Day 2 from Royal Ascot is all about the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (16:20) and as you can imagine it’s a highly competitive race for a middle-distance Group One. Los Angeles is the favourite and has showed on multiple occasions that he is as tough as nails. If this turns into a staying test, he could be a hard nut to crack. Anmaat looked like he had the measure of him at the Curragh in the Tatts Gold Cup, but Aidan O’Brien’s colt battled back to win and just showed how hardy and genuine he is. I can’t see past Los Angeles.
The Queen’s Vase (15:05) has an open look to it this year and your eye would naturally be drawn to Shackleton for Aidan O’Brien as the favourite. This renewal doesn’t look the strongest and I’m minded to look at the French raider, Asmarani. He’s a lightly raced individual with plenty of upside, and his trainer, Francis-Henri Graffard, has his horses in fantastic order. He’s a little bit of an unknown, but he could upset a few of the British and Irish runners.
The Duke Of Cambridge (15:40) comes next and this race seems to be all about Cinderella’s Dream. She’s very solid, she’s very straightforward and I’d say this event is at her mercy. Fallen Angel is last year’s Irish 1000 Guineas winner, and on ratings she could run her close, but I think the Godolphin favourite will be too classy.
I have my first rides of the meeting on Wednesday, and I start with Miss Yechance in the Queen Mary (14:30). I’d done a lot of homework on her before she went to win her debut at Redcar for Jack Morland. She toughed it out to win that day and showed a lot of speed, but she won’t be the only one in here who’s got loads of boot. One of our rivals who I’ll be keeping a close eye on is Lennilu for Patrick Biancone, who’s American-trained and will be very fast. I’d also be respecting Adrian Keatley’s Secret Hideaway after she won the Marygate at York, and she’s one that each-way punters might like.
My next ride is Soldier’s Empire in the Royal Hunt Cup (17:00). This race is a really prestigious mile handicap and it’s always a big cavalry charge with the number of runners in the field. My lad has been plying his trade in Bahrain for Marco Botti and has been running well out there. He’s been given plenty of time to freshen up for Royal Ascot and this has been the plan for a while. He’s a massive price but his work at home has been very good, and he could hit the frame. Qirat caught my eye in here and this could be his day in the sun for Ralph Beckett with Colin Keane in the saddle.
My final ride is aboard Beach Partee in the Windsor Castle Stakes (18:10). He’s only run once but I thought he ran well that day, debuting with a sixth-placed effort at York last month. He showed some natural speed and ought to improve for the run. He’s obviously a big price, but if you aren’t in it, you can’t win it, and hopefully he can outrun his odds. It’s a hard race to win, but Rogue Supremacy would be worth a second look after his promising debut at Wetherby.
All the best,
Neil