Destiny and Arecibo monster prices against King’s Stand big guns
THERE could easily be a changing of the guard when it comes to sprinting honours in the King’s Stand Stakes (3:40pm) with the flying three-year-old filly Winter Power strongly fancied to shake-up sprinting superstar Battaash.
Last year’s winner has had plenty of well documented hiccups in his preparation and looked odds-against to even make the line-up a month ago.
Twice beaten in this race in the past, Battaash finely landed this sprinting crown 12 months ago in a remarkable unbeaten season.
However, that wasn’t the strongest of renewals and he will have to be on his A-game to reel in Winter Power giving her 10lbs.
Both will have their supporters with my preference for Winter Power (9/2) over Battaash (9/4) based purely on price.
The only certainty about this race is that it will be run at a ferocious end-to-end gallop meaning it could easily be set up for a closer pouncing on leg-weary trail-blazers who have no more to give late on.
US raider Extravagant Kid looks the obvious candidate to benefit from a pace meltdown, but he has already been well found in the market and is as short as 11/2.
Frankie Dettori takes the ride on the Al Quoz Sprint winner who needed every yard of the six furlongs at Meydan and may struggle to lay up with the speedballs early.
Andrew Balding runs Kings Lynn for the Queen who could easily pick up a place at around 20/1, but instead I’m going to chance my arm with an each-way play on stablemate STONE OF DESTINY, who can be backed at 40/1 with four places up for grabs.
He was running on late in the Dash at Epsom last week on unsuitably rain-softened ground and will get the frenetic pace on decent ground he cherishes.
Admittedly, he has a huge amount to find on form, but he looks set to run well with everything in his favour.
I’m also going to throw a few quid each-way at the back to form ARECIBO, who is set to be ridden by Jamie Spencer.
He has won two of his starts for new connections and is worth chancing each-way at a whopping 50/1 with those four places up for grabs.
Spencer can sit quietly out the back and hopefully pick up some of the spoils late on.
The ground may well be faster than ideal for him, but he comes to Ascot in the form of his life and is worth taking a chance on.
Finally with the World Pool back in town it may be worth throwing a few of these longshots into a Quinella with the likes of Winter Power.
I’d combine Winter Power, King’s Lynn, Stone Of Destiny and Arecibo in the hope of a monster return.
POINTERS
Stone Of Destiny e/w 3.40pm Ascot
Arecibo e/w 3.40pm Ascot
Quinella: Winter Power, King’s Lynn, Stone Of Destiny, Arecibo