IT’S A bit of a flat weekend with Royal Ascot on the horizon next week so I shall deal with this afternoon first of all and then move on to the five days at the Berkshire track later.

As far as today’s racing is concerned, I think the outstanding bet of the day comes at Doncaster in the seven furlong handicap at 2.15 where top-weight MUNTADAB (nap) has an outstanding chance at a fair price.

Roger Fell’s seven-year-old has plied his trade in better contests in the last few years over a variety of distance, but this is definitely his best trip.

Last year, the veteran was rated as high as 107, but that mark proved way beyond him being unplaced on all seven outings in 2019.

As a consequence the handicapper has finally shown him some mercy, dropping him down to 85, and with a race already under his belt at Newcastle he should be spot on to try to give the weight away to all of his 11 inferior rivals here.

There are some tricky contests at the Town Moor track, but I fancy we will get a good run for our money with the three-year-old DULAS in the 3.50, while TRIPLE DISTILLED looks the wager in the class three, one mile handicap due off at 3.25.

At Newbury, the one mile, Group Three Diomed Stakes looks wide open, but the vote goes to STORMY ANTARTIC from the in-form Ed Walker-yard who goes well fresh and certainly won’t mind the further rain forecast.

At Sandown the feature event is the Listed Scurry Stakes at 2.40. With a run under his belt the well regarded Dream Shot could head the market, but I want to oppose him with AL RAYA (nb).

The selection signed off last season with a Group Three success in France and he too will be well suited by any further easing in conditions.

And so onto Royal Ascot next week. As always the feature race of the five day meeting is the Gold Cup on Thursday and with a fair weather forecast, champion STRADIVARIUS looks set to retain his title.

He was edged out by Kew Gardens in last year’s Champions Long Distance Cup, but the ground would have been a tad too slow for him that day and he can gain his revenge on the Aidan O’Brien newcomer here.

JAPAN looks a good thing in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes on Wednesday, but like the Ascot Gold cup pick he will be a short enough price, so if you are looking for a bit of value have a look at the Ascot Stakes Handicap on Tuesday at 4.30.

National Hunt aces have a particularly good record in this two-and-a-half-mile marathon, but I fancy Roger Charlton’s youngster TRUE DESTINY could go well if he gets into the final field.

This five-year-old looked a thorough stayer last year, emphasised by his final run at Goodwood when he came home strongly to finish a length third to Timoshenko in the Goodwood Stakes.

If ready to roll for the first time since that run he could still be well handicapped off a mark of 84.

Later on in the week, GOLDEN HORDE has a solid each-way play in the Commonwealth Cup for three-year-olds while Saturday’s Golden Jubilee could go the way of the Haydock Park Sprint hero HELLO YOUMZAIN.

The last named looked a shade unfortunate not to win the Commonwealth last year, falling out of the stalls and then becoming unbalanced a quarter of a mile out before finishing well.

He should be reaching his peak now and in what looks a below par renewal he may prove too strong for the likes of Space Blues and One Master.