ROYAL ASCOT PREVIEW: THEY ALL WANT FRANKIE: Hot from the gallops this morning is news of a booked ride for Ascot ace Frankie Dettori on the Wednesday of the royal meeting next week. Three races one week ahead are checked out for stats by Daqman, whose nap of the day is running at Haydock.
DETTORI WILL RIDE CRYSTAL OCEAN
3.40 Royal Ascot, Wednesday (Prince Of Wales’s Stakes) Though there’s a Derby winner (Masar) and last year’s Hardwicke winner (Crystal Ocean) in the field, the market has this as a battle between the fillies, Magical and Sea Of Class.
But only one (The Fugue 2014) has beaten the colts in the decade to uphold an earlier tradition of top mares, Bosra Sham and Ouija Board, to muscle in on this top middle-distance prize (£750,000 to the winner) for older horses.
And this morning’s news from the Al Bahathri gallops is that Frankie Dettori will ride Crystal Ocean, who will miss the Hardwicke.
Masar is generally 7-1 with bookmakers, some 8-1, one 11-2, but 10.0 in the BETDAQ ante-post orange.
His Saturday gallop got good reviews from work watchers, and he is likely to run in this instead of the Hardwicke Stakes on Saturday week, for which his stablemate, Ghaiyyath is one of the favourites.
Winning trainers: Saeed Bin Suroor (4), Aidan O’ Brien (3), John Gosden (3), Andre Fabre (2), Sir Michael Stoute (2).
4.20 Royal Ascot, Wednesday (Duke Of Cambridge Stakes) Course form could be useful. In the last two seasons, the race has been won by the previous season’s Coronation Stakes winner and by a Duke Of Cambridge runner-up going one better.
Of this year’s probables, Agrotera won the Sandringham Handicap a year ago and Beshaayir is also a CD scorer. I Can Fly was second on the course in the British Champions Mile.
But, with the last three winners scoring off 112, 114 and 117, it looks a weaker contest this year.
If you take out Billesdon Brook – still dining out on her 1,000 Guineas win of 2018 – the highest rated are Veracious (110) and Nyaleti (109), then Anna Nerium and Dan’s Dream, both officially 107.
5.00 Royal Ascot , Wednesday (Royal Hunt Cup) Nine of the last 12 winners have been four-year-olds, and nine out of 12 have carried between 9st and 9st 5lb.
Very high stalls get more than their fair share of success, with winners in the decade coming out of 22, 24, 26 and 33 (three times). On the other side, 4 and 6 have won it and it’s vital to look out for tell-tale signs of a draw bias, and the side the jocks prefer, in the races leading up to this one.
LORELINA LOOKS READY TO STRIKE
2.30 Yarmouth Ryan Moore is 2-2 for Michael Bell at Yarmouth this season and Otago (tenderly handled from a bad draw on the debut) is his only ride of the day. Moore is back to form (3-5) after a lean spell.
Mark Johnston has a 75% strike rate with newcomers here and, if Otago doesn’t win, then Interrupted Dream is the one most likely to.
3.20 Haydock Lorelina catches the eye, as a winner over the Haydock CD a class higher than today on soft ground, and ready to strike after two runs back.
Awake My Soul won an almost identical race for trip and ground at York last autumn and scored here at Haydock at a similar time the previous year.
So he may need a bit more racing before he hits form, particularly as trainer Tom Tate has a poor strike rate right now.
Finniston Farm’s CD win was on firm ground. Dark Red is well handicapped on this time last year but has won just once in three years.
Did I mention Thistimenextyear? Up in the ratings but has strengthened up after a campaign over hurdles.
7.00 Hamilton Winners abound here – Inspired Thought, Lady Calcaria, Sandret – but all bar Lady Calcaria made their mark a class or two lower.
Meanwhile 10-1 shot Constant has been slipping down the handicap since moved from Karl Burke to David O’Meara and will not be long in winning if not today. Eight runners today so three chances of a place.
7.50 Kempton Indian Tygress drops to class 4 after a half-length defeat in class 2 and a Listed effort on turf spoiled by soft ground.
Back in her class on the Kempton AW surface, she should take some beating. Her form in class 4 and 5 is a highly commended 122113
If you knew Peggie Sue would continue on the upgrade, she’d be a good price at 8.6 offers this morning.
DAQMAN’S BETS
2.30 Yarmouth (win 10)
BET 6.5pts win OTAGO
3.20 Haydock (win 20)
BET 11pts win (nap) LORELINA
7.00 Hamilton (win 20)
BET 2pts win and place CONSTANT
7.50 Kempton (win 10)
BET 6pts win INDIAN TYGRESS
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