A 9/1 winner the highlight of Yesterday, along with a place.
14.30 - Best place to start would be White Jasmine who unfortunately hasn't produced what she showed at home early season. BEAUTIFUL SUNSHINE however has and her sire Ardad won at Royal Ascot as a 2yo. Beautiful Sunshine does her best work late on and therefore is absolutely tailormade for this track where you need to see the stiff 5 out well. I wouldn't worry about the form of her races she's just a class apart. Hopefully the quick ground is fine. I think there's plenty of pace around her
to give her a toe into the race. Yet looks too short. Beat nothing on debut at Dundalk, the favourite that day has flopped again since. First tongue tie goes on which doesn't fill one with confidence either. Twighlight Gleaming looks the best of the American raiders here, at this price though she isn't for me. Quick Suzy already has experience in group company with a 2nd in a group 3 last time on terrible ground. Much better ground today should suit. The time was good but the jockey booking
today worries me with the lack of experience at this meeting. I thought MAS PODER was too big a price here. Ran in a listed race on debut which speaks volumes as it is but she wasn't beaten far at all by Nymphodora that day and had zero luck in running unlike the winner. Looked to be virtually last off the bridle and was quickening before suffering interference, hung a little after aswell. She should have learnt plenty from that race and going the opposite way should help. I think she's got
every chance of reversing the form with Nymphodora here. She's by Mehmas who was a very good 2yo and was 2nd at Royal Ascot. Kevin Stott has a great record at Ascot and keeps the ride. Illustrating could also run well. Certainly a race I think there's plenty of value in.
15.05 - Not a race I have an opinion on really. Wordsworth was a beaten odds on favourite at this trip last time. Arturo Toscanini wants cut in the ground. I think Golden Flame will set the pace. I expect Mark's other horse Dancing King to run on for a place. Loves quick ground and the trip isn't an issue. His sire Free Eagle was a winner at Royal Ascot. Silvestre rides the track well and should have him well positioned the way round. Marks won this race many times. RULING would be my pick
however. Very well bred by Camelot and out of a group 1 winning mare in Germany. Keeps getting outpaced and has been crying out for further which he should have no trouble getting. This is just his 4th races so there's plenty of improvement there with the extra trip. Ground not an issue, good draw and champion jockey Oisin Murphy on board for his boss.
15.40 - Queen Power is a very tricky horse and they finally got her head infront last time but now she steps back in trip which Is think will unsettle her and is a negative. Posted, Bounce The Blues, Fooraat, Parent's Prayer, Onassis, Champers Elyees all look like they'd prefer some cut in the ground. Double Or Bubble's full sister didn't really stay a mile. I think there should be enough pace on here and that'll suit AGINCOURT and LADY BOWTHORPE. Lady Bowthorpe has done me no wrong on both
starts this season. Ran on behind Palace Pier last time and that form should be boosted today. She beat Queen Power at Newmarket who won next time. She's a winner on the straight course here and won't mind the quick ground. She's in great form and should be hard to beat. Agincourt was caught late on last time on seasonal reappearance after a wind op. Possibly just needed the run and will be doing her best work late on again which suits here. A close second on the straight course in this race
here last season and had plenty of these in behind her that day. Tongue tie stays on and quick ground will suit.
16.20 - It's again not a big betting race for me here. I just think LOVE wins. Lord North is probably better at this level with cut in the ground. This Armory and Sangarius form looks weak to me. Audarya is surely going to have other main targets down the line and the small field at Ascot probably isn't how she wants the race to pan out. Love has shown plenty of pace unlike her siblings. Won on seasonal reappearance last year. Was pulled from the Arc due to heavy ground last season so
returning on a quick surface should suit. Unbeaten last season at the highest level and Alpinista who she beat on her last start won first time out this season. Simple ride and should take all the beating.
