Following on my preview of my best bets for Day one, two and three earlier this week, I've taken an early look at Friday's and Saturday's action at the Royal meeting.
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Friday, June 23
3.05 – King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2)
MILITARY ORDER impressed me when winning the Lingfield Derby trial as he raced on the slowest part of the track (the inside rail) and he seemed ill at ease around Epsom where he trailed home last in the Derby. His stable is in better form now and he could bounce back.
KING OF STEEL, a half-length runner-up in the Derby on his seasonal/stable bow, pulled well clear of White Birch in third and looks the one to beat.
ARREST blew out when 4-1 favourite for the Derby but simply failed to handle the very fast ground. He needs a thunderstorm or three.
4.20 – Commonwealth Cup (Group 1)
Aside from seasonal debuts, LITTLE BIG BEAR has form figures of 11111 (5-5), including a comfortable victory in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock, a key trial for this 6f Group 1 contest.
SHAQUILLE took his record to 191111 (5-6) when an easy winner in Listed company at Newbury last month and looks ready for a crack at Group company.
QUEEN ME failed to stay 1m on soft ground when ninth of 20 to Mawj in the 1000 Guineas and is best judged on her juvenile sprint form. She emerged clear best of those to midfield or further back when a 20-1 neck second in the Lowther on her second career outing and a switch to prominent tactics backfired in Group 3 company at Ayr next time in a race set up for the closers.
Selection: Queen Me
5.00 - Coronation Stakes
COMHRA’s 150-1 third to Tahiyra in the Irish 1,000 Guineas is likely to be dismissed as a fluke but it was a huge effort given the track bias. Her patient running style was at a massive disadvantage and she came from a midfield sit to finish less than two lengths behind the odds-on winner. William Buick has been booked and she won’t be inconvenienced if conditions ease.
Selection: Comhra
5.35 – Sandringham Stakes
I was quite taken by NEVER ENDING’s debut fourth of 13 on the Tapeta surface at Southwell in December as Rab Havlin challenged on the slowest part of the track. She took a big step forward on her next outing when a 20-1 second of 16 in a Newmarket fillies’ maiden and made it third time lucky when justifying favouritism in a Goodwood fillies’ novice contest.
The Gosden yard won this for the same owners in 2016 with the 95-rated Persuasive, who ended her career rated 118, and though Never Ending (currently rated 82) has some way go to match that, there could be plenty of improvement to come.
Ed Dunlop’s POLLY POTT looks very interesting for owners The Megsons, whose runners (including ones they part-own) are 51 from 308 (16.6% strike-rate) for a profit of £95.27 to a £1 level stake at SP. Their three runners in the past fortnight all won (9-2, 2-1 and 6-4), including Matty Too who bolted up on his first run for Ed Dunlop after competing one run for Ben Pauling.
Polly Pott, shock winner of the Group 2 May Hill Stakes for Harry Eustace last year, had excuses in two runs for Pauling and could bounce back for his new yard, especially if first-time headgear is employed, as it was on Matty Too.
Selection: Never Ending
6.10 – Palace Of Holyrood House Stakes
CLEARPOINT fared best of the centre group when fifth of 13 at Thirsk on his reappearance in April (first five drawn 9, 11, 13, 12 and 6 of 13) and Miss Brazen (stall 1), the poorly-drawn seventh, won by four lengths at Beverley next time. Washington Heights, ninth from stall 2, has finished second in three big handicaps since to give further substance to the form. He’s been scratched from several intended recent engagements because of fast going but will be worth a punt if it’s on the soft side of good.
Selection: Clearpoint
Saturday, June 24
3.40 – Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Group 1)
It was a big advantage to be drawn high in last year’s renewal in which ARTORIUS ran a belter to dead-heat for third place from stall 2 of 24. He’s a strong contender again.
HIGHFIELD PRINCESS could run in this after taking in the King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday. She’s equally effective over the extra furlong and will come into the reckoning if running well on day one.
ROHAAN ‘won’ race the on the far side in the British Champions Sprint Stakes over course and distance last October and has landed the Wokingham at the past two Royal Ascots. His comeback run would have been needed and he has to be high on the shortlist.
Selection: Rohaan
4.20 – Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2)
HUKUM’s turf record since fitted with a tongue-tie stands at 1111711 (6-7), with the sole defeat by less than two lengths when seventh in the Sheema Classic.
The Racehorse Lotto Brigadier Gerard Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (4yo+) Sandown Park 25.5.2023
He accounted for odds-on favourite Desert Crown when reappearing after a year off in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown and is likely to prove hard to beat.
Selection: Hukum
5.00 Wokingham
MR WAGYU was very disappointing at Haydock last time, even accounting for a less than favourable draw, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see John Quinn’s veteran bounce back to his usual summer form. He tends to peak in June/July, winning 15 of his 32 starts in this period and often running well in defeat, including when a 28-1 fourth of 26 to Rohaan in this race last year.
Lethal Force progeny are five from 32 over the 6f trip at Ascot for a profit of £21.25 to a £1 level stake at SP and LETHAL LEVI, second by a neck in a hot race at York last time, looks interesting on his first visit to the track.
PROBE clocked a very fast time when scoring at Wolverhampton in March on his debut for Jennie Candlish and ran well on easy ground at Newmarket the next twice, finding only Orazio (antepost favourite for the Wokingham) too good before arriving late to land a Heritage Handicap. He was only fifth when favourite for the 6f handicap at Epsom on Derby Day but didn’t enjoy the good to firm and he’d have a solid each-way chance if the word ‘soft’ cropped up in the going description.
STRIKE RED, second by a head on sole previous run here, loves tracks with stiff uphill finishes. Epsom was far from ideal for him on Derby Day – he sat too close to the strong early pace as well – and a patient ride could see him go well at juicy odds.
Selection: Strike Red
