2 months ago
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Look out the top hat and tails. It’s Royal Ascot week and that means five days of the best Flat racing Britain has to offer. Here’s my best bets…
Tuesday June 17 (FRENCH MASTER, Copper Horse Stakes, 6.10pm).
It’s to the last race of the opening day where FRENCH MASTER (4-1, Paddy Power) can get Wathnan Racing off to a flying start at a meeting they really crave winners at.
This four-year-old trained by John and Thady Gosden won narrowly at Goodwood over one mile and six furlongs and a rating of 100 looks to seriously underestimate his ability. He’s a young stayer with bundles of potential and could be Group class by the end of the season.
Wednesday June 18 (FALLEN ANGEL, Duke Of Cambridge Stakes, 3.40pm).
Another Wathnan horse. This time a four-year-old filly. FALLEN ANGEL (7-2, Paddy Power) needed the run in her seasonal reappearance in the Lockinge Stakes and can improve on that promising effort in this easier Group Two assignment against her own sex.
Trawlerman won on his seasonal reappearance at Sandown and is a Gold Cup contender
Trainer Karl Burke (right) can strike with Fallen Angel in Wednesday's Duke of Cambridge
John Gosden has an exceptional Royal Ascot record and is fancied to gain more success
Last year’s Irish Guineas winner looks to have trained on from three to four and trainer Karl Burke’s string have improved for the run. She looks to have a massive chance of claiming this Group Two prize over a mile.
Thursday June 19 (TRAWLERMAN, Gold Cup, 4.20pm).
The Gold Cup is the feature race on Thursday and TRAWLERMAN (3-1, Paddy Power) hopefully won’t be reeled in from the front.
With old adversary Kyprios retired, Trawlerman brings the best staying form into the table. Illinois is favourite but he has stamina to prove over two and a half miles. Trawlerman looked good in his reappearance win at Sandown and can strike gold for the first time in his career.
The seven-year-old has the best form in the book and is a proven stayer. He can land another Gold Cup for the Gosdens.
Friday June 20 (GREEN SENSE, Albany Stakes, 2.30pm).
Better put in an Irish-trained horse. Joseph O’Brien’s GREEN SENSE (7-1, Paddy Power) seems to be slightly underestimated in the market for this Group Three contest that kicks off Friday’s action.
She was second in the same grade at Naas, a race that has produced the last three winners of the Albany. The winner Lady Iman won’t run and Green Sense shaped well from the front before giving best.
The King and Queen enjoy Royal Ascot last year in the procession before each day's racing
With that rival out of the picture this week, Green Sense should improve again and arguably sets the standard in an open two-year-old Group Three race for fillies. She can go close to ensuring a fourth successive Irish win in the Albany Stakes.
Saturday June 21 (ELMONJED, Wokingham Stakes, 5pm).
It might be wise to play this one late and wait for confirmations as a mark of 95 is right on the limit for ELMONJED (16-1, Paddy Power) to get into the Wokingham.
It’s been the bottom number for the last two renewals and hopefully this progressive four-year-old trained by William Haggas can get in and run a screamer at a decent price.
He’s shaped okay in finishing fourth in decent handicaps in both outings this season and gives the impression there’s a much bigger effort in the locker.
A big-field handicap scenario should play to his strengths, so hopefully he squeezes into the race at the foot of the weights.
William Haggas holds a strong hand in this year's Wokingham Stakes, a race he won last year
SELECTION OF THE DAY…
A wide draw is a concern but BEDTIME STORY (4-1, Paddy Power) could have too much class anyway for the field in the French Oaks (Chantilly, 3.05).
She was beaten by four lengths in the French Guineas but that run should blow away the cobwebs and she made eye-catching late progress from the back of the field, so the step up in trip to ten furlongs ought to be ideal for Aidan O’Brien’s filly.
