1.50 – 5f89y Sky Bet And Symphony Group Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2)

• Running style

Horses ridden patiently are just one from 106 in the past ten renewals (-£93.00 to a £1 level stake at SP). Three winners made all (+£49.00) and six were prominent throughout (-£2.00).

BERGERAC was poorly drawn when down the field at Ascot last time and should go well in a race he won last year. Kevin Ryan’s five-year-old is 3lb lower this time around and his middle draw (stall 10 of 20) could prove helpful as the GoingStick suggests that the quicker ground is down the centre. NOMADIC EMPIRE is 9lb lower than when fourth in last year’s renewal and could be well drawn in stall 3. KUWAIT CITY (stall 4) saw off 17 rivals over the 5f trip when running here in May, though both his wins have come on his second start of the season and he’s 0-9 under other conditions. COPPER KNIGHT, INTRINSIC BOND and LOOKING FOR LYNDA also have possibilities.

2.25 – 7f Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (Group 3)

This century, horses who ran at York last time out have form figures of 115043261319 (4-12) when contesting this Group 3 contest and backing them blind would have returned a profit of £15.38 to a £1 level stake at SP. This year’s sole qualifier LOOSE CANNON overcame greenness to land a course and distance novice contest on last month’s debut and could go well in the first-time tongue tie.

3.00 – 1m4f Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings)

Last-time out winners have a poor recent record in the Great Voltigeur and the best system has been to side with runners who were beaten in Group 1 or 2 company on their most recent outing. Aidan O’Brien’s CONTINUOUS fits the bill, having run second to King Of Steel in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot when we last saw him.

3.35 – 1m2f Juddmonte International Stakes (Group 1)

It’s difficult to believe that PADDINGTON ran off a  mark of just 97 when landing a 7f Naas handicap as the 6-4 favourite in late March, as Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old is now rated 125 and lines up here in the back of four successive Group 1 wins. He faces just three rivals in his bid to make it eight wins from eight starts since his racecourse debut but one of them, MOSTAHDAF, will be a tough nut to crack. John & Thady Gosden’s five-year-old is best when fresh (seasonal debut or after a break of at least six weeks), recording form figures under such conditions of 1111111 (7-7). NASHWA, a stablemate of Mostahdaf, was only third in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood but was in the wrong place when the pace quickened and is better than that. She might be able to pick up the pieces if the aforementioned pair get racing too far out.

Thursday, August 24

1.50 – 6f Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (Group 2)

Eight of the last ten winners scored on their most recent outing and backing them blind would have returned a profit of £16.63 to a £1 level stake at SP. The other two winners were third in their prep race.

Horses who won over the Lowther trip of 6f in their prep race are five from 24 in the past ten years (+£21.75). Last year’s four qualifiers included the 25-1 winner and 20-1 runner-up for a whopping £606.20 Tote Exacta payoff. This angle provided a £17.90 Exacta in 2021 (from three runners) and the two qualifiers in 2017 finished one-two for a dividend of £18.60. QUEENS GUARD and CHERRY BLOSSOM are this year’s qualifiers.

FLORA OF BERMUDA, who ‘won’ the race on the far side when a fine 20-1 sixth of 26 in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, gained a deserved first success in the 5f fillies’ conditions stakes at Goodwood and looks ready for the step up to 6f. She benefitted from a pace collapse at Goodwood, though wasn’t best drawn and had four lengths to spare over her nearest rival at the line.

3.00 – 1m Clipper Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2)

• Prep race

Horses who prepped in Class 3 or lower company are just one from 45 since 2012 (-£36.00)

• Age

All of the last ten winners were aged between four and six. Those who fell outside of this range were 0-48.

• Running style

Front-runners have won three of the past ten renewals (28-1, 25-1 and 20-1) and three more were placed (20-1, 14-1 and 10-1).

• SP rank last time out

Nine of the last ten winners started in the top 6 in the betting in their prep race. Those that didn’t were just one from 64.

• Official rating

Nine of the ten winners were rated between 95 and 104.

• System

Backing horses aged four to six, rated between 95 and 104, who were in the top six in the betting in their prep race, would have found eight of the past ten winners (from 60 bets) for a profit of £56.00. NORTHERN EXPRESS (stall 6), caught out wide when seventh of 18 in last year’s renewal, is better berthed this time around. AKHU NAJLA is another interesting qualifier.