17.00 - High draws are certainly the place to be in this race. Many places on offer from bookies also. My 3 selections are ASTRO KING, MATTHEW FLINDERS and BRUNCH. Astro King was badly positioned in the Thirsk Hunt Cup, had no chance but ran home strongly. Gets further and I do like that he'll be doing his best work late on, it suits the style of the track. Good draw. Sir Michael and Ryan Moore always do well at this meeting. He's by Kingman and it's possible he's a group horse in a
handicap, The winner of the Thirsk Hunt cup came out and probably gave the form substance next time out. Unlucky to lose at Epsom. Astro King is just 3lbs higher than that run and will love the quick ground. Has to be a big player here. Matthew Flinders always looked like he'd get further but that hasn't really materialized. What it does mean is that he's another strong finisher over this mile. On seasonal reappearance at Newbury in a the Spring Cup he was a long way back and winner got first
run on him. Probably just needed the run also. Looked handicapped to win in a strongly run race which he'll get here. Too keen at York next time which can be forgiven as it is a specialists track. Champion jockey on board and yard are 32% in the last 2 weeks. 10 4yo's have won this race since 2007. Ryan won it in 2015. Brunch has run in 2 very hot handicaps this season finishing 2nd both times. 4lbs higher than the start of the season but will love the ground and has a great draw. Some of the
strongest recent form from any horse in this race and another bold bid should be on the cards. Yard and jockey don't come here too often but when they do they make it count. Michael Dods has a 28% Sr with his runners here in the last 5 years and Callum Rodriguez has a 33% Sr here in the last 5 years. For those that may back another Power Of States is interesting but has a poor record on turf. Drops back to a mile for the first time on it though and will be doing his best work late on with James
Doyle on top whose won this twice in the last 8 years. Interesting strong finisher at a big price.
17.35 - RUTHIN looks Wesley Wards best chance of the week and it's hard to look away from her. Very impressive debut over 5 and a half furlongs not the usual 4 and a half which is probably crucial. Her sire Ribchester was an Ascot specialist with a record of 1,2,2,1. Ruthin is probably quicker than all these and will lead them a merry dance to give Wesley another winner in this race. Frankie doing the steering another positive. SUPERIOR FORCE won for us on debut at a nice price and was very
unlucky next time out not getting a clear run. I think that last run has to be forgiven, he ran home strongly once in the clear. Back to 5f should suit he showed loads of pace on debut. His sire is Ardad who won this race in 2016. He won on debut on good to firm ground so hopefully the quicker ground here will be fine for Superior Force. AMAZONIAN DREAM I tipped on debut when he was headed at the line at a huge price. Done very little wrong since. Just found one too good at Nottingham and last
time at Salisbury suffered a terrible trip, getting bounced around early and blocked in at a crucial stage when picking up late on. I think the stiff 5 will definitely suit and he does look like he's progressing to me. The horse that just beat him on debut was Berkshire Shadow who won at Ascot today so the form looks strong. His sire won on good to firm and at Ascot as a 2yo. The draw has probably gone against Armor who looks a nice type. Amalfi Coast has a first time tongue tie which is a
negative. Tipperary Sunset is quite leggy and would probably prefer softer ground.
18.10 - Really hard to oppose a horse that loves the straight course here and DREAMLOPER fits that mould. Won here last year over 7f on good ground and just couldn't quite pick up Lights On in time over a mile here last time. Every chance she can reverse that form and should get a good ride from Oisin from a good draw. Any pace in the race will help. The other horse I'll give a chance to is APRICOT MOON. Came on leaps and bounds for her seasonal reappearance. Kept back for this and they
expect her to outrun her odds. They're very pleased with how she came out the Nottingham run and has trained well since. Well handicapped and she's now acclimatized to her new surroundings. Bigish horse so I'm looking forward to seeing how she gets on with a straight mile, I think it'll suit.
Bets;
14.30 - Beautiful Sunshine 18/1 EW Skybet 7places, Mas Poder 14/1 Ew Skybet 7places.
15.05 - Ruling 9/1 EW Skybet 5places
15.40 - Lady Bowthorpe 2/1 William Hill, Agincourt 16/1 EW Betfair 4places
16.20 - Love 6/4 Bet365
17.00 - Astro King 7/1 EW, Matthew Flinders 9/1 EW, Brunch 12/1 EW all Skybet 8places
17.35 - Ruthin 9/4 Bet365, Superior Force 25/1 Ew Skybet 6places, Amazonian Dream 25/1 Ew Skybet 6places
18.10 - Dreamloper 11/2 EW 4places Bet365, Apricot Moon 33/1 EW Betfair 5places