The second day of the Royal Meeting didn’t disappoint, with plenty of impressive performances.
The well-fancied filly Dramatised gained success in the Queen Mary Stakes before unbeaten Eldar Eldarov narrowly won ahead of unlucky Zechariah in the Queen’s Vase.
Globetrotter State Of Rest was given a magnificent front-running ride by Shane Crosse to provide Joseph O’Brien with a first Royal Ascot winner as trainer.
Saffron Beach excelled in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes, comfortably beating her rivals whilst giving them 5lbs.
In the competitive Royal Hunt Cup the grey Dark Shift came out of the pack to win, before Little Big Bear made sure the gamble was landed as he strode to victory in the Windsor Castle Stakes.
The finale was won by 40/1 shot Rising Star for Marco Botti, a surprise winner in the Kensington Palace Stakes Handicap.
Tomorrow it’s Gold Cup day, where star stayer Stradivarius will bid to equal Yeats record of four Gold Cups.
It’s the day of destiny for the old boy, and what a day it’ll be if he can get the win.
Ascot Gold Cup Preview
Stradivarius, son of Sea The Stars, has won four times at the Royal Meeting.
His first success came as a three-year-old in 2017, when he won the Queen’s Vase.
He’s since gone on to win three consecutive Gold Cups, before failing in the 2021 when trouble in running allowed winner Subjectivist to get first run as Stradivarius struggled to maneuver away from the rail and into space.
Frankie Dettori was unhappy with his ride aboard the stayer, and would surely have ridden Stradivarius differently if given another chance.
Tomorrow, the pair will face a maximum total of nine runners, although Trueshan is expected to be ruled a non-runner as the ground will not be to suit Alan King’s gelding.
That does make the task slightly easier for John & Thady’s Gosden’s chestnut, but he still faces stiff opposition.
Kyprios appears the biggest threat in the race representing a top yard in Ballydoyle and seven-time winner of the race, Aidan O’Brien.
He has impressed this season, winning both of his runs comfortably enough.
At Navan over 1m6f he quickened effectively and stayed on well to beat his sister Search For A Song and Baron Samedi in the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes.
He followed that win with a fourteen-length success in the Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes, his first Group Three success.
This will be his first appearance in a Group One, and whilst he has looked a strong contender he does have to prove himself at this level against a multiple Group One winner and three-time champion of this race.
Princess Zoe’s day in the sun came at Longchamp in the Prix Du Cadran in 2020.
She managed second in this last year, five-lengths behind the winner, but the ground conditions aren’t ideal for this seven-year-old mare.
When last seen she narrowly won the Sagaro Stakes ahead Quickthorn, but despite showing plenty of grit in the finish she was perhaps slightly fortuitous and did only what was needed to win.
Mojo Star must be respected on his Classic form, having finished second in both the Derby and St Leger last season.
He is untried over this marathon trip, but it’s worth a shot for connections.
Burning Victory finished second in the Cesarewitch on her last flat appearance, and has won a Grade Three contest over hurdles this year.
She is clearly a strong stayer, but whether or not she has the class to win a contest such as this remains to be seen.
Tashkhan has been plenty of people’s outsider coming into this race, despite being well beaten by Stradivarius and Princess Zoe respectively this season.
He is open to further improvement as a four-year-old, but has drifted significantly in the market and is easy enough to back, available at best odds of 40/1.
Bubble Smart is an interesting contender for Mikel Delzangles, but will need to show improvement from her last run in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier.
She finished third in last year’s Prix Du Cadran, a length behind runner-up Stradivarius, but is another who would likely prefer more give in the ground.
Earlofthecotswolds earned success on the all-weather when last seen, and has shown himself to be a strong stayer on the flat as well as a capable jumper.
This is a much tougher test however, and given he only beat Marshall Plan by a neck at Newcastle he’ll need to find plenty more to be giving the favourites a fright.
Alignak is the outsider in the race, but has fair form behind Trueshan having finished a narrow second to him at Haydock two years ago.
That was a while ago, and whilst Trueshan has enjoyed plenty of black-type success since, Alignak has struggled to win races and looks out of his depth once again.
