the INSIDER
YIPPEE, Royal Ascot is nearly here and that means Champagne and Fillies. The Queen Mary, Albany Stakes and the Coronation Stakes are all fantastic races for the fairer sex.
However, my banker for the meeting is a colt that runs in the first two-year-old race of the meeting, the Coventry Stakes. CANFORD CLIFFS has only run and won once, but the vibes coming from the Hannon yard say he’s held in the highest regard. It’s possible that the Irish money may come for the Aiden O’Brien hope Steinbeck, but I’m of the opinion that 7/2 about the Hannon runner is a very fair price for this son of Tagula and should be taken immediately.
More immediately, there is a horse running this afternoon which isn’t from a leading stable but I would fancy it each-way to improve up the Sandown hill, especially if there is a fair pace to the race. The horse in question is ROCKFELLA (4.55pm) and I can see this chestnut gelding putting his best foot forward to break his maiden tag.
I have to admit that I’m a bit of a poker fan and if Royal Ascot turns out the way I hope it will, I may well register myself for the exclusive Buffalo Club tournament at Aspinalls on Saturday 20 June. It’s a big stake tournament with a £1,000 registration (20 invitations), £10,000 stake and a jackpot up to £200,000 – www.thebuffaloclub.co.uk. The first prize certainly wouldn’t go amiss!