Forecast rain could derail Stradivarius’ shot at history June 16, 2021 WHEN Yeats won his fourth Ascot Gold Cup (4.15pm) in 2009, few, if any, thought his incredible feat would be matched. However, in Stradivarius we have a genuine contender who could match him. John and Thady Gosden’s star stayer bids to make it five Royal Ascot wins in a row – one in the Queen’s [...]
Time for a Divinely good Ribblesdale bet June 16, 2021 THERE has been no more impressive performance on the Flat so far this season than Snowfall’s 16-length demolition job in the Oaks. Yet while Frankie Dettori was out in the clear saluting the crowds as he sluiced up the stand’s side rail, DIVINELY was withering her way through a mud-splattered field late on to finish third. Jockey Seamie Heffernan [...]
Sir Lamorak to arise to the occasion in King George June 16, 2021 WHEN trainer Aidan O’Brien saddled the 1-2-3 in the King George V Handicap (5.35pm) two years ago, I made a mental not not to underrate his unexposed three-year-old colts in this contest ever again. The pandemic prevented Irish trainers from travelling horses for handicaps 12 months ago, so that wasn’t a factor last year, but [...]
EP: 66 Royal Ascot – Thursday – Day 3 June 16, 2021 We continue our special daily Royal Ascot podcasts, previewing each of the five days racing. Trainer Clive Cox runs his once-raced Instinctive Move in the 5-furlong Norfolk Stakes on Thursday. We speak to Clive about his chances in this Group 2 contest. City A.M. racing editor Bill Esdaile previews all of Thursday’s racing action alongside [...]
What’s The Hunt Cup Story, Matthew Flinders? June 15, 2021 THERE are puzzles and then there is the Royal Hunt Cup (5.00pm), a 30-runner cavalry charge up Ascot’s straight mile. As is often the case in this race, there are a number of unexposed four-year-olds towards the head of the market which is no surprise with five of the last six winners coming from that [...]
Queen Mary crown still Gleaming June 15, 2021 WHEN it comes to five furlongs and two-year-old fillies, you need look no further than Wesley Ward. Campanelle, Lady Aurelia, Acapulco and Jealous Again all burnt themselves into our memories with electric performances in the Queen Mary (2:30pm) over the past decade or so, and the American trainer appears to have another top class act wound up [...]
I’m Loving Double in Duke Of Cambridge June 15, 2021 IT WILL be fantastic to see one of the stars of the 2020 season, Love, back in action in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (4.20pm) on Wednesday afternoon. The daughter of Galileo rattled off the 1000 Guineas, Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks in just over two months and it was really unfortunate she wasn’t able to [...]
EP: 65 Royal Ascot – Wednesday – Day 2 June 15, 2021 We continue our special Royal Ascot daily podcasts, previewing each of the five days racing. Trainer William Jarvis has his best chance of a royal winner for many years when Lady Bowthorpe lines up as favourite in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes on Wednesday. Double Or Bubble, trained by Chris Wall is also in the [...]
Just stick with House and Hubert in Ascot Stakes June 14, 2021 LOOKING at the betting for the Ascot Stakes (5.00pm) and it appears to be at the mercy of the Irish with three of the first four in the market being saddled by the Mullins family. Ryan Moore has won this race three times for Willie Mullins and they team up again with favourite MC Muldoon [...]
Lope to storm the Palace June 14, 2021 IT’S FAIR to say that favourites have a pretty solid record in the Queen Anne Stakes (2.30pm), with five of the last 10 market leaders obliging and many expect Palace Pier to continue the sequence. Make no mistake, John and Thady Gosden’s colt is the most likely winner and based on his win in the Lockinge at Newbury [...]