Spotlight:
Stradivarius 5/2 – John & Thady Gosden, Frankie Dettori
Stradivarius’ first Gold Cup success came in 2018 when he sat off the pace, travelling nicely, before putting his impressive turn of foot to good effect to win the battle against Vazirabad and finish first past the post, with Torcedor and Order Of St George behind.
In 2019 he sat behind the leaders again, and whilst he did encounter some traffic problems in the straight with Capri holding him in, he managed to get out in time to get a clear run.
He got stuck in a pocket in 2019 for a while, which would have worried connections and backers, and it seems to happen quite often for him, as it did in the 2020 Goodwood Cup too.
The 2021 Gold Cup was a similar story, but Stradivarius had been positioned too far back to have any impact on the race, even if he had been blessed with a clear run earlier on.
Once Stradivarius has been able to get the gap he has been able to gallop into the space and put the race to bed on many occasions, but he is older now and won’t be able to quicken as effectively as he did when he was a younger horse.
This is why Dettori will need to position him wisely in the race, and make sure he is able to control his own fortune whilst being aware not to lose too much ground if travelling wide.
The 2020 Gold Cup was a very different story as the world had been hit by coronavirus rules, no international runners featured in the race, which changed the complexion.
With the absence of Ballydoyle horses, a field of eight featured, and no traffic problems occurred.
Conditions were soft following a deluge, but Stradivarius put in possibly his most visually impressive performance, beating Nayef Road by ten-lengths to claim an emotional win and his third Gold Cup.
He has won at Ascot since, beating Ocean Wind on seasonal reappearance last year in the Sagaro Stakes although connections opted for the Yorkshire Cup as a preparation run this year, as they did in 2018.
They, along with many supporters the horse has attracted over the years, will be hoping history repeats itself, and the mighty Stradivarius can make history on Thursday.
He still retains plenty of ability, he has shown that last season when winning two Group Two contests as well as a Group Three race.
His battle in the straight at York against Spanish Mission was one to savour, and he showed plenty of enthusiasm there to get his head in front when it mattered, appearing to know exactly where the winning post was and what was expected of him.
He is a real character, and when his final day on a racecourse does come, it’ll be an emotional day for all involved, as he has given so much joy to so many.
He still has the quality to do it, but he also has the experience as he has done it before, four times at the Royal Meeting, three times in the Gold Cup.
Stradivarius is a legend, no matter the outcome of this race, and what a joy it has been to follow his journey.
Whether he wins, or comes up short, he is one of the most popular horses in training, and has nothing to prove.
2:00 – Norfolk Stakes (Group 2)
Crispy Cat 12/1 (EW) – M D O’Callaghan, Silvestre De Sousa
A horse that has been in the tracker this season since his first racecourse appearance in April.
It would be unwise to desert him on this world stage.
He won on debut before narrowly missing out in two Listed races.
At the Curragh he was headed at the post by Blackbeard, a promising colt who finished fourth in the Coventry Stakes.
On his subsequent appearance Crispy Cat was a neck behind Maria Branwell who finished third in the Queen Mary Stakes.
The form in those races appears to be working out quite well, and Crispy Cat is a likeable type who is certainly open to further improvement.
The favourite, Walbank, is exciting, and may take all the beating here, whilst The Antarctic is of interest as a full-brother to the brilliant Battaash.
Both must be respected at the top of the market, but from an each-way angle Crispy Cat could make the frame at a double-figure price.
3:05 – King George V Stakes (Class 2 Handicap)
Israr 8/1 (EW – 6 places) – John & Thady Gosden, Jim Crowley
The Muhaarar colt impressed when winning the London Gold Cup Handicap at Newbury last month, and steps up in trip to an extra two furlongs here.
He stayed on well to finish ahead of Surrey Mist, with plenty of useful horses finishing behind.
That was the perfect preparation for this race, and despite a 6lbs rise in ratings he could still be competitive.
Savvy Knight 25/1 (EW – 6 places) – S Woods, James Doyle
This gelded son of Carvaggio is well-bred out of a Sea The Stars mare, and is three from three so far.
He has done nothing wrong in his career to date, racing over an extended 1m3f the last twice.
