Good morning and we’ve made it, Flat racing’s premier showcase event, 5 days of pageantry, elite horse racing and the odd glass of bubbly, the continuation of restrictions mean a full racecourse is unlikely anytime soon but with ITV broadcasting every race from all 5 days, it promises to be special.
Finally, apologies for the radio-silence and the lack of P&L post, a new addition arriving earlier than expected to the family has been a priority!
Onto today’s selections, excuse the shorter write-ups, these have been researched in the same way.
Royal Ascot
14:30 – The opening race is meant to be a procession or perhaps even coronation of the most impressive horse in training, we have seen this season (Snowfall you all cry?!?), well maybe, perhaps most hyped, rightly so? We shall see today. Palace Pier with odds of 2/5 means the each-way play is the answer.
REGAL REALITY is our each-way play not seen since chasing home Kameko, if he has trained on, all of his runs last year were at a good standard and his speed-figures over all surfaces are worth noting. He should frankly not be 22/1.
REGAL REALITY 22/1 1 point each way.
15:05 – The Coventry Stakes a race Wesley Ward and O’Brien are always keen to have their best tuned up for and the American horse may well be the one to spring out, but at the prices it is not for us today.
Masseto for Donnacha O’Brien, shaped well at the Curragh despite being defeated and ran a fierce time on SOFT. On Good to Firm today we can expect an improvement. The Gatekeeper for Mark Johnston at 150/1 looks the wrong price for a front-running horse who will set fierce fractions and whilst possibly consumed before the death, we have seen this season horses hard to pass when out.
MASSETO 9/1 1 point each way (4 places)
The Gatekeeper 150/1 0.5 point each way (4 places)
15:40 – Is Battaash opposable, at the prices he certainly is but we have seen such fantastic performances by him, wining every time on his return it would be some performance if today was the day he was toppled.
Liberty Beach was eye-catching on heavy ground over 5f at Haydock, if he were to improve for the better surface, expect him to out-run his price. Winter Power has been talked up as a potential rival to the market leader today since his impressive run at Ayr last season, starting a three-timer that could well be four today.
LIBERTY BEACH 12/1 1.5 point each way (4 places)
WINTER POWER 5/1 2.5 point each way ( 4 places)
16:20 – CHINDIT for Hannon/Dobbs is the selection, Hannon has always struggled at Ascot but he may just have the horse today, drawn well 8 and likely to be held up. Poetic Flare deserves all the respect, our selection for the 2000 Guineas, running in both the French and Irish since then, at the prices you would think today is a race too many, but Bolger knows best.
CHINDIT 11/2 3 point each way
17:00 – A race in which Mr WP Mullins has done very well over the years, Royal Illusion is the selection of his fancies, furthermore we will back Rochester House and Reshoun.
Royal Illusion 22/1 1 point each way
Rochester House 18/1 1 point each way
Reshoun 66/1 0.5 point each way
17:35 – Patrick Sarsfield is the selection, carrying 10 stone last time, only 9.3 today, his fractions when second at the Curragh should trouble these today.
PATRICK SARSFIELD 4/1 4 point each way
18:10 – In the final race of the day, Ryan Moore and Willie Mullins team up and saddle the favourite, Saldier. Alan King another man known for his success in the other code, recently confirmed his desire to continue building up his Flat racing stable, On To Victory is a selection.
ON TO VICTORY 14/1 1 point each way
Multiples: Order of Australia (1430), Ginsburg (1505), Patrick Sarsfield (535), Saldier (1810) 945/1 0.5 point each way
Horse Racing Selections 