Find out who the Timeform experts fancy on day four of Royal Ascot and which horses stand out on ratings and Flags.
Best bets from the Timeform experts
Rory King: Space Legend – 17.40 Royal Ascot
There is no shortage of potentially smart sorts here, but SPACE LEGEND may well prove the smartest of the lot based on his two runs this spring. In the first of them he dismissed the subsequent big improver Trouville at Leicester and in the second he staked a strong claim for being the most unlucky loser of the season in the Cocked Hat at Goodwood, meeting repeated trouble and shuffled right back before charging home. With a clear run he’d have won comfortably from a horse who was only beaten around six lengths in Wednesday’s Queen’s Vase despite racing keenly, the extra furlong won’t be a problem – it’ll suit him if anything – and Haggas won this with a similarly-lightly-raced type in the shape of Alenquer who went on to win a Group 1 at four. It wouldn’t surprise me were Space Legend to hit the same heights in time.
Graeme North: Voyage - 17:40 Royal Ascot
For me the most eye-catching performance in the Derby was that put up by the riderless VOYAGE who after unseating Pat Dobbs leaving the stalls and getting left proceeded to overtake the whole of the field in the strongest-run part of the race while climbing steeply uphill, and then maintained that lead all the way to the line. Obviously, there’s a fair amount of guesswork as to how much ability he possesses for all his striking debut at Newbury suggests it’s quite a lot, but he must be very talented to have kept on so well given those early exertions and it was surely telling that connections chose to have a crack at the Derby on just his second run. He looks overpriced.
David Johnson: Ramatuelle - 15:45 Royal Ascot
With the emphasis likely to be on speed given the prevailing ground conditions, RAMATUELLE is fancied to come out on top and prove herself the best of the milers among the fillies. The Newmarket race looks the strongest form on offer in the absence of the impressive Irish 1000 Guinea winner Fallen Angel, and while Aidan O’Brien is making a habit of turning his horses inside out from underwhelming reappearances, a lot must be taken on trust with Opera Singer given how far she was beaten at the Curragh. The 1000 Guineas at Newmarket was run at a strong pace and suited the closers, Elmalka getting the run of things more than Ramatuelle and it remains to be seen if she has the gears to hold her position under these conditions. Much is spoken about stall 1 being a negative on the round course at this meeting, but it shouldn’t be a disadvantage for a filly ridden positively like Ramatuelle will be, and we all saw how good Oisin Murphy can be under these circumstances on Running Lion over the same C&D earlier in the week.
Flags and Ratings
The Ratings Choice
Inisherin - 15:05 Royal Ascot
INISHERIN proved a revelation when trying sprinting for the first time in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock last month and he produced a very smart performance that identifies him as the one to beat in the Commonwealth Cup.
Inisherin had raced over a mile on his first three outings, including in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket where he took the field along for over five furlongs before ultimately weakening into sixth. However, he raised his game when dropped to six furlongs at Haydock and he made all for an impressive three-and-three-quarter-length success.
That performance, which was arguably the second best in the Sandy Lane since the race was upgraded to Group 2 status in 2015, earned Inisherin a figure which places him 3 lb clear at the head of Timeform's ratings for the Commonwealth Cup.
The Timeform Flag
Indelible - 17:05 Royal Ascot
Flags: Horse In Focus, Hot Trainer, Top-Rated
INDELIBLE has an excellent pedigree - she's by Shamardal out of multiple Group 1 winner Midday - and she made a promising start to her career last season, getting off the mark at the second attempt.
Indelible made her reappearance in an extremely strong-looking novice at Doncaster a few weeks ago and she raised her game to come out on top by half a length, ultimately winning with a bit to spare after initially taking time to hit top gear.
She's bred to be smart, is in excellent hands with Ralph Beckett (who has already landed two Royal Ascot handicaps this week) and an opening mark of 91 could underestimate this progressive filly.
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