Royal Ascot selections Wednesday 19th June
Day Two at Ascot and another fine day means the fast ground that was in place yesterday, remains for today. There was plenty to enjoy from the Group 1 races yesterday and the single Group 1 on the card today promises to be another fascinating tactical affair. The Hunt Cup provides one of the big betting spectacles of the week and my headline selection comes from this contest. In total I have selections from four races. We had each-way places in all four races chosen yesterday, Regional (SP 6/1), Henry Longfellow (SP 11/2), Divine Comedy (advised 11/1), Temporize (advised 25/1) and My Mate Mozzie (SP 12/1).
Ascot 3.45: Laurel
I don’t like to back horses first time out after a lay off often, but I will make an exception for LAUREL who looks the standout potential Group 1 performer in a Group 2 race.
For one thing she has won first time out in both previous seasons, including impressively at listed level at Kempton last season under Ryan Moore. There was clearly something amiss when she finished down the field in the Lockinge the following month as we have not seen her on the course since.
However the fact they pitched her into that level suggests the high regard connections have with her and it is interesting that Moore is back on board today. Indeed she was second in the Group 1 Sun Chariot on only her third career start at Newmarket in 2022 and the fact she has been kept in training as a 5yo can only be a positive factor.
Ascot 4.25: Auguste Rodin
Ballydoyle almost pulled off a tactical heist in the St James’ Palace yesterday when stacking the field up with their two entrants, and they could well pull off a similar feat here, allowing AUGUSTE RODIN to storm to victory.
The presence of Hans Andersen suggests he will be the pacemaker and it will be no surprise to see Ryan Moore slot straight in behind to get first run off the bend into the straight. We know that Auguste Rodin has the stamina for further than this 10f given he won the English/Irish Derby double and then landed the Breeders Cup Turf in the autumn.
However he is not short of pace and a positive ride here looks the obvious option to kill off the latent speed of Inspiral. Auguste Rodin has thrown in the odd stinker in the past, including at this track, but I can’t see that was down to failing to handle Ascot. His prep run was perfectly satisfactory when second to White Birch in a Group 1 at the Curragh, finishing clear of the rest and he will have surely improved for that run.
Ascot 5.05: Streets of Gold, Bless Him & Wild Tiger
Three against the field is surely the way to go in another open Hunt Cup.
First choice would be STREETS OF GOLD even though this will be his first try at a mile. He produced an encouraging run to be 2l sixth in the Victoria Cup here last month and there is no doubt that he will prefer the faster going today.
He was unbeaten in five starts as a juvenile including wins in two big field sales races and a competitive nursery at York’s Ebor meeting. The rough and tumble of a race of this field size won’t bother him at all. He also ran a cracker to be third at this meeting in the Jersey Stakes on similar ground last season, finishing strongly over the 7f. There looks to be enough pace low to drag him into the race from stall five.
Perennial competitor in this type of race BLESS HIM bids to defy the trends and win this as a 10yo. His powers don’t seem to be on the wane and he won the Bunbury Cup in 2022 from a pound higher with a typical last to first run under Jamie Spencer.
Since then he has finished fifth in this race last season and third in that Victoria Cup last month. He seems to be very ground dependent these days and loves to hear his hooves rattle as will be the case today. You can ignore his last run on ground softer than ideal and round a bend which won’t have suited at all. Witch Hunter was similarly well beaten in that race and recovered to finish a brilliant fourth in the Queen Anne yesterday.
WILD TIGER could be the unexposed type lurking in the field. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor won this race a few years ago with a horse having a similar profile in Real World, and he looks to have been laid out to strike here.
Two solid runs in Meydan qualified him for handicaps in this country and he is 2-2 in that sphere after wins at Yarmouth and Goodwood last month. Both came with something to spare and he has only been upped a combined 13lbs for those wins. Those victories came over 7f, but he is a son of Frankel out of a dam who has produced horses that stay at least a mile so it would be no surprise to see him improve further for the trip.
Ascot 5.40: Villanova Queen, Twirling & Rowayeh
Another tricky handicap but a point to note about this year’s Kensington Palace is that it has been switched from the round course to the straight track, a more natural placing for a race of this type.
That could be good news for VILLANOVA QUEEN even though she won this on the round track last season. Given she came from way out the back, it was to her credit that she made up that ground going round a bend and in theory it should be easier for her to make up ground on the straight track.
Whilst she has been well held in pattern races since, including two races this season, she was also well beaten at that level coming into this race last season. It could simply be that she is best in handicaps off a high weight and that a big field, strongly run contest suits. Only 1lb higher than last year’s win and fully proven on fast ground I expect her to bounce back to form here.
TWIRLING has caught my eye with the way she has travelled in two runs since switching to turf and could still have something in hand of the assessor.
Having cruised into contention at Nottingham last month, it appeared she was caught out late by the lack of a recent outing, fading into third. She had no issues finding for pressure at Doncaster last time though, easing past Roarin Success close home. The fact she handled the galloping track there bodes well for today and she has only been raised 5lbs for that success. A middle draw and the booking of Ryan Moore are other positives.
ROWAYEH could be overpriced after a decent return to action at Newmarket last month. This keen going type was never really put in the race that day, but was only beaten 6l by Hunt Cup contender Crack Shot and that will have blown away the cobwebs.
There is one line of form that gives her a major chance. She beat Mystic Pearl over a length at Sandown on fast ground last June giving that rival 4lbs. She is actually 16lbs better of today and given she is proven on the ground looks very nicely weighted. She should get plenty of cover from her middle draw to help her settle and be delivered by winning jockey yesterday Jim Crowley for a late run.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Laurel – 3.45 Ascot – 5/1 William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt win – Auguste Rodin – 4.25 Ascot – 7/4 William Hill, Ladbrokes
1pt each-way – Streets of Gold – 5.05 Ascot – 22/1 BetVictor (1/5 odds 1st 6)
1pt each-way – Wild Tiger – 5.05 Ascot – 7/1 William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 6)
0.5pts each-way – Bless Him – 5.05 Ascot – 25/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 6)
1pt each-way – Twirling – 5.40 Ascot – 16/1 Paddy Power (1/5 odds 1st 6)
1pt each-way – Rowayeh – 5.40 Ascot – 12/1 Ladbrokes (1/5 odds 1st 5)
0.5pts each-way – Villanova Queen – 5.40 Ascot – 25/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 5)
