UK Horse Racing Tips: Ascot

DAARIK made a winning return to action on the all-weather at Newcastle 10 days ago, holding off the plucky runner-up, Vitralite, after travelling smoothly into contention. John Gosden's charge had a setback last year but connections have been patient with him and he likely has further improvement to offer on his sixth career start. Although he was well held in seventh behind the selection at Newcastle, Kaeso is expected to take closer order on 7lb better terms and now reopposing at a track at which he ran excellent races in the Victoria Cup and International Stakes last term. Mutamaasik improved with every outing for Roger Varian last year and is worth a market check on his return, while recent Haydock second Brian Epstein and Balmoral fourth Glen Shiel, who had a comeback spin over 6f at Newcastle, could also make their presence felt.
Prediction : 1st Daarik 2nd Kaeso 3rd Mutamaasik

CIRCUS MAXIMUS may have found the Derby trip too testing but he won the St James's Palace Stakes over this distance on the round course here last summer and tasted further top-flight success before the season was out when landing the Moulin. Aidan O'Brien has started the new season brightly and his charge is expected to prove a warm order on his seasonal return under Ryan Moore. Terebellum drops back in trip after landing the Dahlia Stakes on her reappearance at Newmarket and is respected with Frankie Dettori getting the leg up. Mustashry needs to better his effort in this race 12 months ago if he's to figure, though the lightly-raced Fox Chairman continues on an upward curve and has place possibilities along with Duke Of Hazzard, who progressed nicely through the Pattern ranks last year and fully deserves another shot at a Group 1 pot.
Prediction : 1st Circus Maximus 2nd Terebellum 3rd Fox Chairman

Anthony Oppenheimer's colours were carried to victory in this race by John Gosden's Star Catcher 12 months ago and connections have another leading contender in FRANKLY DARLING, who left behind her debut second at Yarmouth when returning an impressive five-length winner over 1m2f at Newcastle earlier in the month. Born With Pride landed a 1m Listed contest on debut at Newmarket last year but needs to better her comeback effort in the Classic Trial at Kempton and prove she stays this longer trip. Miss Yoda, a stablemate of the selection, won the Oaks Trial at Lingfield recently and could pose more of a threat. Trefoil and Ennistymon also have something to recommend them based on recent efforts.
Prediction : 1st Frankly Darling 2nd Miss Yoda 3rd Trefoil

MOGUL was easy to back for the Futurity Trophy once it was switched to Tapeta last season and finished no better than fourth. However, the form was rubber stamped when the winner, Kameko, landed the 2000 Guineas recently and, now stepped up in trip, Aidan O'Brien's Galileo colt is expected to come into his own and throw down a decent marker for the Derby. The battle for second could be won by Arthur's Kingdom, who might be deployed as a pacemaker but, in this small field, could be given a canny ride by Frankie Dettori. The unbeaten Mohican Heights is bred to relish this stiffer test and looks best of the rest.
Prediction : 1st Mogul 2nd Arthurs Kingdom 3rd Mohican Heights

The King's Stand is usually one of the highlights of the Royal meeting but with with Blue Point and now Mabs Cross retired and connections of exciting Irish raider Sceptical ducking the race, this looks an ideal opportunity for BATTAASH to end his Ascot hoodoo. Charlie Hills' sprint monster is yet to win at this venue in three attempts but he has proven his own worst enemy at times, getting too worked up in the preliminaries, so a behind-closed-doors meeting will probably work in his favour this year. Furthermore, in all fairness, his second-placed finishes behind Blue Point in the last two renewals are still the strongest pieces of form on offer and he could afford to run well below his official rating and still win this contest. Glass Slippers was a surprise winner of the l'Abbaye last season and needs to prove she can back that effort up this year. A bigger danger may be Equilateral, a quirky stablemate of the selection who might be best at a flatter track but does go well fresh. He won impressively on his first start in Meydan following a gelding operation but needs to improve again if he's to finish in the same postcode as the favourite.
Prediction : 1st Battaash 2nd Equilateral 3rd Glass Slippers

Nazeef won three from four as a three-year-old and showed that she has trained on when readily winning a Listed contest on her seasonal reappearance at Kempton earlier this month. She looks rock solid and has to go close, but JUBILOSO is potentially a notch above. Sir Michael Stoute's charge can be forgiven a disappointing effort in Group 3 company at Sandown when last sighted in August, her third in last season's Coronation Stakes proves she's much better than that and the vibes have been positive ahead of her return to action. With her stable going great guns since the resumption of racing, she is fancied to get her exciting career back on track. Stablemate Queen Power made a pleasing return at HQ and is respected, as is the unbeaten Miss O Connor.
Prediction : 1st Jubiloso 2nd Nazeef 3rd Queen Power

National Hunt/dual purpose trainers have an excellent record in this race and Nicky Henderson, who struck in 2011 with Veiled, saddles the very interesting VERDANA BLUE today. The eight-year-old has a Grade 1 hurdles victory over dual Champion Hurdler Buveur D'Air under her belt, amongst a number of cracking efforts in that sphere, and she was a fair fourth in the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes when last running in this code 13 months ago. Her latest start was a fourth-placed effort behind subsequent 2020 Champion Hurdler Epatante over timber at Kempton in December so everything looks in place for a huge run here, with Ryan Moore booked to ride. Amongst the dangers are recent Haydock scorer Moon King and Land Of Oz, who made a pleasing reappearance at Chelmsford.
Prediction : 1st Verdana Blue 2nd Moon King 3rd Land Of Oz