King George Day at Ascot

In Association with BetVictor.com

Ascot, King George Day, what a card.

Need I say more? The almost perfect mix of juvenile races, tough looking handicaps, then if goes to plan there will be a royal winner in the Summer Mile, and then a mouth watering King George.

The first race is an amateur lady riders handicap, and I’m a punter, but to an extent, and can not bring myself to throw the trusty pin in The Wrinkfield Stakes has Toronado for the Hannon team, and is expected to win, and as such is priced accordingly, but I wouldn’t like to have a bet, and if I had to choose something, Arthurs Secret bolted up on debut, and the stable are particularly sweet on the son of Sakhee’s Secret, and he is a bigger price due to the unfashionable Jimmy Quinn stable.

Chil The Kite will be very short in the 2.45 handicap, the Hughie Morrison runner bounced back from his reappearance at Newmarket behind subsequent Royal Ascot winner Fast or Free to go and win at Doncaster. Up 6lb, he has Ryan Moore aboard, and looks to be a nice progressive type. Takeitfromalady however beat the colt at Newmarket, finishing second in that race, five lengths ahead of Chil The Kite. He has since finished fifth at Sandown, beaten by three lengths, and winning at Windsor, both on soft ground. He is double the price of the favourite, and will give another solid account. I’m also hopeful of a decent run from Red Art for the Hills team, who are in a good patch, Shropshire winning well here yesterday, He looked like needing the run when fourth at Chester over seven furlongs, but made late headway to stay on well near the finish. He was competitive in group company last year, and could have the potential to be better than his mark of 96.

Carlton House runs over a mile for the first time, and has travelled well at Sandown and Ascot, and should run well in the summer mile. He is effectively a group one horse running against group two and three horses, and should despatch of the field with ease. Questioning would be the selection for the forecast for the John Gosden and William Buick team.

The International Stakes is one of the most difficult handicaps of the season, and with the favourite expected to be around 10/1 – the twenty nine runner field will have been the aim of some horses for a long time. Al Muheer, Hawkeyethenoo, Imperial Guest, Excellent Guest, Castles in the Air and Brae Hill all run again after finishing down the field last year, and I can’t see any of them turning the tables. Bronze Prince runs as well, now with Malcolm Attwater, but is 5lb higher than his mark last year. The two I like are both seven furlong specialists, and should be spot on for this race. The first is LIGHTNING CLOUD for the Kevin Ryan yard, which has been laid out for this. A good run in the Victoria Cup, before only going down by three lengths in The Wokingham, the form has worked out well, and he is down 1lb in the weights. Amy Ryan has two wins from three on the four year old, and can hopefully bag her third here. Another trip specialist is EDINBURGH KNIGHT – who’s record over seven furlongs reads 11412. The five year old ran very well behind Libranno last time out in a group three, and is officially 5lb well in because of that. The stable are in good nick, with Super Simon winning on Thursday, and William Buick is in the plate.

I’ve done a full and thorough article on the King George, for my complete thoughts, please have a look here, but basically, Sea Moon is a good thing:

http://jjmsports.blogspot.com/2012/07/king-george-vi-and-queen-elizabeth.htm

The last race on the card is a very trappy handicap to close off the card, and there are some very interesting runners debuting in handicaps after winning promising maidens. Sun Central runs for William Haggas, but as people out there reading this knows I am not the biggest fan of young Joseph O’ Brien. Gospel Choir is impeccably bred, but has been well supported and is now a very short priced favourite. Her Majesty will have to settle with just the one winner, as both her runners (Bank Bonus and Moidore) lack any form of appeal. Hurricane in Dubai is a gradual improver for a small, but efficient yard for Denis Coakley. A well bred son of Hurricane Run, the step up to a mile and a half should bring him on further, getting better with every one of his five starts. That man Fallon is booked in the saddle, and is in frightening form, on the back of a fine double at York last Saturday.

2.45 Ascot – Takeitfromalady (Ew) & Red Art (Ew)
3.20 Ascot – Carlton House (Nb)
3.55 Ascot – Edinburgh Knight (Ew) & Lightning Cloud (Ew)
4.35 Ascot – Sea Moon (Nap)
5.10 Ascot – Hurricane in Dubai (Ew)

The Yorkshireman – Jack Milner

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