EXOSPHERE FOR FOURTH ‘FORTUNE’: Daqman’s Fortune Cookies attempt a fourth strike this royal week after Profitable (WON 4-1) and Cotai Glory (2nd 33-1) in the Kings Stand – 140-1 forecast – and Usherette (WON 9-4) in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes. Today’s bet is Exosphere (3.40 Ascot) in the Hardwicke Stakes.
WOKINGHAM WAGERS: 36.0, 27.0: The 0-0 draw between Daqman and Pricewise said it all yesterday on a tricky day for punters. But there’s a big chance for better on BETDAQ with that final Fortune Cookie at the short price, plus at the other end of the scale enormous offers taken at 36.0, 32.0, 27.0, 17.0 and 16.0, three of them in the Wokingham.
CUNCO TO WIN TEST OF THE FAMILY FRANKEL
2.30 Royal Ascot (Chesham Stakes)
The best that Aidan O’Brien has come up with in this is Moyglare winner Maybe. Now the Ballydoyle stable runs Churchill, third on the debut in a strong maiden at The Curragh.
The winner of that maiden has run fifth in the Coventry, and another colt six lengths behind Churchill has finished fifth in the Windsor Castle; so his form is doubly franked this very week.
Cunco, son of Frankel, beat Isomer at Newbury and, Frankous, son of Frankel, scored at Haydock. This is the first real test of how good family Frankel could be.
With a 105% orange this morning, BETDAQ makes it easy to back Cunco at 5.5 and save on Churchill at better than even money.
TRY THE ‘HIDDEN HORSES’ AT 16.0 AND 32.0
3.05 Royal Ascot (Wolferton Handicap)
Royal Ascot is the best of times (I won the scrum with the layers three days in a row Tuesday-Thursday) and the worst of times (horrible mauling yesterday).
Best Of Times is morning favourite as a Classic trialist but that was last Spring, and Saeed Bin Suroor has had 15 straight losers at Ascot this week, three of them favourite or nearly so.
Godolphin may have a better chance with the lightly-raced Oceanographer. Charlie Appleby broke a similar losing sequence at Ascot with Hawksbill.
Pacify, second in the market, is a bridesmaid at a lower level, with Ralph Beckett hoping that the first-time visors make a difference.
Sir Isaac Newton is short on attitude but his Silver Stakes third at The Curragh looks better tow that the winner, Portage, has taken the Royal Hunt Cup.
Educate hasn’t won since 2013, while recent sequence horses Malkeficent Queen and Revolutionist have to step up. I think two dark‘uns can be backed.
John Gosden’s form in this is 11001 and well-stalled Maverick Wave, 32.0 on BETDAQ early mouse, is a real ‘hidden horse.’ Group-3 winner on the soft (that’s one grade above today’s), he hasn’t run on turf since the 2015 Arlington Million and the Champion Stakes, pacemaker in both for Jack Hobbs.
Another ‘hidden horse’ is late developer Arthenus (16.0 best offers), tenderly handled this year after a hat-trick last backend. Ground and trip both suit, though he could have had a better draw.
ONE-TWO FOR STOUTE ON HARDWICKE CARDS
3.40 Royal Ascot (Hardwicke Stakes)
Racing’s great horse whisperer, Sir Michael Stoute is 110111 in this. Perhaps his best performance to win it was to bring his John Porter winner, Harbinger, on 22lb.
He seems to have cornered the prize again with Exosphere (2.0 x my 20-point Fortune Cookies stake) and Dartmouth.
St Leger winner Simple Verse (holds Beautiful Romance) could bounce back but was beaten by Exosphere in the Jockey Club Stakes.
Highland Reel needs the firm ground of his Arlington and Hong Kong Grade 1s, and Exosphere seems to have most to fear from John Porter and Ormonde winner, Dartmouth, an 8.6 offer on BETDAQ.
COME ON, MY SON! YOU’VE DONE IT BEFORE
4.20 Royal Ascot (Diamond Jubilee)
Champions of America, Australia, England, France and Hong Kong line up in the smallest field for 40 years but saved further decimation because the ground is drying.
