The Tuesday certainly didn't disappoint, it really is an amazing way to open the Royal meeting and Kingman was the star of the show, blowing away all his rivals to claim the St James's Palace Stakes in scintillating fashion to set up a possible Goodwood showdown with another victor on the Tuesday card in Toronado, who bounced back to his best to land the Queen Anne. The highlight of the day for me was seeing the unbelievable turn of foot Sole Power possesses unleashed in lethal fashion as Richard Hughes produced him late to win the King's Stand Stakes in authoritative fashion and on fast ground he really is without doubt the champion sprinter in England and Ireland. Finally it was great to see The Wow Signal win the Coventry to start of the partnership between the Quinn Stable and Al Shaqab Racing on a high note. The Quinn stable are one I really admire and I'd love this to be the start of big big things for this admirable Yorkshire stable.
Over Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as I say Estimate was the star of the show in my opinion. We had the shock of Arc Heroine Treve getting turned over again, she looks a shadow of the horse that won the Arc so impressively last year although her trainer has said there may be a physical issue behind her decline in form. It was great to see The Fugue performing as we know she is capable of again after some sub-par performances to claim the Prince of Wales's Stakes at the expense of Treve however and trainer/jockey combo worked together again to great effect on day 4 of the meeting to claim the King Edward VII stakes with Eagle Top. Eagle Top was hugely impressive in victory and quotes of 14/1 post race about Arc glory for this one are certainly not un-appealing. Finally it was fantastic to see Clive Brittain's faith in his filly Rizeena rewarded as she won the Coronation Stakes on Friday and we were treated to a mighty victory jig in the winners enclosure. This was much more like the Filly Brittain thought he had on his hands earlier in the year before her disappointing run in the English Guineas and it's always nice to see Clive a happy man!
Looking ahead to Saturday and the big race of the day is the Diamond Jubilee, a 6 furlong sprint for which Aljamaaheer will go off favourite for Roger Varian and Paul Hanagan. It was always hoped sprinting trips would bring out the best in him and it will be fascinating if he can prove himself in Group 1 company. He has form over the mile trip at Ascot but obviously this is a much different test and I'd actually rather be on Slade Power of the market leaders. Edward Lynam has already proved himself a top trainer of sprinters earlier in the week and Slade Power looked better than ever on reappearance when dispatching the smart Maarek on ground Maarek would have loved. Sole Power has won on good ground though so definitely shouldn't be labelled as a mudlark and the ground on Friday was riding a tad softer than previous days anyhow. Slade Power can prove himself as a real high class sprinter here.
Telegraph continues his recover mission in the Hardwick stakes at 3.45 and the firmer surface he will encounter at Ascot will be more to his liking to the softer going on which Noble Mission has defeated him the last twice. Noble Mission has franked that form since however and Telegraph should certainly go close here with Ryan Moore favouring the former Derby favourite over stablemate Hillstar, presumaby having had the choice of both. Forgotten Voice represents Nicky Henderson as he ventures over onto the flat and looks primed to run well on the firm surface he will encounter here, he certainly won't be found wanting for stamina but you would like to think Telegraph will have too much class for him. Of the others Dandino would be interesting but may need the run, Sharestan and Cambourne will find the going much too fast, Eye of The Storm looks better over further and the rest shouldn't really be good enough to challenge Telescope in my opinion. I think this could be another race where favourite backers make hay and Telescope is the selection.
The Wokingham and the Duke of Edinburgh both look fiendishly difficult puzzles to solve and I really couldn't put anything up with any degree of confidence in either! It's to the final race of the day, the longest race on the flat calendar where I have my final selection and this time I am siding with a Henderson horse in Royal Irish Hussar. I was quite a fan of this horse over the winter but after initially looking very good with three victories in quick succession his form tailed off somewhat. It could be that the three quick runs were too much for the horse, however even a break between December and March didn't seem to revive him and I'm actually hoping the change of scenery can prove the oracle here in addition to another month off the track. Perhaps mentally he has just had enough of jumping, he certainly wouldn't be the first horse to which this has happened. Royal Irish Hussar did start life off as a flat horse and has a victory over 1 mile 6f to his name so will have a nice turn of pace to help him if this race does turn tactical. Spencer will give his horse every chance of getting this unique trip and at 12/1 I'm siding with him here.
Just as a sidenote away from the glamour of the Royal meeting a few I really like today are...
At Haydock it's worth waiting until 9:20 to have a bet on New Street. Richard Fahey thinks everything - trip, track etc, looks bang on for this one today and he can go close at 4/1 in his last run before he's off to the sales.
In the 3.55 at Redcar Crisis Averted goes in a first time visor who has also been gelded prior to his last start at Doncaster. With the visor on for the first time in the hope of seeing out a bit more improvement it surprised me to see Fahey's horse available at 8/1 in the market. Definitely worthy of e/w interest.
Finally at a shorter price down at Newmarket in the 5.15 Tanzeel is highly thought of by Charlie Hills, who said in a stable tour he just needed a bit of time and is a horse he likes a lot. Hills thinks he can make his mark in some nice handicaps this season and with C&D form on his side should be up to winning this.
It's already been a great meeting so far so lets hope the last day of Royal Ascot can prove a goodun and give the Royal meet the send off it deserves.
Thanks for reading!
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