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15:35 Royal Ascot

Wednesday 17 June 2020

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:40

Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Str)

Off time: 15:38 | Winning time: 1m 38.32s

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Selected odds by:

(13)

Alrajaa²¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Jim Crowley| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 109| D

15/2

Progressive sort who won his last four starts of 2019; 9lb hike for his latest success at Lingfield doesn't look particularly harsh and there's a chance he's capable of further improvement; yard are flying since the return of racing.

Form: 2/21111-

(3)

Raising Sand²⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 9-9| J: Nicola Currie| T: J A Osborne| OR: 108| CD

40/1

Course specialist with four wins and four placed efforts here (two C&D wins and a 2L third in this race in 2019). His very best has come at 7f and he wants plenty of cut in the ground but his Ascot form counts for plenty; joint career high mark.

Form: 431309-

(16)

What's The Story^p²⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 108| BF| D

50/1

Useful miler (stays further); stayed on gamely to win a valuable 18-runner York handicap (1m) in August but has paid the price for finishing second in Listed class from a handicapping perspective now; has run well here but tough ask from this mark.

Form: 103012-

(12)

Vale Of Kent¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: J Fanning| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 108| D

22/1

Bunbury Cup winner last year before some solid efforts in big handicaps, notably when narrowly denied by What's The Story at York in August. Looked in need of his comeback at Newmarket 12 days ago but career best needed and 0-5 here.

Form: 10224-3

(1)

Cardsharp¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: A Kirby| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 107

100/1

Group 2 winner as a juvenile and won twice last season. Back on his last winning mark but well beaten in this race last year and 0-8 at this venue; others preferred.

Form: 0107-48

(14)

Lord Tennyson¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: L Dettori| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 107| D

6/1

Winner on debut at Chelmsford and ran with credit on second start at Newmarket 12 days ago when second, despite over-racing in the early stages. Ought to come on for that run and entirely unexposed on just his third start here.

Form: 12

(17)

Fox Champion¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: S M Levey| T: R Hannon| OR: 107| D

40/1

Won four on the spin last year that included a German 2,000 Guineas success but has failed to beat a rival home in his last two starts and produced a low key performance when last of 10 at Haydock nine days ago.

Form: 73977-0

(22)

Qaysar¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: R L Moore| T: R Hannon| OR: 107| D

16/1

Won four times last year but a bit below form in the Challenge Cup here in October and yet to show any of his best form at this venue in three starts to date. Excellent third having looked well beaten at Newmarket on return 11 days ago; up 2lb.

Form: 16118-3

(8)

Indeed²²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: L P Keniry| T: D J S Ffrench Davis| OR: 107| D

28/1

Has progressed nicely in handicaps since joining this yard from France, winning twice last year. Looks a little high in the handicap judged on his runs at Pattern level towards the end of last season.

Form: 211023-

(15)

Kynren¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: B A Curtis| T: T D Barron| OR: 107| C| D

16/1

Fifth in this last year and ended a long losing run when landing a huge gamble in the Challenge Cup here in October. Not disgraced in the Balmoral when sixth of 20 next time and return at Haydock best ignored; possibly better at 7f though.

Form: 53216-9

(18)

Afaak²⁰⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Cieren Fallon⁽³⁾| T: C Hills| OR: 106| CD

11/1

Runner-up in this in 2018 before going one better last year. Ran well when beaten just 1L in Bahrain last time out and from just 3lb above last year's winning mark, he ought to go close. Talented apprentice can claim 3lb.

Form: 0/15004-

(23)

Pogo¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: K Shoemark| T: C Hills| OR: 105| D

25/1

Hit and miss sort who popped up in a valuable handicap at York last year. Career high mark having only been narrowly denied at Newmarket on return 11 days ago but he's disappointed in four previous starts at this venue.

Form: 09108-2

(4)

Willie John²⁸⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: R Varian| OR: 104

25/1

Made it two from two on debut for this yard in August 2018 but only seen four times last year, all without success and he clearly doesn't look the easiest to train; opposable returned to this trip from a high enough looking mark.