At a big price, he is enticing from an each-way perspective for an in-form yard currently performing at a 36% strike-rate.
3:40 – Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2)
A select field goes to post for this Group Two contest for the fillies, and Irish-raider Magical Lagoon heads the market for Jessica Harrington.
Sea Silk Road is bidding for a hat-trick of wins representing William Haggas’ stable, whilst Life Of Dreams is the Godolphin representative for Charlie Appleby.
Mukaddamah is Roger Varian’s sole runner for Shadwell, and History represents Ballydoyle and trainer Aidan O’Brien.
Mystic Wells is the outsider of the field despite finishing a close second in Listed race last time out.
There is case to be made for a number of these runners which makes it an intriguing contest that appears difficult to predict.
There is no selection for this race, as these fillies are all capable of more improvement and it’s difficult to know how good some of them may be.
The market is speaking in favour of Magical Lagoon, who brings with her good form having finished a close second to Oaks-fourth Concert Hall in a Listed race at Navan.
Sea Silk Road won a Listed contest when last seen, but the second-placed Eternal Pearl could only manage third in a lower class race on her subsequent appearance.
She did beat Queen Of The Skies on maiden win, however, a filly who went on to put in an impressive performance at Chelmsford on her following run.
Life Of Dreams finished a five-and-a-half-length second to Emily Upjohn in the Musidora Stakes, following a win on debut at Newbury.
Mukaddamah is possibly the most interesting runner outside of the market leaders, as she has form behind Oaks-third Nashwa, and Listed winner Stay Alert, in a Listed Newbury race.
She has shaped as though she’ll enjoy this step up in trip, and could be one to watch in future.
More is expected of History who could only manage seventh in the Irish 1000 Guienas.
She could well shape better here having previously won a Group Three ahead of Agartha at Leopardstown.
The outsider Mystic Wells has run more often than her rivals, but hasn’t performed to the same level, and much more is needed.
5:00 – Britannia Stakes (Class 2 Handicap)
Whoputfiftyinyou 6/1 – Clive Cox, Adam Kirby
It was difficult not to be taken by his Haydock win, where he faced plenty of trouble in-running but finished strongly showing plenty of speed to beat Mighty Ulysses.
The runner-up franked the form with a strong showing in yesterday’s Group One St James’s Palace Stakes, and the third, Outgate, was an impressive winner at Chester on Saturday.
This son of Twilight Son is unbeaten in four and he has a fair chance of making it five with a bit of luck in this thirty-runner field.
Jimi Hendrix 28/1 (EW) – Ralph Beckett, Rob Hornby
He has been given a 4lbs rise in the weights following his Haydock win, when he showed plenty of heart to come from the rear to finish first past the post on handicap debut.
That was an impressive performance and he could back it up with another good showing in this.
At the prices he is certainly worth taking a chance on each-way, in hope he can make the frame carrying a low weight.
5:35 – Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3)
Claymore 8/1 (EW) – Jane Chapple-Hyam, Adam Kirby
His run in the French 2000 Guineas can be forgiven and if looking at his previous form he is capable of being competitive in this contest.
The favourite, Reach For The Moon, would be a popular royal winner at the Royal Meeting, but Claymore is a dangerous opponent who shouldn’t be overlooked.
He won on debut, beating Noble Order, who has since won, and My Prospero who went on to win the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown ahead of Reach For The Moon, and also put in a good showing in the St James’s Palace Stakes in third behind Coroebus.
He is a slight drifter in the market, and is easy enough to back at 8/1, so an each-way bet is most attractive, given the support the favourite has received in the market and the respectable form he brings to the race.
6:10 – Buckingham Palace Stakes (Class 2 Handicap)
Vafortino 10/1 (EW – 7 places) – Kevin Philippart De Foy, Benoit De La Sayette (5)
This gelding caught the eye when a 16/1 winner of the Victoria Cup here over 7f last month.
That was the perfect prep run for this, and despite a 5lbs rise in ratings, he is capable of putting in another bold showing.
In an open contest he will need plenty of luck, but gets the nod to continue his form and record back-to-back wins at the track.
By Katie Midwinter (15/06/22)
Photo by Michael Harris
THE CONDITIONAL 