The Platinum Jubilee Stakes comes under the microscope in Matt Brocklebank's latest column and he's got a strong fancy at 14/1.
Antepost Value Bet tips: Royal Ascot 2022
2pts win Sacred in Platinum Jubilee Stakes at 14/1 (General)
The once 57-rated Highfield Princess looked extraordinary when beating Spycatcher and Minzaal in the Duke Of York last month and must now command genuine respect heading back up to Group One level for the Platinum Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
However, last year's Buckingham Palace heroine is not the only flying female looking to take advantage of what looks an open six-furlong division this season, with Campanelle, Umm Kulthum, Romantic Proposal, Double Or Bubble and Happy Romance all potentially in the mix - and in receipt of 3lb from the boys - come June 18.
Two others catch the eye even more at the prices, though, namely Alcohol Free (20/1) and SACRED, both of whom have the option of the Group Two Duke of Cambridge over the longer, mile trip.
For Alcohol Free it could well be a case of needing to dip in class slightly in order to regain some confidence in the Duke of Cambridge, although she does look to be sulking slightly this term and no doubt missing the fine partnership she built up with Oisin Murphy during her first couple of seasons in training.
A drop back to sprinting could be an interesting experiment for the daughter of No Nay Never, but until any intention to do so is aired by connections she can’t realistically be recommended as a bet, with the fillies-only mile race probably the more likely option if looking to avoid Baaeed.
It has emerged, however, that Sacred is going to be unleashed over six for the first time since her juvenile days next month and although I argued the case for her staying the trip in the Breeders’ Cup Mile last year – only for Cheveley Park Stud to kybosh the idea of travelling her out to the US – that sort of test is a long way from the mile races we see over here, especially on stiff tracks like Ascot.
It appears the cotton-wool is coming off Sacred this season, with trainer William Haggas recently nominating this event as "the plan for a while" in the Racing Post, and it could be a great move for the lightly-raced filly, who was a non-runner in last year's Commonwealth Cup due to the heavy going but clearly goes exceptionally well when fresh.
A quality juvenile who was just pipped into second by Campanelle in the Queen Mary two summers ago, she beat Saffron Beach to win last year’s Nell Gwyn and only ran once more after failing to see out the trip behind Alcohol Free in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
That single outing was enough to convince me she’s a genuine top-level performer, however, as she barely came off the bridle to hack up from Saturday’s John Of Gaunt second Laneqash in the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury (see it in full below).
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Recent Dahlia Stakes and Group One Prix d'Ispahan winner Dreamloper - who finished fourth - was among three subsequent winners in total to emerge from the Group Two Hungerford, and Sacred made them look like they were standing still with her sweeping move from the back of the field a furlong and a half out.
Fast ground is probably essential for her so it’s hoped we avoid the kind of weather which has hit Britain’s summer showcase in recent years and all being well, with the Haggas team continuing in brilliant form, it’s not hard to see her ending up around half the current 14/1 on offer.
She’s a standout 16s at Hills but the general price is more than fair and merits an above-average investment at this stage.
One who could come onto my radar closer to the time - yet remains a name to monitor for the time being - is Diligent Harry, who has had a "bit of a hold up" since his promising comeback run in the Cammidge, according to a Clive Cox stable tour which appeared on attheraces.com on Friday.
This is a horse who has had just three turf starts in his life and if anyone is going to extract every last drop of potential from a budding sprint star, then it is Cox.
Diligent Harry almost beat Happy Romance in the Hackwood at Newbury last summer before being sent off 4/1 for the Group Three Bengough Stakes at Ascot in October, so hopes are clearly high that he'll make the grade on grass at some stage. He was well beaten at Ascot and while soft ground could be put forward as an excuse, the run came following another enforced break and news of yet more niggles since his reappearance in late-March sets the alarm bells ringing.
If he's fit and well come the Platinum Jubilee then he has the ability to make odds of 33/1 look generous, but it's a big 'if' right now so we can comfortably await further updates, as a slightly later-than-planned resumption - in slightly calmer waters than this - would hardly come as a major surprise.
Published at 1530 BST on 29/05/22
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