Top analyst Mark Howard with his best bets for Royal Ascot next week including an exciting two-year-old and a top-class French challenger.
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CATALYSE is from a yard whose juveniles have been in excellent form in recent weeks (9 from 36) and this £300,000 breeze-up buy was all the rage for his debut at Hamilton (6f : Good) this month – Perfect Power won his maiden at the Scottish track for Richard Fahey before winning the Norfolk Stakes eight days later in 2021.
A colt by Starspangledbanner, the 5/4 favourite never looked like getting beaten travelling strongly before quickening clear of the runner-up Motawahij – Oisin Orr’s mount covered the fourth and fifth furlongs in 11.32 and 11.48 seconds. A two lengths winner, he was immediately nominated for this and is the choice of retained rider James Doyle, ahead of Ayr winner Electrolyte.
Musley Bank contains a lot of high quality two years this year and he looks a prime candidate for the Coventry Stakes on Tuesday (3.05). There have been three northern trained winners of this since 2006.
ROGUE MILLENNIUM defends her crown in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes on Wednesday (3.45) rather than the Queen Anne Stakes on the opening day. A former Lingfield Oaks Trial winner, the daughter of Dubawi successfully dropped back to a mile when beating Random Harvest by a neck over C&D (Good) twelve months ago when under the tutelage of Tom Clover. A length and a quarter runner-up behind Tahiyra in the Group 1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown (1m : Good), she was a well beaten fifth behind Big Rock in the QEII Stakes in October.
Sold for 1,650,000gns in December, the five year old joined Joseph O’Brien during the winter and was most unlucky not to make a winning start for her new connections last month. Sent off evens favourite for the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes at the Curragh (1m : Good), she was travelling strongly on the far rail but was unable to get a clear run until it was too late.
Beaten around two lengths, Dylan Browne McMonagle’s mount finished on the bridle and had a lot more to offer (replay below). Her record over a mile is 15253 – fifth twice on unsuitably soft ground. Her form figures on good or faster ground are 117702123 and her record in June is 721.
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BLUE ROSE CEN, like Queen Anne hope Big Rock, was transferred from Christopher Head to Maurizio Guarnieri during the spring. Her former trainer did a superb job with the daughter of Churchill winning four times as a juvenile, including a five lengths victory in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac. Last year, she won another four including the French 1000 Guineas, Prix de Diane by four lengths and the Group 1 Prix de L’Opera at Longchamp.
An unlucky in running fourth in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, her record in Group 1 company is 1114515. Despite only finishing fifth in the Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp (1m 1f) on her first run for her new yard last month, she would have been closer with a smoother passage in the home straight.
Beaten two and a quarter lengths, she will appreciate a stronger gallop here. Her record over 1m 2f is 141 and she handles most types of ground. Love (2021) was the last four year old filly to win this and Christophe Soumillon (ridden 3 Royal winners) takes over in the saddle for the first time.
GILDED WATER has two options during the the week, namely the King George V Handicap on Thursday (3.05) or the Golden Gates Handicap forty eight hours later at 5.40. The Fastnet Rock gelding has progressed with each start looking a potential Pattern performer when winning at Chepstow (1m 2f : Good/Soft) at the end of May. Bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, his dam won over twelve furlongs and he is a half-brother to a Grade 1 winner over two miles in Australia.
Having run creditably over a mile on his first two runs at Newmarket and Windsor, William Haggas’ runner improved when tackling ten furlongs for the first time at the Welsh track racing handily before taking charge with three furlongs to run. Pushed clear, he beat the well regarded James Webb by seven and a half lengths.
The winning time was 4.45 seconds quicker than division two of the maiden stakes. Owned by HM The King and HM The Queen, he covered the penultimate furlong in 11.22 seconds. Entered in the John Smith’s Cup at York (13th July), an opening mark of 92 may well underestimate him.
RIVER TIBER will run over seven furlongs for the first time in the Jersey Stakes on Saturday (4.25) having run well in the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh (1m : Good). A length and a half behind the Hannon pair Rosallion and Haatem, it was the son of Wootton Bassett’s first start for 238 days. Ryan Moore’s mount held every chance until tiring inside the final half a furlong.
A high-class juvenile, who cost 480,000gns as a yearling, he won his first three starts including the Group 2 Coventry Stakes twelve months ago. Placed behind Vandeek in the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes, this intermediate trip looks tailormade for him.
He has a similar profile to Mozart who won this for Ballydoyle in 2001 – runner-up in the Irish Guineas before successfully dropping back in trip here. Aidan O’Brien is seeking his fifth win in the contest.
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Mark Howard’s Royal Ascot preview will be published via email on Sunday – priced at £10, please go to the Publications section of www.mhpublications.co.uk
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