As a famous band once said, things can only get better, and this has been horrific. Some of the big handicaps have turned into big messes, and if you are on the side with no pace, you are effectively out of the race, turning some of the spectacles into near lotteries. Anyhoo, we will have another go.
MISTER MARC won a good Goodwood maiden before being seen as the stable as good enough to go to Ireland for some black type, performing with great credit. He got close to Dawn Approach, the subsequent Coventry Stakes winner, losing by two lengths. From a smart, speedy family, and it would be no surprised to see him taking to the drop down in trip to five furlongs.
The Ribblesdale is one of the great highlights of day three, and is a race with a great history, and has gone to pave the path for filly’s to become terrific broodmares. One of such is Irresistible Jewel, who was trained by Dermot Weld. He has her daughter in training in PRINCESS HIGHWAY, who made an impression at The Curragh last time out, winning a Group 3 race by eight lengths. The further they went, the more she impressed, and on breeding, she surely must have a terrific chance of this race, and has to be respected. Similarly VOW, trained by William Haggas, bred out of his previously trained Frog, looks a smart filly in the making. She didn’t look to handle Epsom, after previously impressing at Newmarket and Lingfield, despite showing evidence of greenness. She will be better suited to Ascot than Epsom.
Aidan O’ Brien has won The Gold Cup five our of the last six years, and FAME AND GLORY looks paved to follow in the footsteps of stablemate Yeats, who won four subsequent Gold Cups in a row. He looked to relish the step up in trip last year, under a good ride from Jamie Spencer took the race up two furlongs out, kicked on and was never caught. A year on, he has had a perfect preparation, will have ideal conditions on good to soft ground. He looks bombproof.
The Britannia Handicap is one of the races I alluded to in my opening monologue, it is something of a lottery, and it will all depend on the first few races, just how lucky I am indeed feeling. That being said, I backed and was really impressed by the way FAST OF FREE won last time out at Newmarket. He was clearly fancied on debut when being backed into favouritism for a Kempton maiden, with Paul Hanagan aboard. He hacked up last week in a good looking handicap field, and the 7lb rise in the weights, may not do enough to stop him completing the hatrick. At bigger prices; BRONZE ANGEL seems to be progressing well, and showed lots of guts and determination to win under a good ride from Hayley Turner last time out at Doncaster, her attitude will stand her in good stead for this type of race.
TALES OF GRIMM is a colt held in the highest regard by Sir Michael Stoute, and the way he finished off his run in The Heron Stakes at Sandown suggests more is to come. He was supposed to run in The Greenham and the 2000 Guineas, but bad weather scuppered that bid, and instead, he is campaigned here. He still looked green last time out, it was only his second career start, and first run of the season, and the manner in how he stayed on suggest further will suit.
The finale on day three is a mile and a half handicap, and looks an extremely competitive contest. The King George V Stakes is a race where northern trainers have a terrific record, in particular Mark Johnston, and presumably, he will have earmarked this race weeks ago. He has two runners; both won last time out and have live chances. The first being PRUSSIAN, who is a very progressive son of Dubai Destination. Showing promise on debut finishing second, the step up to handicaps has led to two wins from three races. He is up to a career high mark of 88, but the manner in how he would last time out at Redcar over a mile and a quarter suggests there could be more to come, stepped up to this sort of trip. His other runner is FENNELL BAY who is a lovely Dubawi colt, who fits a similar sort of profile. Three handicap wins already this season has seen his rating go from 70 to 81, and he has run well behind potential group horses Wrotham Heath and Thomas Chippendale at Epsom and Newmarket. He won well on Saturday at Sandown, and stepped up in trip on pedigree suggests further should eek out more improvement as well.
2.30 Ascot – Mister Marc
3.05 Ascot – Princess Highway & Vow
3.45 Ascot – Fame and Glory (Nap)
4.25 Ascot – Fast or Free & Bronze Angel (Ew)
5.00 Ascot – Tales of Grimm (Nb)
5.35 Ascot – Fennell Bay & Prussian
The Yorkshireman – Jack Milner
@JJMSports
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