her face after a dreary start to what should be the most pleasant time of year.
This time last year we were baking at Royal Ascot in uncomfortably hot conditions but in 2024 it looks like perfect conditions for racegoers and horses alike.
As of Monday evening, the ground is being described as good to firm, good in places, with a fine and dry week in prospect. So, for those that had studied the form with soft ground in mind, it’s time for a change of plan. Here’s a bunch of horses that I hope can run well across the five days.
TUESDAY
The declarations are out for both Tuesday and Wednesday at the time of writing, so that allegedly makes it easier to nail colours to masts; we’ll see.
I’m a fan of Charyn who runs in the opening Queen Anne Stakes. He’s gone from strength to strength this season and his trainer Roger Varian describes him as big, strong, and uncomplicated. His second place in the Locking behind surprise winner Audience (reopposes) looks good. However, Sky Bet are offering money back if you lose, so I’m prepared to take a swing at Maljoom. The painful memory of his unlucky 4th in the 2022 St. James’s Palace Stakes is hard to shake off and his connections patient approach could be rewarded here. At 8/1, he appeals as one that could get the meeting off to a great start.
Big Evs has become a real favourite and deservedly so. He takes on older sprinters in the King Charles III Stakes. However, I tipped up Kerdos to win the Temple Stakes at Haydock last time out and whilst he has form with give underfoot, he was runner up in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap at this meeting last year and I think he’s firmly on the up, so I’m not jumping ship here.
Henry Longfellow got no run at all in the French 2000 Guineas so he’s better than his finishing position at Longchamp suggests. He is a leading contender for the St. James’s Palace Stakes which looks like a seriously classy contest with the winners of the English, Irish and French Guineas in the field. Richard Hannon has been shouting Irish 2000 Guineas winner Rosallion’s name from the rooftops from the word go and he’s mad keen to give him a rematch against his Guineas conqueror, Notable Speech round a bend at Ascot.
Tuesday’s penultimate contest is the Wolferton Stakes, a listed race over a mile and a quarter. I’m not surprised Torito is 100/30 favourite. I think he’s an improving type and hope he’ll take all the beating for John and Thady Gosden.
WEDNESDAY
The opening race on day two is the Queen Mary for juvenile fillies over five furlongs. It’s a tough contest to sort out but I hope Eve Johnson Houghton has a good week, which could be kicked off with Betty Clover, a horse she also bred and owns. She’s already a listed winner and it would be a superb result for her trainer and jockey, Georgia Dobie. She’s a 14/1 shot and Sky Bet are paying six places, so I hope she can finish in one of those.
Illinois is the one for me in the Queen’s Vase for Aidan O’Brien, who trains a third of the field in this mile and three quarter Group 2. He a Galileo half brother to King George and Arc winner Danedream. He didn’t appear to handle the track at Lingfield in their Derby Trial last time out, so excuses there, and is a lovely progressive three year old.
Rogue Millenium can go some way to justifying her whopping 1.65m guineas purchase price in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes, a race she won last year for former connections. Joseph O’Brien has taken over her training from Tom Clover and he’ll have been frustrated that her debut for him didn’t go to plan. She can improve on that third place though and whilst this race has been switched to the round course (straight last year), she can go well again.
No one will want Inspiral to win the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes more than jockey Kieran Shoemark. Following Frankie Dettori is a tough ask, particularly given his relationship with this mare, but this could be his time to shine. Frankie gave her an impeccable ride to win the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on her first try at the mile and a quarter trip and similar hold up, late producing tactics may have to be employed on just her second try at the trip. Team Gosden feel that’s the way to go with her nowadays, so I hope she can win.
Wild Tiger is one of the least exposed horses in the Royal Hunt Cup, but he’s bred to be smart and is with a trainer in Saeed Bin Suroor who has won this race twice in the past. He may not have the fire power he once had but he knows how to operate with what he’s got, and this five year old looks a likely type on just his sixth start.
His career has been interrupted by injury, hence his low odometer reading and there should be bigger prizes to win.
THURSDAY
Godolphin’s number one trainer Charlie Appleby will be hoping he can celebrate a Royal Ascot winner in Thursday’s Ribblesdale Stakes with unbeaten filly, Diamond Rain. I was at Newbury when she won the Fillies’ Trial Stakes beating a decent field and she’s exciting. The only reservation is whether she has stamina enough for the mile and a half trip.
I’m not sure Kyprios is a banker in the Gold Cup and at 8/11 favourite he’s worth taking on. Caius Chorister isn’t the easiest for this type of test as she can take some settling, but she looks like an improving stayer who could run into a place if Benoit de la Sayette can settle her, she’s 12/1.
FRIDAY
I was all in with the Christopher Head trained Ramatuelle in the 1000 Guineas and she looked unlucky not to win at Newmarket after failing to settle and being sent for home plenty early enough by jockey Aurelian Lemaitre. Oisin Murphy has been given the call up for her assignment in the Coronation Stakes and I hope compensation awaits. She was the moral winner at Newmarket for me, and at 4/1 for this, I’ll be on her again. Her main danger looks to be another daughter of Justify in the shape of Opera Singer for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore.
SATURDAY
If Rosallion wins the St. James’s Palace Stakes on Tuesday, then his stablemate Haatem will be extremely popular Saturday’s Jersey Stakes. He’s another horse that has been added to the Wathnan Racing shopping basket since his excellent close second to his stablemate in the Irish 2000 Guineas last month. He’s a likeable horse and at 4/1 second favourite is quite appealing in this seven furlong group 3.
I’m lucky enough to be at the meeting on all five days for Sky Sports Racing, so will be keeping my ear to the ground. Let’s hope for a successful and enjoyable week.
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