17:35 Royal Ascot

Saturday 18 June 2022

All14:3015:0515:4016:2017:0017:3518:10

Golden Gates Stakes (Handicap)

Off time: 17:36 | Winning time: 2m 6.0s

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Selected odds by:

(18)

Sweeping¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Hollie Doyle| T: A Watson| OR: 96

40/1

Catterick maiden winner (7f) as a 2-y-o who ran best race to date when second on handicap debut at Wolverhampton (8.6f) in May. Easy enough to put a line through subsequent Epsom run (reportedly finished lame) but others may have greater potential in any case.

Form: 5130-20

(13)

Missed The Cut³⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: James McDonald| T: G Boughey| OR: 95| D

5/2

Progressed with each start to date, bolting up in a Pontefract maiden (1m) and impressing once more in the way he powered clear to make it 2-3 in a Salisbury novice (9.9f) in May. Well worth considering now handicapping with prospect of more to come.

Form: 411

(7)

Honiton⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: L Dettori| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 94| D

7/2

Quickly reached a useful level and readily justified cramped odds over this trip at Sandown 7 days ago, well on top at the finish. Interesting that connections pitch him in here quickly and he's well worth considering with prospect of more to come.

Form: 7-3231

(4)

Blue Trail⁵⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: James Doyle| T: C Appleby| OR: 93| BF

16/1

Teofilo colt who landed back-to-back AW novice events at 1m earlier this year and arrives here on the back of a career-best display when keeping on for third at Sandown (1m) in April. Looks ready for this step up in trip on that evidence and respected.

Form: 21143

(14)

Falling Shadow³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 92| D

13/2

Much-improved from debut when first past post at Wolverhampton (8.6f) in December (subsequently disqualified) and quickly made amends when winning impressively on return at Newbury (1¼m) in May, eased late on. More to come now handicapping and he's a big player.

Form: 8D-1

(16)

Pervade^t1⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: C T Keane| T: F Graffard| OR: 91| D

28/1

French raider who showed fairly useful form when landing maiden/handicaps on artificial surfaces earlier this year. Ran up to best to finish in-the-frame in pair of minor events subsequently but others appeal more for win purposes on balance.

Form: 96-1132

(11)

Tollard Royal^h²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: K Shoemark| T: G Boughey| OR: 90

40/1

Successful on 2 of his 3 starts in novices, making light of a 6-month absence at Beverley (8.5f) in April. Not disgraced when fifth pitched in to a hot Haydock handicap (1m) since but this another tough ask stepping up to 1¼m.

Form: 15-15

(3)

Groundbreaker^h³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: A M Balding| OR: 90| D

25/1

Still showed signs of greenness but well on top at the line when off the mark in a Doncaster maiden (10.2f) in March. Proved too keen when fourth in 6-runner listed event at Newmarket (10f) and he'll need to settle better now stepping into handicaps.

Form: 42-14

(15)

Sun King^t1²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 89| BF

12/1

Galileo colt. Matched previous best when landing 13-runner Roscommon maiden (7.8f) in April but failed to improve for switch to handicaps/step up to 1¼m at Navan subsequently. Tongue tie goes on and yard's runners never underestimated here.

Form: 332-216

(12)

Knightswood⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Jason Hart| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 88| D

25/1

Decorated Knight colt. Promise when third on debut at Kempton (1m) in December and much improved to land back-to-back maiden/novice events from the front at Redcar/Chepstow in recent weeks. Very straightforward type who is respected once more now handicapping.

Form: 3-11

(19)

Asgoodassobergets⁶⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Jim Crowley| T: T Ward| OR: 88| D

40/1

Promising sort who tasted success on second of 2 starts in a French minor event in November and perfect start for new yard when landing 8-runner AW novice event (12.2f) in April. However, more needed in this much more competitive enviornment now handicapping.

Form: 61-1

(2)

Trojan Horse²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: J Fanning| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 84

33/1

Dual novice winner who almost certainly progressed again sent handicapping when third of 7 at Chester (12.3f) in May. Similar form from this 2 lb higher mark when fifth of 9 at Musselburgh since but suspicion he will again find a few too good in this even stronger affair.

Form: 31-135

(17)

Bushfire²³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: David Egan| T: H Morrison| OR: 83

28/1

Australia colt who stepped up markedly on his debut form when third in a strong Salisbury novice (1m) in September and improved further to take a heavy ground Newbury minor event (1m) when last seen in October. Type to progress again in handicaps this campaign.

Form: 731-

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to all bets - deduction 20p in the pound

Non-Runners

(1)

Aldous Huxley²⁹

Weight: 9-9| Age: 3

T: J & T Gosden J: Benoit D L Sayette

(9)

Phantom Flight²⁹

Weight: 9-3| Age: 3

T: James Horton J: P J McDonald

(10)

Chairman²⁵

Weight: 8-12| Age: 3

T: M Meade J: Tom Marquand

(6)

Jimi Hendrix²

Weight: 8-9| Age: 3

T: R M Beckett J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Missed The Cut (5/2), Honiton (7/2), Aldous Huxley (11/2), Falling Shadow (13/2), Sun King (12/1), Chairman (12/1), Phantom Flight (14/1), Jimi Hendrix (14/1), Blue Trail (16/1), Groundbreaker (25/1), Knightswood (25/1), Pervade (28/1), Bushfire (28/1), Trojan Horse (33/1), Asgoodassobergets (40/1), Tollard Royal (40/1), Sweeping (40/1)

A smashing 3-y-o handicap and it may pay to side with John & Thady Gosden's HONITON. He was an easy winner of a Sandown maiden 7 days ago, and previous form in maiden/novice company is working out very well, so there's plenty to like now his sights are set on handicaps from a handy draw. Falling Shadow and Missed The Cut are similarly upwardly mobile and feared along with Aldous Huxley.