Wednesday's Royal Ascot Tips from Andy Holding

Quality runs right through the heart of this year’s renewal of the Queen Mary and both DRAMATISED (best price 11/4) and CARMELA (best price 25/1) have to be big considerations based on what they’ve achieved on the numbers so far to date.

The former was hugely impressive both visually and on the clock when making a sparkling debut at Newmarket back in April and there hasn’t been a two-year-old filly who has managed to run faster since – certainly not on these shores. The way she quickened up off solid fractions suggested she’s right out of the top draw and, with the runner-up going on to score twice since, the form looks watertight. Her tendency to lug to the left at HQ does raise a few concerns, but hopefully any kinks in her armoury will have been ironed out in the interim and her raw ability will end up proving the key factor.

The latter has been a little more industrious in her short career, but the experience she has gained in her three races so far to date should stand her good stead, Indeed, her effort when recovering from a bad beginning to finish a never-nearer fifth in the Marygate at York two starts ago gives her plenty of insight in what to expect this afternoon and with her latest effort over subsequent winner, Cold Case, good on the clock, a well-run, stiff five furlongs – as it was at Carlisle – will suit her more than most.

As usual, a mind-bogglingly difficult race to solve, but if there is such a thing as a fairly solid horse in the line-up it’s SYMBOLIZE (best price 8/1) and he’s fancied to uphold his terrific record over today’s track.

Although only seventh of 28 in the Buckingham Palace Stakes here last year, he actually came out second best of his group on the far side and he went on to further enhance his reputation as a straight track specialist with a couple of runner-up efforts behind the classy Aldaary towards the backend of the campaign. Trained with this race in mind all season, his one and only run came when runner-up to the smart Mutasaabeq at Thirsk and hailing from a yard who struck gold with Coltrane here yesterday, there’s a decent chance Andrew Balding’s gelding will go close to adding to that tally. Of the rest, last year’s runner-up Astro King (won his race on the stands’ side) has to enter calculations following an unlucky run in the Thirsk Hunt Cup, while cases can be made for the likes of Intelligent and Greatgadian at much bigger odds.

Donnacha O’Brien’s two-year-olds have just begun to flourish in the last few weeks and with WODAO (best price 16/1) proving his wellbeing with an authoritative display at Navan last time, he could well turn out to be the answer to this tricky-to-solve puzzle – or at worst good enough to make the frame.

Two narrow-margin defeats at the hands of The Antarctic read well in the context of today’s race and it was good to see him gain his due rewards for his consistency at the Co Meath venue last month. In what turned out to be a strongly run affair, the son of Showcasing was always to the fore and then when meeting the rising ground, he quickened up smartly to pull clear of his rivals up the hill. Form-wise, the race 18 days has already begun to take shape (eighth won since) and having proven himself capable of running a big number over a stiff five-furlongs, the flashy chestnut could easily turn out to be the joker in the pack from his favourable middle draw.

A trappy finale with a whole plethora of possibilities, but both STATE OCCASION (best price 12/1) and SPIRIT OF THE BAY (best price 12/1) have the right credentials to make an impact and they are taken against the field.

The former has been a model of consistency from day one and having run well on both her two visits to the Berkshire venue, she naturally sparks plenty of interest. Indeed, her latest encounter over the straight track was one littered with bad luck and it’s easy to see why connections would want to come back her to gain compensation. Warming up for a tilt at this prize via a victory in the stewards’ room at Chelmsford on her seasonal bow, today’s stiff mile should see the best in the daughter of Iffraaj and it’s hard to see her not going well from her favourable draw.

The latter has yet to run a bad race in all three starts this season and with her latest effort coming over today’s track, Clive Cox’s filly can provide her supporters with another minute-and-a-half’s worth of entertainment. A multiple winner last season, the daughter of Cable bay arrives here following a strong performance on her first outing over today’s course and with the speed figure from that well-contested fillies’ contest coming out very favourably, confidence is high she can prove just as effective on the round course.

MYRISTICA (NAP) (best price 7/2) has been gradually running herself into form this season and following her best display so far to date at Redcar last time, Tim Easterby’s filly is fancied to go one place better.

A dual winner last term, the daughter of Harzand was a little below-par on his first two outings of the campaign, but in a strongly run race at the Yorkshire venue 13 days ago, everything seemed to click back into gear. Hitting the front over a furlong out, she was only gunned down by the fast-finishing Strawman, but with the time figure good and the fourth going on to score subsequently, a repeat of something similar should allow the four-year-old to easily outrun her crazy-looking morning odds.