14.30 - I really wanted to just stick with the yard that's done us so well this season and side with George Boughey's runners here but there's a filly from Ireland that stands out. ELLIPTIC beat Quick Suzy easily on debut then next time out finished 2nd but the time of that run was very good. Just 0.7 seconds slower than the group 3 won by 108 rated Sonaiyla half an hour later. That's a ridiculously quick time for a 2yo. Both runs from Elliptic have been on yielding ground and she's by Caravaggio so slow ground should suit. Caravaggio was a winner at this meeting on soft ground and he's 2-4 on soft ground as a sire. I think the best of George's horses here is OSCULA. We know she goes on soft ground and I think she's come here slightly underrated. She won the Woodcote last time and that has produced a lot of good horses.  She gets a high draw and Mark keeps the ride. She's done very little wrong and has produced some good times in her runs so far. CACHET should also be backed here. She won that Newmarket race very easily and quickly put the race to be bed. She was very strong in the final furlong and that would suit Ascot. Cut in the ground that day and her sire Aclaim was a soft ground winner so no worries if it comes up soft. The form hasn't been franked but she did look in a completely different league to her rivals anyway. Aiden has won every renewal of the race Prettiest won on debut and none of them winners have done much after winning that race.

 

15.05 - ALENQUER I put up as an antepost bet at 12/1 a few weeks back. Form has taken a big boost since. Ground will suit as will step up in trip. Bred to be good, has entries in the Arc and St Leger. He was meant to be William's Derby horse before the Dante but he picked up a slight knock prior to that race. I like this horse a lot I think he's better than Mohaafeth.

 

15.40 - It's a deep race but I think a lot of these haven't trained on. I'm not convinced Diligent Harry wants deep ground. A Case Of You clearly handles soft but the time of his win wasn't that good last time. The ground had plenty of cut in it when Jumby was an impressive handicapper win lto. The form looks very strong, Perotto was back in 4th, he won here earlier today. I'd just be worried if it came up really soft but he looks progressive and could have a good draw. It's really hard to see DRAGON SYMBOL out of the equation here. Proved himself on heavy ground last time and ran a cracking race in truth against horse with a little bit more experience. Has showed plenty of dash so far this season. That race he was 2nd in at Haydock last time has been a good Royal Ascot pointer. Good jockey booking, should go well here. Suesa will obviously handle the ground. I'm sure she will run a big race but I've missed the boat on the price. I love Campanelle and I always saw her as Wesley's best chance of the week but his week hasn't really gone to plan which puts me off. She should give Dragon Symbol a good toe into the race. A stiff 6 looks to be SACRED'S trip. Which she gets here. Only lost to Campanelle by half a length here last year and should get to sit behind that rival here as she isn't drawn too far from her.  Didn't quite stay a mile in the Guineas but now brings very good form into this race and has certainly trained on. If it comes up deep that would be a concern but she certainly handles cut in the ground. Looks overpriced here. If it came up very soft I'd add Suesa to your selections.

 

16.20 - Not many in here look like they'll handle soft ground but PRETTY GORGEOUS will and so will the German raider NOVEMBA. Pretty Gorgeous ran very well on seasonal reappearance for a long way. Just tired late n and looked like she needed the run. She convincingly beat Mother Earth on soft ground at Newmarket last season and the stiff mile will definitely suit her. Has plenty of good form from her 2yo campaign. Re opposes Empress Josephine here and I expect now Pretty Gorgeous has had a run she will reverse that form. Novemba was only just beaten over a mile on soft ground in a group 3 as a 2yo. Wide margin German Guineas victor this season. She won it in one of the quickest times ever recorded for that race. Obviously needs to step up here as the German Guineas is only a group 2. With current restrictions connections wouldn't send her over if they thought she wasn't capable. The race has had an international theme in recent years, of the last 6 winners 3 have been trained in France and 3 have been trained in Ireland.

 

17.00 - The rain will have definitely got in deep and the ground will be churned up by this point. The ground may just have gone against Pomelo here but she ran a good time when last seen. Carried 7lbs more but won in over a second quicker than the divison 2 of the race. Hasn't been since so it looks like they targeted this race and kept her back to preserve her mark. The ground looks to have gone against many of these at the top of the market. The form of the York race Kestenna competed in last time doesn't convince me. I like 2 against the field. CREATE BELIEF and A'SHAARI. A'Shaari drops back in trip after running over 1m2f. They clearly thought plenty of her as after just one run last year they started her off this season in a the Pretty Polly. They then kept her in listed company next time. She won on soft on debut last year so the ground should be fine. I think the drop back in trip and drop into handicap company could work the trick. Creative Belief won in a quick time lto. She carried 5lbs more than the filly that won the group half an hour earlier but won in a quicker time. The race Creative Belief won has been won by some nice horses in the past. Warranted being put up 10lbs, she could be a very good horse. Dual soft ground winner now so conditions very much in her favour. I thought Lucid Dreamer would leave her seasonal reappearance well behind but sire has a bad record on soft ground. Drop in grade and champion jockey on board. Yard have a good record here.

 

17.35 - QUICKTHORN ran an exceptionally good time lto. He carried 2lbs more than La Lune in the group 3 later on the card but won in time over 4 seconds quicker. Probably is still well handicapped and in truth is probably a group horse. Has the ground to suit. Draw maybe not the greatest but has Oisin on board. At the weights he should win but will need a bit of luck in running. Hughie has a great record in this race. TRITONIC is my 2nd selection here. He was 2nd at this meeting a couple of seasons ago and is a better horse now. 4lbs higher than that race and soft ground wills suit. Good draw and has Ryan Moore on board. Alan King had good success at this meeting last year with soft conditions. Strong stayer and there should be some pace in the race.

 

18.10 - The best claimer in the game Laura Pearson gets on an improving horse here in DREAM COMPOSER. Ran a quick time when winning just a few days ago so has the benefit of a recent run. She won in half a second quicker at Kempton last time than the 82 rated Ice Station half an hour later. Laura rode her that day so she knows the horse. Only put up 4lbs for that which looks lenient. Handles soft ground. Warrior Brave is probably still well handicapped but ground has gone against him. Equality was an easy winner last time but the form hasn't worked out. Won so easily though he could be anything but needs to prove it here and needs to prove he handles the ground. Boomshalaa produced a smart performance last time, the time was okay aswell. Price possibly a bit short here.

 

Bets;

14.30 - Oscula 7/1 EW 5places Paddypower, Elliptic 9/1 EW 5places paddypower, Cachet 9/1 Ew 5places paddypower

15.05 - Alenquer 12/1 EW Betfair (antepost already advised)

15.40 - Dragon Symbol 6/1 EW, Sacred 14/1 EW both Skybet 6places

16.20 - Pretty Gorgeous 5/1 Betfair, Novemba 9/1 EW 4places paddypower

17.00 - Create Belief 11/1 EW, A'Shaari 20/1 EW both 6places Betfair

17.35 - Quickthorn 5/1 Bet365, Tritonic 9/1 Ew 5places Betfair

18.10 - Dream Composer 11/1 EW 6places Skybet

 

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A couple of people asked for my strongest bets of the card so here they are:

14.30 - Oscula 13/2 0.5EW Bet365 4places, Elliptic 10/1 0.75EW Bet365 4places
15.40 - Dragon Symbol 13/2 0.75EW Betfair 5places
16.20 - Pretty Gorgeous 5/1 0.75pt win Betfair 
17.00 - Create Belief 11/1 1ptEW Betfair 6places
17.35 - Quickthorn 5/1 1pt Win Bet365

17.35 - Sam Cooke 17/2 0.75ew Betfair 5places