Royal Ascot tips: Day four preview and horses to follow on Friday
Our experts take a look through the entries for day four at Royal Ascot and tackle some of the key questions facing punters on Friday.
With no Fallen Angel in the Coronation Stakes does that leave the door open for Opera Singer?
Tony McFadden: Opera Singer was Timeform's highest-rated juvenile filly last season following her emphatic five-length success in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp on Arc day and she ran respectably when third on her return in the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh last month, particularly when taking into account that she may have needed the run after encountering a setback.
It would be little surprise to see Opera Singer improve with that run under her belt, but I prefer the claims of Ramatuelle whose speed could prove decisive on this round course. She tied up close home in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and was ultimately beaten a neck and a short head in third by Elmalka, though she deserves credit for faring comfortably best of those who raced prominently in a strongly-run race and she impressed with how she moved through most of that contest.
David Ord: It’s one big danger gone but there are plenty of others and I do think Aidan O’Brien’s charge is too short at 6/4.
Oisin Murphy is a positive booking for Ramatuelle, and racing around a bend will help her too. Fellow French raider Rouhiya is upwardly mobile and showed a good turn of foot to win the French 1000 Guineas. Devoted Queen is three from three and improving for Godolphin whole Porta Fortuna is teak-tough and ran a cracker to be second in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
But with a couple of high-profile hard-luck stories in behind that day I don’t think Elmalka got the credit she deserved for winning. After all it was only her third career start, she was still rough around the edges and if more professional on Friday, has the engine to make them all go.
Ben Linfoot: Aidan O’Brien’s daughter of Justify would’ve had a job on to reverse the Irish 1,000 Guineas form with Fallen Angel, given she had about five lengths to make up, but there’s no doubt she is expected to improve now she has that seasonal reappearance under her belt.
It’s a good race and Ramatuelle could be the one from the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, but Opera Singer does seem to warrant favouritism with her very good two-year-old form in mind. I can’t see myself betting against her at this stage.
Are you for or against Vandeek bouncing back in the Commonwealth Cup?
Tony McFadden: Vandeek was the highest-rated juvenile trained in Britain last season following an unbeaten campaign that culminated with victory in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, but he was well below that level when only third behind Inisherin in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock.
That lacklustre effort leaves a doubt as to whether Vandeek will be able to replicate his two-year-old form, whereas Inisherin ran to a very smart level at Haydock on his first start at six furlongs and, with the potential of more to come, he's the one I'll be siding with.
David Ord: He could do but there’s no getting away from the fact the reappearance in the Sandy Lane was dull and his tendency to over-race early was evident again.
If he does find the best of his two-year-old form, he does still set the standard but Haydock winner Inisherin is closing in on that sort of Timeform figure himself and is a huge player along with Newbury winner Elite Status in the same silks.
There are others too and I think Jasour is a very solid each-way bet at around 10/1. He looks like a high-class sprinter and his performance in winning the trial over this course-and-distance in the spring suggested he’s about to make up into one too.
Ben Linfoot: I do think the ground had a bearing on his reappearance third behind the reopposing Inisherin and if it is riding faster next Friday then we could well see the real Vandeek turn up.
Having said that, I also think a few of these have caught up with him and yet he’s still priced up like he could be a notch or two above the opposition so I can see myself taking him on. Jasour and Jim Crowley, who get on so well together, head the shortlist at the time of writing.
The King Edward VII Stakes has the usual mix of nearly horses from the Derby and its trials, what’s your angle?
Tony McFadden: Nothing here sets a high standard so I'll be looking towards an unexposed improver to take a big jump forward. One who fits the bill is Space Legend as he created a good impression when winning at Leicester on his return and then looked desperately unlucky when runner-up to Meydaan in the listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood last time.
Space Legend was short of room and shuffled back at a crucial stage which resulted in Meydaan grabbing first run, but he impressed with how strongly he finished to reduce the deficit to a neck and he remains capable of better granted some luck in running.
David Ord: Aidan O’Brien is clearly a starting point as he dominates the entries numerically. The initial suggestion was that Chief Little Rock and Illinois were the potential runners but clearly things can change.
The latter would be very interesting off the back of his second to Ambiente Friendly in the Lingfield Derby trial where he looked ill-at-ease on the track. Bellum Justum and Macduff represent the Derby form but were well beaten at Epsom – Voyager gets the chance to have a tilt at another big prize after his early mishap there but I think the Predominate form at Goodwood could come to the fore.
Meydaan won that day and is improving but Space Legend in second looked unlucky having been short of room form a long way out and shuffled right back at a crucial s5age. He came home well to be beaten only a neck and looks ready for this sort of test.
Ben Linfoot: I think Agenda is a good horse and he ran a good race from the front when second in the Chester Vase. He made the running that day but I suspect he’ll be pretty versatile regarding tactics and Aidan O’Brien’s horse can probably play a big part in this on just his fourth career start.
It was interesting he missed the Derby to come here and this looks the perfect next step for the son of Galileo, who might just end up taking high rank amongst the middle-distance three-year-olds later in the season, for all that he looks a bit of a slow burner.
And where should punters be looking in the handicaps on Friday?
Tony McFadden: Deakin ended last season on a roll, following up a wide-margin win in a Roscommon maiden with an equally emphatic success in a handicap at Thurles, and there was a lot to like about how he shaped when runner-up to Crystal Black on his return at the Curragh last month. Deakin, who was dropping in trip, looked the likely winner when briefly quickening clear approaching the final furlong but he was headed in the final strides.
That form has already been given a boost by the third winning a valuable handicap back at the Curragh and Deakin is entitled to be fitter with that outing under his belt. He's a versatile middle-distance handicapper with more to offer and will be one to note wherever he runs at Royal Ascot.
David Ord: The closing Palace Of Holyrood Stakes is ultra-competitive – no honestly it is – but I think it could be tailormade for Mukaafah.
He’ll be racing at five furlongs for the first time but goes strongly through his races and will be finishing strongly. Kevin Philippart de Foy’s charge was a revelation in a first-time hood at Doncaster last month, thundering clear to beat Cool Dividend by a length-and-three-quarters.
The runner-up won was a taking winner at Haydock on his next start and while the selection is up eight pounds at Ascot, it should allow him to creep into the race and he looked a sprint handicapper to follow at Town Moor.
Ben Linfoot: I was glad to see Indelible in the Sandringham and Equity Law in the Palace Of Holyrood House handicaps as both are very much on the radar as I wrote in this piece here.
The other handicap on day four is the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes over 1m4f and the Irish look likely to have a strong hand. Willie Mullins’ Ethical Diamond looks a likely improver as he steps back up to 1m4f and with Ryan Moore, who has won this race three times in the last 10 years, already jocked up on him it’s looking like connections mean business.
More features and previews
Royal Ascot: Day one panel
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