Katie Midwinter (27/07/23)
ASCOT
3:00pm – International Stakes (Heritage Handicap)
Biggles sets the standard following an impressive Bunbury Cup victory at Newmarket recently. Up 5lbs for his handicap success, the progressive gelding now runs off a career-high mark of 105. Ryan Moore retains the ride aboard the Ralph Beckett-trained six-year-old who may still be ahead of the handicapper.
Successful at the track in the past over this trip, Fresh has underperformed in his most recent runs on soft ground but is 1lbs lower than his last winning mark and did cope with softer ground earlier on in his career.
Baradar beat Biggles on his debut for George Boughey on heavy ground last autumn and sports first-time cheekpieces here in an attempt to rediscover form. The easier ground may allow him to be seen to better effect following an average Buckingham Palace Stakes run.
Stablemate Spangled Mac was declared a non-runner due to the softer surface when set to challenge for the Bunbury Cup. The four-year-old is yet to race on ground described as soft or worse, which does raise concerns ahead of his Ascot assignment. If he is able to handle conditions on track he is in with a chance off a mark of 94, but he often struggles to finish first past the post and is more likely to claim a placed-finish.
Tacarib Bay is back off his last winning mark of 103, making his first appearance since April for a Richard Hannon yard struggling for winners.
There is little between Northern Express and Vafortino on York form, with only a head separating them on the Knavesmire. However, there is 8lbs weight swing this time around, with the Michael Dods-trained runner up 2lbs for his recent win. Course-and-distance winner Vafortino has coped with soft conditions in the past and has 5lbs claimer Kaiya Fraser onboard for Kevin Philippart De Foy.
Course-and-distance winner Escobar will attract plenty of market support as the mount of Frankie Dettori representing a back-in-form David O’Meara yard. The nine-year-old must carry top-weight to victory but is 3lbs lower than his last winning mark and could be fairly well handicapped.
Experienced veteran Safe Voyage is of interest off a mark of 97. A return to the winner’s enclosure for the John Quinn-trained ten-year-old is long overdue, and in the two years since his last victory he has performed consistently well in handicap company, barring a few underpar performances. Soft ground suits and a high draw could prove beneficial for the each-way contender, available at a huge price of 20/1.
Each-way selection:
Safe Voyage 20/1 – John Quinn, Jason Hart
3:40pm – King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Group 1)
An exceptional renewal of this prestigious race is set to take place at Ascot on Saturday, with a high-quality field of eleven runners declared. Ballydoyle will have four representatives, whilst reigning champion Pyledriver bids to retain his crown and both Emily Upjohn and Westover seek redemption in the race following disappointing performances in last year’s contest.
The market is headed by Derby winner Auguste Rodin, a Group One winner as a juvenile, the son of Deep Impact began his season as Ballydoyle’s main Classic hope and potential superstar, touted as a possible Triple Crown contender. Out of three-time Group One-winning mare Rhododendron, the classy colt is wonderfully bred and has shown tremendous talent and plenty of ability.
Despite disappointing in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, he bounced back to form emphatically to claim the Derby at Epsom, beating subsequent King Edward VII Stakes winner King Of Steel. The Ballydoyle star won the Irish equivalent at the Curragh in his following race, and now bids for a hat-trick of Group One successes, receiving the weight-for-age allowance.
Six three-year-olds have won the race since the turn of the century, including the likes of Nathaniel and his daughter Enable, as well as Derby winners Galileo and Adayar. In last year’s renewal however, two promising youngsters in Emily Upjohn and Westover blew their chances early on by racing too keenly, respectively, and showing signs of inexperience. The pair will contest the prize once again, now with the benefit of more experience and having developed further.
Auguste Rodin has only made seven career starts whilst this will be King Of Steel’s fifth race, and both colts will have to prove themselves in open company against older, more experienced rivals.
Roger Varian’s King Of Steel is a real eyecatcher, a big, powerful colt who impressed at Epsom when sent off at odds of 66/1 in the Derby. Proving the run behind Auguste Rodin was no fluke, he landed the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, obliterating the field and winning comfortably. The ceiling of his ability is unknown, as he has been progressing with each run and remains largely unexposed. With the added experience and benefit of two runs as a three-year-old, it’s possible he could turn the tables with Derby victor Auguste Rodin, however the softer surface appears to be a negative if going on his Doncaster form as a juvenile.
William Muir and Chris Grassick’s Pyledriver continues to defy expectations. Bought back by his breeders for 10,000gns as an unwanted foal, he has amassed almost £2million in prize money with multiple Group level successes and valuable victories. Now a six-year-old, Pyledriver landed the Hardwicke Stakes in his first run of the season at a track he loves. It’s dangerous to rule him out as he is a tough horse who loves a challenge, and it would be no surprise to see him successfully defend his crown.
