3 minute read
Sam King is back with four selections on the opening day of Royal Ascot.
An excellent high-class week of racing kicks off with a mouthwatering clash between the older milers, with the first four home from the Lockinge ready to do battle once more in the Queen Anne Stakes (2.30).
Newbury winner Lead Artist has to be feared with quick ground to suit, but he and Dancing Gemini, who he denied by a neck that day, will surely have more on his plate this time around, with both Rosallion and Notable Speech having a run under their belt.
Both shaped with considerable promise back in third and fourth on their seasonal reappearances, with Rosallion perhaps open to slightly more improvement given he was off since winning the St James's Palace Stakes at this meeting last year.
As we know, rattling conditions will be right up his street, while a bullish Richard Hannon was adamant, he only had him 80% fit for his Newbury outing.
If that's the case, and he takes the sizeable step forward the market expects, he could take some beating in the opener.
2pt Win - Rosallion
Odds - 2/1
Gstaad still looked very raw when making a winning debut over six furlongs at Navan back in May, so it was probably a testament to his natural ability that he was able to overhaul a stablemate who had the benefit of a promising run behind her on debut.
The runner-up that day, True Love, is currently second favourite for the Queen Mary Stakes despite having not won either of her starts, so it's clear she's held in some regard by the Ballydoyle connections.
A half-brother to the Prix Morny and Middle Park winner Vandeek, he certainly has the pedigree to make up into a top-class juvenile. Ryan Moore has elected to side with the son of Starspangledbanner over stablemate Warsaw, who also made a winning debut, while stall fourteen should give him options should they inevitably decide the split into two groups.
The quicker ground on offer shouldn't pose any problems and with further progress almost certainly expected, he could have what it takes to swat away fellow promising juveniles Postmodern and Military Code in this afternoon's Coventry Stakes (3.05).
1pt Win - Gstaad
Odds - 9/2
The King Charles III Stakes (3.40) looks like a wide-open affair, although it's understandable why both last year's winner Asfoora and Believing, who shed her Group 1 maiden tag in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan last time out, head the market.
That said, there are question marks about both, with Asfoora arriving following a different prep this time around, Believing is yet to win at this level over five furlongs.
This will be run at a frantic pace, which should suit Ed Walker's in-form filly Mgheera. A five-year-old daughter of Zoustar, she took her record to two from two for new connections when backing up a Group 3 success in Longchamp with a half-length victory in the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock last month.
There's no doubt she'll need to step up on those performances to land this, but it's not impossible that she has more to offer in her current heart, while there is also some hope on her pedigree that she'll handle today's forecast quicker ground.
1pt Win - Mgheera
Odds - 9/1
Field Of Gold should take plenty of stopping in the St James's Palace Stakes, but bookmakers aren't giving much away with his price, so the final wager on the card comes in the Wolferton Stakes (5.35).
The well-backed Sons And Lovers needs considering under Ryan Moore, while Enfjaar should improve on his recent fifth in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes for a handler that has a good record in this. However, the value may lie with Torito, who returns to the track for the first time since finishing third in this twelve months ago.
John and Thady Gosden should have him straight enough for his first start in a year, while the fitting of cheekpieces looks an interesting addition for a horse who does just tend to race a touch lazily.
The booking of Colin Keane is another plus, and he clearly goes well fresh having finished a good third behind Liberty Lane in the Suffolk Stakes (Heritage Handicap) on his reappearance last May.
Bred by George Strawbridge, the gelded son of Kingman has since joined the powerful Wathnan operation, and he could prove up to immediately repaying them by landing this valuable pot on the opening day of the Royal meeting.
1pt Win – Torito
Odds – 10/1
