Tuesday’s meeting at Royal Ascot.
JUNE 15, 2020
Race 1: 2.15pm
Several of these have won on the track but Cliffs Of Capri is the only course and distance winner and is only 1.5kg higher despite having won at Meydan in February. First Contact was in action in Dubai last year and only had three starts subsequently, ending with a second place in a Redcar Listed contest. Blown By Wind won the Coventry Stakes over 1200 here two years ago and arrives in top form having won a Class 2 handicap at Newmarket. DAARIK completed an all-weather double before second in a Newcastle Listed contest last April. He didn’t reappear until 10 days ago when landing what looked a very competitive handicap back on Tyneside in smooth fashion. He’s 3.5kg higher but looks destined for better things. Kaeso, beaten a head in a heritage handicap over the course and distance last summer, finished seven lengths behind the selection last time but should get much closer on the revised terms and the champion jockey is an intriguing booking. Mutamaasik started off his winning streak at Wolverhampton a year ago and ended up landing a Class 2 Doncaster handicap while Greenside would have to be considered on his narrow defeat in a heritage handicap over the track and trip in October.
Race 2: 2.50pm
Accidental Agent won this in 2018 but hasn’t scored since while the going was very testing when Escobar won the Balmoral Handicap here in October. Mustashry won the Lockinge last May and ran better than finishing positions suggest in this and the Eclipse in his next two starts before landing the Group 2 Challenge Stakes at Newmarket. He’s lightly-raced and greatly respected, as is a progressive type in dual Group 2 winner Terebellum. Fox Chairman made a winning debut over the trip but has looked better over an extra couple of furlongs and would have finished much closer to CIRCUS MAXIMUS (NAP) in the Dee Stakes at Chester with a clear run. The winner went on to land the St James’s Palace Stakes here and the Group 1 Prix du Moulin at Longchamp before a fine run in the Breeders’ Cup Mile so will be very difficult to beat. Duke Of Hazzard won the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood in August to complete a hat-trick but takes on stronger company here.
Race 3: 3.25pm
Frankly Darling, a daughter of Frankel, was very impressive when landing what looked an above-average maiden at Newcastle by five lengths and is likely to be a warm order over this longer trip. Her stable companion Miss Yoda has the stronger-looking form, however, having landed the Oaks Trial at Lingfield while Trefoil will have come on a bundle for her run at Newmarket last week and looked smart when landing a novices’ race there in October. Born With Pride beat Irish 1000 Guineas winner Peaceful on heavy ground at Newmarket in November and though disappointing on her comeback at Kempton is surely much better than she showed there. PASSION, an 800,000gns Galileo filly, has always looked as though this would be her trip. She makes a quick reappearance after a modest effort at Navan last week but wouldn’t be representing her all-powerful connections unless thought capable of a big run.
Race 4: 4pm
Frankie Dettori’s last ride for Aidan O’Brien was on Wichita, beaten a neck in the 2000 Guineas, and though Arthur’s Kingdom looks the stable second string here the lightly-raced son of Camelot is no forlorn hope after an excellent second in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in October. There should be much more to come from him this year though the same applies to MOGUL. The latter landed a Group 2 at Leopardstown in September before ending with a good fourth behind Kameko in the Futurity at Newcastle. Mohican Heights changed hands for £520,000 after his Leopardstown maiden victory and had no problems landing a Salisbury Listed contest on his debut for new connections. He’s stepping up from a mile but his pedigree suggests he’ll be well suited.
Race 5: 4.35pm
BATTAASH has twice finished second to his old rival Blue Point in this race but has also managed to win two Group 1 sprints. He’s twice started a short-priced favourite for the Prix de L’Abbaye and been beaten both times, the latest on very testing ground behind Glass Slippers. The latter was undoubtedly impressive at Longchamp and there’s no reason why she shouldn’t continue to make progress. She looks the only realistic threat though it wouldn’t be a shock to see Sergei Prokofiev improve markedly this season and he could snatch a place at a big price. Equilateral, the selection’s stable companion, was in cracking form at Meydan earlier this year and is another with strong place prospects. Not many three-year-olds run in this but two have won in the past dozen years so the lightly-raced and progressive Liberty Beach could shake up the established order.
Race 6: 5.10pm
Frankie gets to ride the French raider Wasmya, well beaten in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp behind One Master on her only start in Group company. The winner’s yard is represented by the unbeaten MISS O CONNOR, who started off winning a Gowran maiden for John Feane and ended with a Group 3 victory at Saint-Cloud. There’s been give in the ground in all of her races but there’s no reason why she shouldn’t act on quicker going. Nazeef is also on a five-timer and has the benefit of a recent run at Kempton where she won a Listed race with a bit in hand from Billesdon Brook. She’s an obvious threat to all and a line through the latter just gives her the edge over Jubiloso, though Sir Michael Stout’s filly looks the type to make great strides this season. The latter’s stable companion Queen Power had Lavender’s Blue a neck behind in a Newbury Listed contest last May and there looks nothing between the pair again here.
Race 7: 5.40pm
Ian Williams won this last year and both Blue Laureate and Mancini need a thorough test of stamina, which they didn’t get behind Moon King at Haydock last week. The former was only beaten a head in what was a slowly run affair in which Rochester House, who had finished last in his previous two starts, was a close third. Diocletian won by 11 lengths at Chester in September but is 5kg higher and 2800m there hardly equates to this track and trip but high-class hurdler Verdana Blue has some very smart form on the level and is certain to attract attention despite a big weight. LAND OF OZ went through the ranks last season winning six times before pulling much too hard in the Cesarewitch. He had a nice warm-up at Chelmsford a week ago and gets the vote though expect a big run from Summer Moon, beaten 0.50 lengths in the latter event. – Sportinglife.com
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