Another course-and-distance winner in the field is Owen Burrows’ Hukum, who last last seen beating Desert Crown to win the Group Three Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown. Bidding for a hat-trick of wins, Hukum put over four-lengths between himself and Pyledriver to claim the Coronation Cup at Epsom, reversing form with Frankie Dettori’s mount following the Sheema Classic at Meydan. The trainer has saddled two winners from six runners in the past two weeks, and Hukum may appreciate the easier ground at Ascot.
Westover must reverse form with Emily Upjohn if to reign victorious. The four-year-old Ralph Beckett-trained colt is a consistent performer but often finds one too good at this level. He landed the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud when last seen, adding to his Irish Derby success, but he is yet to land a Group One prize on home soil and this could prove too tough for him.
Spectacular filly Emily Upjohn will have no trouble galloping through rain softened ground at Ascot, with proven prior Group One form on an easier surface at the track already. An imposing type, she is a powerful horse who was perhaps beaten only by the weight difference when locking horns with Paddington in the Coral-Eclipse earlier this month, giving 7lbs to her younger rival, losing by half-a-length.
Prior to her Sandown appearance she claimed the Coronation Cup, showing an electric turn of foot to pull clear of Westover and the rest of the field, after a patient ride by regular jockey Frankie Dettori. Dettori is back in the saddle after missing her Sandown assignment due to a ban, and will be hoping to steer the daughter of Sea The Stars to yet another special victory on his farewell tour.
At a bigger price, strong stayer Hamish will benefit from any rainfall that will bring his stamina into play. The drop back in trip may see him outclassed against the opposition he faces at Ascot, however he is a multiple Group Three winner who was narrowly touched off by Kyprios in an Irish Group One.
Win selection:
Emily Upjohn 9/2 – John & Thady Gosden, Frankie Dettori
Each-way selection:
Luxembourg 16/1 – A P O’Brien, Seamie Heffernan
YORK
2:05pm – “Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe” Handicap (Class 4)
Soul Seeker 16/1 (EW) – David O’Meara, Michael Nolan
A different experience for the jump jockeys and always a fun race, there is a potentially very well handicapped horse lurking in this field for a yard that has been enjoying better form of late. David O’Meara’s Soul Seeker won this race off a mark of 83 two years ago, and now lines up rated 66.
The course-and-distance winner won’t want soft ground, but with a positive forecast and the current description on the better side of soft, he may be able to cope with the conditions. If he is able to rediscover some of his earlier form, he is in with an excellent chance of entering the frame under Michael Nolan.
2:40pm – Dash Handicap (Class 2)
Music Society 12/1 (EW) – Tim Easterby, Harrison Shaw
Eight-year-old gelding Music Society is 1lbs higher than his last winning mark and copes with easier ground. He is a fairly consistent horse, often making the frame and placing at decent prices, and he is a solid each-way contender in this sprint.
3:15pm – York Stakes (Group 2)
My Prospero 11/10 – William Haggas, Tom Marquand
Trainer William Haggas is usually one to trust in this kind of contest, and he saddles Iffraaj colt My Propsero who is 5lbs clear of the field on ratings. The pick of his form is his third-placed finish in the St James’s Palace Stakes at last year’s Royal Ascot, where he finished a neck behind winner Coroebus in a thrilling finish.
Following that performance, he landed his first Group Two success at Saint-Cloud before being narrowly beaten in the Champion Stakes at Ascot. If he is able to perform to that level once again, he will be difficult to beat.
NEWMARKET
3:25pm – Class 2 Handicap
Alpha Capture 12/1 (EW) – William Haggas, Adam Farragher (3)
Running off a more workable mark of 95 with 3lbs taken off his racing weight, the gelded son of Cotai Glory is presented with a chance of bouncing back to form having shown little so far as a three-year-old. A Listed winner as a juvenile, his form reads well with good performances behind subsequent black-type winners Cold Case and Shouldvebeenaring.
Things are yet to go his way this term, but this is a different assignment to the three races he has participated in, and the easier ground could allow him to be seen to better effect with the addition of cheekpieces.
4:10pm – Class 3 Handicap
Chairmanoftheboard (EW) – Jack Channon, James Doyle
Down in class and 1lbs lower than his last winning mark, seven-year-old Chairmanoftheboard hasn’t been flying to the moon very often in recent seasons but he remains on a workable mark and will enjoy some ease in the ground. If he is able to do things his way, the best could be yet to come for the Jack Channon-trained gelding who is due a return to the winner’s enclosure.
All prices/runners are correct at the time of publication.
Photo by Philippe Oursel on Unsplash
THE CONDITIONAL 