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Racing Royal Ascot at the back of rider's minds

THE calm before the storm of Royal Ascot next week, which I will mention later on, is hardly an easy ride, as several big handicaps are up for grabs, with Sandown’s 5.35 of particular interest to me and Dark Pearl (nb) the focus.

Ed Walker has always thought a lot of this lightly raced son of Born To Sea and it was obvious from fairly early on in his career, as with many of the sire’s progeny, that staying would be the name of the game for this four-year-old bay gelding.

On his seasonal debut he was far from discredited when fifth to Star of the East at Chester, but he didn’t get the run of the race that day, stuck out wide, and wasn’t really suited by the track.

This more conventional and galloping course looks sure to suit him so much better and Walker was surprised but at the same time delighted to see his charge had been dropped a pound by the assessor to a mark of 81.

He looks one of the better wagers of the day alongside the slightly disappointing Kassar in the three-year-old handicap at the Esher track at 4.25.

To be fair, Roger Charlton’s charge is still learning the game and ran a fair race over course and distance when he seemed to lack a yard of pace behind Danceteria earlier in the month.

He didn’t have the clearest of runs that afternoon at the two furlong pole and had to be switched, but I suspect the son of Exceed and Excel will have learnt plenty from that experience.

Over at York, the opening Queen Mother Cup for amateur lady riders has always been a race I have closely followed and I see no reason why last year’s runner-up Mukhayyam won’t go close again for the Easterby clan.

That run came off a mark of 81, but his rating shot up to 94 following two subsequent wins. Easterby has managed to get his charge back down to 86 and his run behind the well-treated Aasheq at Chester strongly suggested his turn was close in a race in which few can be fancied.

Later on at Knavesmire, Squats (2.25) is another that has finally been shown some mercy by the assessor and he looks a solid each-way play at around the 8/1 marker.

Desperately unlucky in a few big field handicaps last year before rocking up in a class three event at Newbury, he is now 9lbs lower than when contesting the likes of last year’s Victoria Cup and then having no luck late on in the Wokingham Handicap.

The fact that he is swerving another shot at the Royal meeting next week and coming here says plenty and he can see off last year’s winner Get Knotted. The last named is also fairly treated off a 3lbs lower mark than in 12 months ago and may well be worth a saver again.

The best bet at Chester could well be top-weight Tawdeea in the closing staying handicap at 5.30, while the fast ground will hold no perils for the in form GENERAL BROOK in the 2.20 at Bath under Luke Morris or Aqua Libre (nap) off top-weight in the 4.45 under SDS.

Below our my best bets for next week at Royal Ascot:-

Tuesday 

2.30 — ZONDERLAND (e/w)

3.05 — CALYX 

5.35 — SUEGIOO (E/W)

Wednesday

2.30 — CHELSEA CLOISTERS

5.00 — SETTLE FOR BAY (E/W)

Thursday

4.20 — STRADIVARIUS

Friday

3.40 — Equilateral

Saturday

4.20 — Redkirk Warrior

5.00 — Victory Angel (e/w)

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