Form: 17/4205-

(10)

Bell Rock¹⁰^{(ex 5)}

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 98| D

13/2

Won a novice on debut; found Listed/Group level too demanding in three starts last year but returned with a handicap win at Newmarket 10 days ago. Front two pulled clear but he's 5lb higher in a tougher race here and needs another career best.

Form: 1/606-1

(21)

Wargrave¹²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: P Cosgrave| T: George Baker| OR: 102

66/1

Sole win in 12 career starts came in maiden company when trained in Ireland. Debut for new yard and no obvious evidence to date that he's up to defying this sort of mark.

Form: 62027-1

(11)

Dark Vision¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: W Buick| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 100| BF

15/2

Won each of his first three starts including an impressive Group 2 success at Goodwood third time out; good second on return at Newcastle 15 days ago but up 3lb and has struggling from this sort of mark last year.

Form: 65630-2

(7)

Fox Power¹⁰²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: P J Dobbs| T: R Hannon| OR: 99| BF| D

66/1

Added to his novice win with a Listed success at Newcastle in April 2019. Missed last turf season and failed to progress from that run when beaten in four AW runs this winter; others preferred.

Form: 2/14-624

(2)

Beatboxer^h,t³¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: James Doyle| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 99| D

33/1

Won his first two starts and bounced back from two disappointments at Pattern level with a Haydock win in May 2019. Has failed to run to anything like that level in two subsequent runs including last year's Britannia and he's a risky proposition

Form: 17/4105-

(20)

Petrus^p²⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: M Dwyer| T: B J Meehan| OR: 98| D

33/1

Gained first wins since his two-year-old days when landing back-to-back handicaps at the start of last year. Back to just 1lb above his last winning mark following some disappointments last year, including when well beaten in this race.

Form: 140300-

(19)

Baltic Baron^p1,t¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 97| D

33/1

Sole win in 19 starts came at Chantilly back in 2018; some promise in runs last season, notably in the Golden Mile at Goodwood. Mark still looks a bit stiff though and it was a low key return at Newmarket 10 days ago. Wears first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 25030-7

(5)

Montatham¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Dane O'Neill| T: W J Haggas| OR: 97| D

8/1

Won two novice events at the start of last year and bolted up by 3L on his return at Newmarket 11 days ago. That didn't look like the strongest race so an 8lb rise probably means he will need to improve from that run.

Form: 11324-1

(9)

Walhaan⁴⁶⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: R Kingscote| T: Ian Williams| OR: 97

80/1

Won two of his first three starts in France. Gelded since he was last seen and starts out for a new yard having been bought for £35,000 this year; lengthy absence to overcome and probably best watched unless there is significant market support.

Form: 121/234-

(24)

Fox Premier³²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: S De Sousa| T: A M Balding| OR: 97

10/1

Improved for a step up in trip and a switch to handicaps last year when winning two of his four starts. Not beaten far at the Goodwood Festival when last seen but the drop back to 1m might not be ideal.

Form: 26/1192-

Non-Runners

(6)

Jahbath⁴⁴⁵

Weight: 9-1| Age: 4

T: W J Haggas J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Lord Tennyson (6/1), Bell Rock (13/2), Dark Vision (15/2), Alrajaa (15/2), Montatham (8/1), Fox Premier (10/1), Afaak (11/1), Jahbath (14/1), Qaysar (16/1), Kynren (16/1), Vale Of Kent (22/1), Pogo (25/1), Willie John (25/1), Indeed (28/1), Baltic Baron (33/1), Beatboxer (33/1), Petrus (33/1), Raising Sand (40/1), Fox Champion (40/1), What's The Story (50/1), Fox Power (66/1), Wargrave (66/1), Walhaan (80/1), Cardsharp (100/1)

A race that is always one of the most competitive of the entire week at Royal Ascot and this year is no different. The obvious place to start is last year's winner (and 2018 runner-up) AFAAK who is just 3lb above last year's winning mark and that is negated to some extent with a talented apprentice taking off 3lb. He narrowly gets the vote ahead of Qaysar who put up a huge effort at Newmarket on return having looked beaten at half way. Kynren goes well here and he was probably in need of his recent comeback run while John Gosden has the exciting Lord Tennyson who could be anything on just his third career start here.