UK Horse Racing Tips: Down Royal

SAINT D'OROUX shaped with plenty of promise when second on his introduction at Dieppe in May and the son of Saint Des Saints warrants the utmost respect for leading connections on his Irish debut. A Wave Of The Sea has shown good ability on both his starts over timber, getting the better of course winner Laura Bullion at Punchestown last month. He enters calculations along with Anycity, a decent performer on the Flat who stayed 1m3f.
Prediction : 1st Saint Doroux 2nd A Wave Of The Sea 3rd Anycity

ENVOI ALLEN is the obvious candidate having landed the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in March, and he has long shaped as though obstacles would bring about even greater improvement. Davy Russell takes over in the saddle and the pair can account for Entoucas, who was second behind Supreme winner Klassical Dream last December. Zenon is an interesting recruit to the Willie Mullins yard, while Front View won a Punchestown Festival bumper and is also noted.
Prediction : 1st Envoi Allen 2nd Entoucas 3rd Zenon

Nicky Henderson has only had two runners in his career at Down Royal and it has to be significant that RATHHILL stays over hurdles. An impressive winner of a Newbury maiden, he was fancied to deliver in the Tolworth at Sandown, finishing a disappointing fourth, but the fact he wasn't sighted afterwards suggested all was not well and an opening mark of 135 might underestimate his true ability. Janidil, Cool Colonnade and Hearts Are Trumps head a long shortlist in what appears a highly competitive event.
Prediction : 1st Rathhill 2nd Janidil 3rd Cool Colonnade

A small but select field go to post, with ROAD TO RESPECT fancied to defend his crown. Hugely impressive when winning by 16 lengths 12 months ago, Noel Meade is likely to have him fairly wound up and he could gallop his rivals into submission. Delta Work was one of the top novices last season and could hold his own in open company, starting with a solid run here, with King George winner Clan Des Obeaux and the race-fit Snow Falcon also respected.
Prediction : 1st Road To Respect 2nd Delta Work 3rd Snow Falcon

Each of the five runners look to have chance, so REAL STEEL receives what can only be a tentative vote. His profile isn't too dissimilar to top-class stablemate Kemboy, finishing down the field in last season's JLT before bolting up in the same 2m5f handicap at the Punchestown Festival, and he could be better still this term. Gordon Elliott fires two bullets with Ben Dundee and Mengli Khan, but feared most are English raider Secret Investor and Minella Fair, whose stable won this race in both 2017 and 2018.
Prediction : 1st Real Steel 2nd Minella Fair 3rd Secret Investor

Guided By You ran well for second at Downpatrick but the jury is still out over his effectiveness at this trip, while I'm An Izz Wizz has been in good form over a variety of trips but appears to prefer Downpatrick. Galway winner Jurby is not certain to stay, while Frankly All Talk ran well over timber latest and is interesting back over fences, but GRAINEYHILL gets the vote. Gordon Elliott's charge ran well for third at Punchestown last time and should relish the extra 2f here.
Prediction : 1st Graineyhill 2nd Frankly All Talk 3rd Jurby

EASYWORK finished third in an above-average Naas bumper when last seen in February and could improve with that experience under his belt. A stronger pace could be set in this bigger field, and a first-time hood should help Gordon Elliott's charge to settle. Rosencrantz is from the right sort of yard ahead of his Rules bow, while Arakan Quest has plenty of placed form in this sphere and is another to be interested in.
Prediction : 1st Easywork 2nd Rosencrantz 3rd Arakan Quest