Last year’s winner on lightning fast terrain was Undrafted but the ground remains a worry and he’s very easy to back this morning at 8.6.
Charles Hills has ‘done a Michael Stoute’ with Magical Memory, taking him from class-3 handicapper to Group-2 winner in 12 months.
You could say that The Tin Man has been an even greater trajectory, improved 36lb since last July.
But both Magical Memory (twice) and The Tin Man were beaten by Twilight Son last backend and, if Henry candy’s yard could have been in better form, I’d have banked on him on the rain-softened ground.
As it is, Ryan Moore could make the difference. That famous poker-face will be rigid 24 hours on from the dies horribilis of yestrrday.
SALATEEN IS FAR TOO BIG AT BETDAQ 36.0
5.00 Royal Ascot (Wokingham Stakes)
A four-year-old with form at 7f, from the bottom half of the handicap, and not afraid of a big field of horses around him.
A quirky sort, The Happy Prince will like the ground and has done well over 7f at Group level.
His only success since his maiden was a moderate handicap but his form over 6f or so is 1122,one of them for Ryan Moore when he was the ‘moral’ in a Listed, giving 5lb to the length-and-a-half winner.
If Spring Loaded’s 18lb improvement from six wins out of eight had been on grass, he would be a standout. Brando travels well, is a 19lb improver and will enjoy the ground.
David O’Meara’s Salateen has been campaigned at 7f but has often shown a relentless gallop from the front and this cavalry charge should bring out his stamina.
Burnt Sugar ran a cracker here (7f) last July and was narrowly beaten afterwards, dropped back to 6f at Newmarket. Just the one run back and another strong traveler.
Stablemate Coulsty, who swerves the Diamond Jubilee for this, finished close up to Magical Memory in the Abernant.
Toofi, with Andrea Atzeni booked, has also been seen only once this term and has good form beyond 6f. Mutawathea could be staying on late. Shared Equity stomed home in a similar rae to this at York last October.
VERDICT: Far too big is Salateen at 36.0 in a remarkable BETDAQ orange of only 105% overround and, on the other side of the stalls, Shared Equity at 27.0, and The Happy Prince could go well at 17.0, thougn not sure he has the guts to win. Coulsty for fourth place.
COMMISSIONED COULD OUTFOX THEM..
5.35 Royal Ascot (Queen Alexandra Stakes Stakes)
This needs a solid stayer but with a turn of foot, and Gordon RElliott who has had three winners in the last few days, has 24.0 BETDAQ offer Commissioned a hidden horse here, mainly campaigned at Graded level over hurdles but fast enough to win over much shorter on the Flat/
Alan King’s Newmarket Cesarewitch winner, Grumeti, has raced only three times thsis year, two of them on the Flat over trips too short.
But he is massively worse off with the Cesarewitch runner-up, Oriental Fox, and interesting that Mark Johndton, who usually runs them all the time, has been even more restrained.
In fact, Oriental Fox is a glass horse who won this race last season after a year off, with a fractured bone in his fetlock.
DAQMAN’S ROYAL ASCOT BETS (stake as stated)
BET (win 30) 6.6pts win on each CUNCO and (stakes saver) CHURCHILL (2.30 Royal Ascot
BULL’S-EYE BETS (win 50): 3.3pts win and place ARTHENUS and and 1.6pts win and place MAVERICK WAVE, plus LAY to lose 10pts BEST OF TIMES (3.05 Royal Ascot)
BET (win 30) 4pts win and place DARTMOUTH, and Fortune Cookie nap, EXOSPHERE (3.40)
BET (win 30) 6pts win TWILIGHT SON (4.20)
POT-OF-GOLD (win 50): SALATEEN, considered a 20-1 chance, so 2.5pts stake retained at 46.0 to win 87.50. Also 3pts win and place THE HAPPY PRINCE, and 2pts win and place SHARED EQUITY (5.00)
BET (to win 30) 6.6pts win ORIENTAL FOX, and 2.3pts win and place COMMISSIONED (5.35)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 2pts win double Arthenus (3.05) and Exosphere (3.40)
£25 IN FREE BETS
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