Racing fans were treated to an enthralling day of action at Royal Ascot on Tuesday and if Wednesday’s card is half as good then we are going to be in for a real treat.
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Victories for Frankel, Power and Frederick Engels made sure it was a disastrous day for the bookies, but it was Canford Cliffs’ star that shone brightest on Tuesday and his victory over French wondermare Goldikova left pundits dreaming of a possible clash with Frankel in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
Tuesday’s action kicks off with the Group Three
Jersey Stakes (2.30) and
FURY (4/1,
William Hill) looks a fantastic bet in a far from vintage renewal of the seven furlong showpiece.
William Haggas’ colt arrives at Ascot on the back of two defeats this season and he will be looking to bounce back to winning ways after he finished his juvenile campaign unbeaten in two starts. Well backed for this year’s Qipco 2000 Guineas, he finished a creditable fifth behind the mighty Frankel and looked far from the finished article when he was agonizingly touched off by Tazahum in a Listed race at Sandown last time out.
Jockey Kieren Fallon has admitted he believes he should have won on the horse that day and he looks the type that will improve gradually but greatly as the season goes on. A drop back to seven furlongs is sure to suit and he can get punters off to a flier in the curtain raiser.
The second race of the day is the
Windsor Forest Stakes (3.05) and Godolphin’s highly progressive Sajjhaa (4/1,
totesport) deserves to be favourite for the Group Two contest. She looked in need of the run when she was just touched off by Henry Cecil’s classy Midday and with the re-opposing Music Show back in fourth, the form looks as solid as it gets.
She is bound to be many people’s idea of the winner but it could be that Luca Cumani’s
SETA (9/2,
Paddy Power) is the one to be on in a fiercely competitive renewal of the race.
The selection has been highly regarded and hyped up ever since her debut success in a Newmarket maiden but a number of setbacks and muddling performances have meant she has never been able to live up to her reputation. Despite an admirable strike rate of five victories in eight races, there remains the suspicion that we are yet to see the best of her and her followers will be hoping that Wednesday’s race gives her the platform to show she is a Group One winner in the making.
A runaway debut success over high class Godolphin inmate Anna Salai at Goodwood on her seasonal reappearance (after being weak in the market) will have her spot on for this and despite racing very keenly and enthusiastically there, she still managed to score with some ease. Aside from the style of her success, she also looks a much stronger type this season.
The confidence of jockey Kieren Fallon and trainer Luca Cumani ahead of the race is interesting and it isn’t difficult to see her being well up to the task on Wednesday.
The
Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (3.45) will provide many racing fans with their first opportunity to see Australian import So You Think (1/2,
totesport) in action and the odds-on shot already has the race on the bag if you listen to connections. After legendary trainer Bart Cummings described him as the best he’s ever trained, Aidan O’Brien was quick to agree and he looks an absolute monster.
A five-times Group One winner in Australia and a sensational third in the Melbourne Cup (pulled hard over a trip too far) he has arrived on the British racing scene with two facile successes in Ireland. Things will not be so simple on Wednesday with the likes of Planteur and Twice Over in opposition, but he looks a strong bet and although it isn’t a race to bet on, it would be a surprise if he was beaten.
Of far more value and interest could be
START RIGHT (7/1,
William Hill) who could finally get his own way in the
Royal Hunt Cup (4.25).
The selection has a number of luckless defeats on his CV but he looks exactly the sort of horse that will scoop a race of this nature and he appears to be extremely well handicapped. That certainly seemed to be the case when he was flashing home at Epsom last time out and after being badly drawn and running into plenty of trouble, it was remarkable that he managed to finish so close after being given a relatively gentle race.
He remains quite lightly raced for a horse running in one of these tough heats and it isn’t hard to believe that he is far better than he has been able to prove. There are obviously plenty of dangers, namely Mont Angel and Eton Forever, but he looks a very solid bet in an enthralling contest.
Nick Wilby’s selections:
