High-quality handicaps feature on busy Ascot card
Ascot stages a lively flat card this Saturday, with two handicaps drawing particular attention as trainers bring forward a mixture of up-and-coming and proven performers. The 1.40pm Schweppes Handicap and the tote.co.uk Money Back 2nd Handicap at 2.10pm offer the sort of competitive, festival-style racing that suits racegoers looking for strong contests and progressive types.
1.40 Schweppes Handicap — Addison Grey and Thunder Call among the front-runners
The opening feature over seven furlongs looks to have drawn a compact but classy field. Addison Grey, trained by Clive Cox, arrives on the back of a convincing Newbury handicap victory and remains unexposed at the trip. That recent success suggests there is more to come over the seven-furlong trip.
Thunder Call is another to note after a string of encouraging efforts this season. The gelding finished second in a competitive contest during the Shergar Cup meeting at Ascot, and the extra furlong on Saturday may suit his progressive profile. Also of interest in the line-up are Two Tribes, who finished runner-up in the Moet & Chandon International, and Ghost Mode, who makes a quick return following a good effort at Goodwood.
2.10 tote.co.uk Money Back 2nd Handicap — Heyzoom expected to be popular
The tote.co.uk Money Back 2nd Handicap is the headline event on the card and is likely to attract plenty of attention. Heyzoom, representing the Owen Burrows yard, is expected to be popular. Gelded since finishing fourth in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot, he returns from a short break and will be ridden by Saffie Osborne. Connections will point to the strength of his previous form, which has been subsequently validated on several occasions.
Marco Botti saddles Archers Bay, who arrives on the back of a course-and-distance handicap success. That performance, in which he appeared to handle the extra ground well, brings him into calculations despite a seven-pound penalty for that most recent victory.
Elsewhere in the race Ancestor and Into The Light are pencilled in as viable each-way alternatives, providing depth to what promises to be a competitive handicap at the heart of the card.
Supporting races to watch
- 2.45pm — Dannahue represents Godolphin and carries an interesting pedigree connection to the mare Lazuli.
- 4.00pm — Orion’s Belt and Tryst head what looks to be a lively middle-distance contest.
- 4.35pm — A Class Two contest features Ferrous and American Gulf among a large field of 15 runners.
Ascot’s flat programme this weekend mixes established names and emerging talent, offering something for festival regulars and casual racegoers alike. The pair of mid-afternoon handicaps, in particular, could provide decisive form lines for connections targeting the remainder of the summer meeting calendar.
Practical notes for racegoers
Racegoers attending Ascot can expect competitive handicaps across the card, with the 1.40 and 2.10 contests likely to be focal points for collectors of form and for those following specific trainers and riders. The meeting also features several other contests through the afternoon that will appeal to followers of progressive handicappers and horses stepping up in trip.
With the meeting receiving coverage on racing broadcast outlets, those unable to be trackside will still be able to follow the key races and keep abreast of the card as it unfolds.
This article may have been prepared in whole or in part with the assistance of artificial intelligence.
