POWERFUL IRISH CHALLENGE: SHAMROCK looks at the strong Irish challenge on day one of Royal Ascot headed by Sole Power who bids to enter the record books with a third successive win in the King’s Stand Stakes.
It’s the most international Royal Ascot ever and odds-on that that the opening Queen Anne Stakes will either go to France or Hong Kong in the shape of Solow or Able Friend. This weeks Irish challenge starts with Cougar Mountain who looks to have, excuse me, a mountainous challenge – but there’re are definitely high hopes for a couple of Irish winners on the day one card.
Irish trained runners top the BETDAQ betting in the Coventry Stakes at 3.05. The Jim Bolger trained Round Two heads the market after his debut win at Naas which was followed up by an easy win in the Listed Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh. I think he looks a little short in the market given both of his wins have come with give in the ground and it’s good to firm in places at Ascot this afternoon.
I prefer the chances (and price) of Air Force Blue who made a winning debut over this trip at the Curragh. Aidan O’Brien has a good record in the Coventry (two winners from the last four runnings) and Air Force Blue looks guaranteed to improve from his debut effort.
Everything went wrong for Sole Power in the King’s Stand 12 months ago but he still won impressively. That takes some doing in a big runner, uber-competitive, five furlong dash. His prep race at the Curragh (a VERY rare run in his native country) is probably best overlooked as it came over six furlongs on testing ground whereas he gets his optimum conditions today – five furlongs and fast ground. I certainly want to be with him today.
In the St James’s Palace Stakes at 4.20 Gleneagles is very much considered the Irish banker of the week after his dual Guineas successes at Newmarket and the Curragh. He made harder work of it at the Curragh than his odds suggested he should and faces two progressive rivals here in Consort and French Guineas winner Make Believe but is very hard to oppose on the formbook.
SHAMROCK’S BETS:
NAP: Gleneagles (4.20 Royal Ascot)
NEXT BEST: Air Force Blue (3.05 Royal Ascot)
TREBLE: Sole Power (3.40 Royal Ascot)
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