Day Three. Project Dante in the 2.30 - ran green at York in a pretty good maiden, but knuckled down to win well in the end. One Ruler in the 3.05. The class horse down in grade - run well in the Guineas and Derby, and this intermediate trip should be bang on. Royal Pleasure in the 5.00. Looks to be a nice improver (who isn't in this) and I made a pact with myself to back him next time out after the last run. Don't think the draw is great on the far side, but that probably guarantees a double figure price. Good luck all!
I had a sneaky little E/W tip for Friday in the 17:00 Teodolina From someone who gave me a 33/1 E/W tip last week that came in. That's all I know.
Detorri managed to get himself boxed in in the Gold Cup. Stradivarius never had a hope of making up the lost ground
I don’t usually bet on horse racing but as ITV had Gold Cup on in between Euro matches I thought I’d have a bet , Amhran Na Bhfiann E/w it came last after leading virtually all the way , the shittest piece of Jockeying I’ve seen
A game of opinions, but for me the horse just didn't have the pace to get through when he had chance. Frankie was urging him six furlongs out. In the home straight when small gaps appeared the horse couldn't take them. He had clear sailing from one and a half out and did go in pursuit of Princess Zoe but was run out of the places by both the mare and Spanish Mission. As Brough Scott notes in theTimes today, the horse did seem to have his eye on Princess Zoe during the race, travelling with his head inclined towards her though much of the last mile. He has of course been noted for being "a bit of a lad" before many of his previous races! A great stayer who is possibly on the decline now, and possibly distracted by the ladies!
Just the First Lady for me in the opener today (100/30 in a place or two). (See above for why) Tomorrow looking rather more interesting. Saturday 3.05 Mutasaabeq (13/2 - was fancied for the 2,00 Guineas after a six-length Newmarket romp in April but the classic came too soon for him. He drops back to Group 3 here and looks to have abundant further potential.) 5.00 King's Lynn (9/2 - potentially thrown in at the weights if allowed to take his chance) 6.10 Falcon Eight (5/1 with Skynobet - a clever piece of placing by Dermot Weld as he would be giving weight to most of these in a handicap. Was only just getting going at the end of two and a quarter miles in the Chester Cup when he swooped round the outside to win comfortably. Has a superb chance over this two and three quarter miles). I'll be backing the above three in singles, and I wouldn't discourage anyone from having a yankee those three with Starman (4.20) who is available at 7/2 in a place.
Going report from my garden which is 2 miles from the racecourse as the Red kite flies Substantial overnight rain and it was still raining at 5.30 this morning means the going will be good at best possibly good to soft with the forecast rain. A bad day yesterday but thankfully my stakes are low so not too much damage Todays donkeys 2.30 Prettiest 3.05 Title 3.40 Dragan Symbol 4.20 Primo Bacio 5.0 Beheld 5.35 Tritonic 6.10 Significantly Good luck to one and all
Ascot 4:20 Fev Rover 25-1 back it each way. 3rd in 1000 Guineas 20/1. Very good horse. Usually placed. Ran it last time out knowing full well going was too soft and it would struggle and came nowhere. But back to being a good price now though
Got to give credit to Joe Fanning on the winner for kicking on as they came in the straight too. Don't think Stradivarius would have caught him even with a clear run but Dettori never rode out for 3rd place and eased Stradivarius well before the line. Not sure if he would have got 3rd but he seemed to be saving him rather prematurely to me
Going now soft at Ascot after 20 mm of rain overnight and it's still raining so could be soft, heavy in places (Swinley Bottom for one). Non runners starting to come through
Now reporting they've had 25 mm of rain though it is now easing a bit. Chris Stickels going round the course now. Inspection at 12.45
Must be really deep lying water at Ascot as they're worried about the bends Inspection is actually at 12.45 according to Ascots tweets. Few false patches of ground is the major worry. Once they start talking about that it's usually curtains
All i would say is on straight course when soft it tends to favour horses drawn low and as there climbing for last 4 furlongs all way to line i would imo look for a 7F horse for a 6F race and so on - good luck all