Spirit of Dubai was a 20/1 winner from my list to follow this afternoon but sadly I didn’t have the courage to tip her on last night’s preview. As far as tips went my only success was Williams Wishes at 3/1 over the jumps. Oh well, there is always another day.
Ascot is the main meeting tomorrow and the feature race is the QEll Stakes at 4.15. A small field and the likelihood of a tactical race make me wary of this as a betting medium. Rip Van Winkle is in my view the best horse in the field but whether he should be an odds on shot is another matter. Aqlaam is 2 from 4 at Ascot while Delegator had Rip Van Winkle behind him in the 2000 Guineas so the issue is far from cut and dried. Should be a good race to watch!
In the first race on the card at Ascot Applause looks potentially well treated off a mark of 92 and is my idea of the likely winner. Another to consider is Resort, a consistent sort but she has crept up the weights a bit. Still at around 10/1 she could represent each way value.
I liked the way that Sent From Heaven won at Good wood last month and I will stick with her in the 3.05.
In the ultra competitive handicap at 3.40 Redford and Cadre represent my list to follow. The latter is not well drawn and needs to defy a career high mark. He ran well in listed company last time out but does have a lot on his plate here. Redford probably needs rain softened ground to be seen at his best. In the circumstances I will take a chance on Dhaular Dhar who loves these big field Ascot handicaps and gets my each way vote. Tropical Paradise is something of a favourite of mine and I am hoping she can land the 4.50. Penang Princess disappointed last time out but had looked progressive before that and she can land the 5.25.
Although only 5 runners line up for the 3.50 at Chester it remains a tricky puzzle to solve. Mirrored is the obvious choice but he has let me down a few times this season and has been a beaten favourite on his last 3 runs. Goliath’s Boy is not without a chance but for my selection I am opting for Mutamaashi. He was runner up at Lingfield on his last start and the winner of that race has gone in again since. He could be well treated.
There are a couple from my list to follow in the 2.25 at Haydock, Red Kestrel and Mubrook. You could put up a case for both in an open looking contest. Hitchens continues to creep back down the weights and has an each way squeak in the 3.00.
Loden holds a Derby entry and may be better than he has shown in his two starts to date. He runs in the 7.45 at Kempton with K Fallon taking the ride.
There is quite a decent jumps card at Market Rasen. Callisto Moon has been in fine form on the flat and didn’t do too badly last time he ran over hurdles either. He looks the one they all have to worry about in the 2.05. Katie’s Tutor has dropped down the weights a bit and after an operation on his back in the summer may be able to get back to his best form. He is a course and distance winner and is a big price at 25/1.
War of the World won at Stratford 3 weeks ago and can follow up in the 3.15.
Today’s pictures are courtesy of the artist Jo Stockdale (see links)