Ascot tips: Alex Hammond preview ahead of Ascot Summer Mile Racing Weekend
This weekend we need eyes in the back of our head and more than one device to keep across all the racing.
My focus will be on Ascot as I'm there for Sky Sports Racing on Friday and Saturday. As a result, I’m across all the action for their Summer Mile Racing Weekend, and it’s a meeting I thoroughly enjoy.
There's a chilled-out mood at this fixture, but don’t be fooled, there is plenty of competitive racing to focus on. So, to avoid spreading myself too thinly, that’s where I’ll be channelling my attention for you this week.
Friday’s card is unusually an all-handicap card, so plenty of opportunity to have some fun. Here are the horses I like, and the theory behind those selections.
FRIDAY
Race 1 – SLY MADAM
Sheena West is incredibly shrewd, and I always like to follow her runners closely. This mare had a horrible passage in the Kensington Palace and despite being 100/1 would have finished closer had that not occurred. She has subsequently run well at Windsor, and with a 75% strike rate for the yard at present, I want her on my side.
Race 2 – OOPS
George Boughey is a trainer to fear with his unexposed handicap runners if you’re a bookie, but that will hopefully work in our favour here. This filly was too keen over 7-furlongs last time out and I'm hoping the drop back to 6-furlongs will suit on her handicap debut.
Race 3 – OLIVER SHOW
An unexposed three-year-old for Sir Michael Stoute, who won well on his handicap debut last time out, what's not to like?
Race 4 – DIVINA GRACE
An open fillies’ handicap but I’m hoping the bottom weight will prevail under Benoit de la Sayette for trainer Rae Guest, who does a wonderful job training females.
Race 5 – ELRAAED
Owen Burrows has sent out the winner of this race twice in the past six years. This gelding makes his handicap debut here and has also been gelded, which should help.
Race 6 – POPMASTER
This is a horse whose name has cropped up a few times in this blog. However, he looks fairly handicapped and won’t mind what the weather does. Trainer Ed Walker is going well and won this race in 2019.
SATURDAY
Race 1 – EQUILATERAL
His finest hour came when runner-up to Battaash in the 2020 King’s Stand Stakes and whilst he hasn’t won for over two years, he’s no back number. He's my main selection but I also have respect for Vintage Clarets, who has good form here and is very versatile.
Race 2 – ANGEL BLEU
Saturday’s feature is the Group 2 Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile Stakes. Last year’s winner Chindit bypasses the race to head to Goodwood, so nine remain in the line-up. My selection here is weather dependant but I’ve seen the forecast and I think we’ll get sufficient rain to assist Angel Bleu. He met trouble in running in the Queen Ann at Royal Ascot, although was beaten at the time but this isn’t as tough a race. He’s a likeable and tough individual, who won two Group 1 races in France as a juvenile.
Race 4 – REAL DREAM
You’ll have to excuse me bypassing the third race, which is for two-year-olds. We don’t have much to go on, and I’d prefer to see them in the paddock before making my selection. So, in the fourth race I like Sir Michael Stoute's four-year-old, Real Dream. He's entered in the Sky Bet Ebor for which he’s 16/1, and I think he'll enhance his claims here.
Race 5 – LA YAKEL
We can sometimes be guilty of trying to look beyond the obvious. La Yakel is the obvious here. He’s lightly raced and the type to progress into a smart performer for William Haggas as a four-year-old. Hopefully this is his next step up the ladder.
Race 6 – PRENUP
There are a field full of progressive fillies in this mile handicap. The race is run over the straight mile here which shouldn't be a problem for this filly as she won over a straight 7-furlongs at Newbury last time out. She seems a better filly given another winter on her back and will be well placed to continue to improve by trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam this season. Good luck keeping across all the action, and let's hope we have a winner or two amongst that little lot.
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