3.35 – 1m4f Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares)

Three-year-olds have won seven of the last nine renewals with only brilliant pair Enable and Alpinista preventing a clean sweep for the classic generation. Four of those three-year-old scorers were trained by Aidan O’Brien and Irish Oaks winner SAVETHELASTDANCE is the obvious starting point. BLUESTOCKING came from further back than ideal when chasing home Savethelastdance at the Curragh and has good prospects of reversing the form. Karl Burke’s NOVAKAI impressed in Listed company at Newmarket on her first attempt at this trip and could go well at a big price.

Friday, August 25

1.50 – 1m4f Sky Bet Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2)

Nine of the last ten winners (nine renewals, as there were dead-heat winners in 2015) of this Heritage Handicap were aged four, with well handicapped five-year-old Sam Cooke, who won off a mark of 89 (he’s now rated 103), the exception in 2021. Backing all the four-year-olds would have found nine winners from 55 bets for a profit of around £65 to a £1 level stake at SP. Those who had been rested for more than three weeks since their latest outing were eight from 31 for a profit of more than £80. Eight of the last ten winners were drawn in single-figure stalls, four prepped as Ascot (from 32 runners) and two at York (from just six runners). At the time of writing the final declarations had yet to be published but Alan King’s PARADIAS looks set to go well if the draw is kind.

2.25 – 2m Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes (Group 2)

The consistent COLTRANE, third to Quickthorn at Goodwood and only once outside of the first four in his 14 races since gelded, should again be thereabouts and is an obvious Tote Placepot inclusion. GIAVELLOTTO was only fifth to Quickthorn at Goodwood but was in the wrong place when the pace quickened, and it was a useful effort in the circumstances. He’s two from two on fast ground, including a 1m6f course success on his penultimate start, and has good prospects of reversing the form.

3.00 – 6f Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes (Group 2)

Karl Burke’s KYLIAN heads the antepost market after his third to Nunthorpe hope Big Evs at Goodwood. He lost ground by switching to the nearside rail from his poor low draw that day and it was a run worthy of an upgrade. He was beaten on his sole course outing, albeit on his debut, and his wins at Newcastle/Sandown suggest that a stiffer track would suit ideally. This will be his first run beyond the minimum trip of 5f and horses stepping up in distance are just one from 26 in the past ten years.

JOHANNES BRAHMS ‘won’ the race in the centre when second of 23 to Big Evs in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and will appreciate the return to 6f, having won over this trip at Naas on his debut.

HAATEM is not certain to appreciate the cut back in trip after his Vintage Stakes win. Nine of the past ten winners had raced twice or three times previously but he’s already had six runs.

3.35 – 5f Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1)

Last year’s winner HIGHFIELD PRINCESS bolted up in Group 2 company at Goodwood, taking her turf record in Europe, since the beginning of last season, to 161112231 (5-9), improving to 11111 (5-5) if we knock out her seasonal debuts and runs at Ascot. She’s going to be hard to beat.

Two-year-old BIG EVS has been supplemented for this and is unbeaten in two starts since catching the eye from a poor draw at Redcar on his debut. He benefitted from the ‘golden highway’ when successful at Goodwood last time but could still have plenty more to offer.

KHAADEM fared best of those drawn low when fourth in last year’s renewal and could go well if drawn on outside of the field, which seems to be the key to him.

Kevin Ryan’s QUEEN ME fared best of those ridden patiently when a neck second at 20-1 in the Lowther Stakes at this meeting last year. She appreciated the return to sprinting when a three-length 28-1 sixth to Shaquille in the Commonwealth Cup and will be staying on well at the business end.

5.15 – Sky Bet Mile (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2)

• Very recent run

Horses who ran between 1 and 19 days ago are 0-39 in the past ten years, with only four making the frame.

• Recent form

Last-time out winners are six from 46 in the past ten years for a profit of £10.50 to a £1 level stake at SP.

• Prep race

Horses who prepped at Ascot (0-19) and Goodwood (1-24) have a poor record in the past ten renewals. All ten winners prepped over 7f or 1m.

• Draw

Seven of the last ten winners were drawn in stall 7 or lower. Five winners came from stalls 2 or 3.

• Weight rank

The three highest weighted horses are just one from 34 in the past ten years.

• System

The simplest system is to back last-time out winners who had been rested for at least 20 days. This angle has found six of the past ten winners (from 35 bets) for a profit of £21.50 to a £1 level stake at SP. LORD BERTIE, TERWADA and BAJAN BANDIT are this year’s qualifiers.