Tote Placepot Tips for Thursday's Racing at Royal Ascot

Leg 1 Selections: Walbank, The Antarctic

It’s widely noticeable that this race, the Group Two Norfolk Stakes, throws up a very good horse for the future. That looks the case again this year with a field littered with quality, including the David Loughnane-trained WALBANK, who made a promising start to his career when second over C&D on debut. He was the only one able to make a bit of a race with eventual winner Noble Style, who clocked one of the best speed figures of the season in this division. That form has been upheld since with the third and fourth returning next time out winners and he then took a major step forward next time, powering clear to record a facile victory at York. With more to come, he looks a very suitable choice for the placepot opener.

THE ANTARCTIC, who’s a full brother to the mighty sprinter Battaash, has made the perfect start to his career, with victories at Tipperary and Naas. He’s not won by far in each of those but is learning his trade effectively and should have plenty more in the locker here. He has shown a high-cruising speed mixed with a willing attitude in both his victories to date and is drawn well in stall 10 with Ryan Moore in the saddle. He arrives with a lofty reputation and could be a serious sprinter for his powerful handler, so despite this being an extremely competitive opener, he has to be on the shortlist. I can see both of these fightings out the finish, though, don’t rule out Karl Burke’s Pillow Talk, who won a Listed event at York and has more to offer.

Leg 2 Selections: Israr, Surrey Mist

The London Gold Cup is often a good guide for the Royal Meeting and while most of these cannot be ruled out in a wide-open King George V Stakes, ISRAR could be up to making a big impact in this race. This nicely-bred colt, who on debut last September at Doncaster, did well to get up close home to lift the prize at Newbury last time despite a poor-track position and looks ahead of the assessor here. This slightly longer distance should be within range as we wasn’t stopping at the end of his latest victory and Jim Crowley has ridden the winner of this race in the past. Open to further improvement, he has to be considered in this contest for leg two.

SURREY MIST, who was second in that race at Newbury, also boasts a progressive profile and lost little in defeat in his hat-trick bid last month when coming from even further back than the eventual winner to be nearest the finish. He completed a double with plenty to spare on the all-weather beforehand and continued his trend of improvement at Newbury last time, where he produced a power-packed late surge, and was only beaten half-a-length. A 5Ib rise looks quite tolerable and I’m content to trust the overall quality of that latest piece of form, so he represents great value all things considered over this longer trip, which should see him in even better light.

Leg 3 Selections: Magical Lagoon, Life Of Dreams

The Ribblesdale Stakes, which isn’t the most vintage renewal on paper, presents a decent chance for the Jessica-trained MAGICAL LAGOON to showcase her talent. A Group Three winner last season, on just her second career start, she was down the field in the Group 1 Falmouth in the Fillies’ Mile on her only previous trip to the UK but that was a hot contest. She bounced back to form when narrowly denied in a Navan Listed event on her return and that form has received multiple boosts since. Her pedigree points to her relishing this longer distance and, with conditions ideal, this daughter of Galileo is the one to beat here. 

But there is no disguising the credentials of Charlie Appleby’s LIFE OF DREAMS though, who’s got a beautiful pedigree and justified market support when accounting for a big-field quite easily on debut at Newmarket. She built on that impressive performance when a 5½ lengths second of five to subsequent Oaks second Emily Upjohn in Musidora Stakes at York. She’s looked as though she would appreciate a longer trip, so this longer distance here is a major plus. That form-line at York gives her every chance in this race, so it’s difficult to see her not putting up a good show here with more potential than her rivals after just two career starts. 

Leg 4 Selections: Stradivarius, Mojo Star

The Ascot Gold Cup is the feature at Ascot on the card and has attracted a really strong field of ten, including the great STRADIVARIUS, who seeks a fourth win in the race. The eight-year-old looked as good as ever on his return, where he bagged a third win in the Yorkshire Cup and remains one of the best stayers’ we have seen in the modern era. He couldn’t take advantage of the absence of Trueshan twelve months ago but had excuses that day and conditions will be absolutely ideal for him this time round. He should be hard to beat in his quest to rewrite the history books under Frankie. 

Despite coming here without a preparatory outing, MOJO STAR gets the second vote for this leg. This very good colt, who was runner-up in the Derby and the St Leger last year remains the sort to flourish over staying distances. He wasn’t his best in the Arc on his final start last term but that was down to a long-hard season and he’s been freshened up since. He stayed on strongly to finish a good second behind Hurricane Lane last year over a mile and six furlongs and he’s bound to improve as a four-year-old. With the potential to scale great heights in the staying division, he rates a fascinating contender and is overpriced. 

Leg 5 Selections: King Of Time, Amortentia, Malex

Charlie Appleby could hold the aces in the Britannia with two leading contenders in the form of Tranquil Night and KING OF TIME, with preference for the latter who’s the choice of William Buick. Unbeaten in three starts, he overcame trouble in running to win going away from the useful Bullet Force and that performance was backed up by a fast time figure he recorded too. He’s up 7Ib, which asks more of his metal, but a mark of 95 may have underestimated him and, from a good slot in stall 29, he could easily make it four-from-four and prove himself to be a group horse in the making for the boys in blue. 

Joseph O’Brien has a nice chance with AMORTENTIA who put his the experience of his previous three starts into one basket and open his account in good style on his reappearance/handicap debut last month. He has plenty of scope to improve with that outing under his belt and the form of his debut second, when in front of both Changingoftheguard (fifth in the Derby) and Stone Age (sixth in the Derby), makes him look extremely well-handicapped for this race off 93. Granted luck in running, I can see him going close to winning this contest, so he is definite shortlist material for all in this valuable pot on leg four of the pool. 

Another Irish raider, who might carry fewer units than most, which is always beneficial if they can reach frame, is MALEX. He overcame inexperience and greenness to make a winning debut and fared very well when fourth in a Listed event next time, when only a couple of lengths behind subsequent 2000 Irish Guineas runner-up New Energy. He was well beaten behind that rival last time in that latterly-mentioned event but travelled well for a long on the front end and he’s sure to find this a lot easier despite the large field. Rossa Ryan takes over the reins and although stall 1 isn’t the best, his price looks inflated, and I’m happy to put him on today’s ticket as a speculative option, as I’m convinced he’s a lot better than his official mark despite this race looking a minefield to some. 

Leg 6 Selections: Reach For The Moon

The Hampton Court Stakes can go the way of REACH FOR THE MOON, who’s a warm favourite to take this prize. He unfortunately missed the Derby due to a minor setback but made an encouraging effort on his return last time when runner-up in a Listed event at Sandown four weeks ago. This dual Group 1 entrant is officially well clear of this field on ratings and ran a cracker to finish a half-a-length second to Point Lonsdale at this meeting twelve months ago in the Chesham Stakes, when the front two pulled clear of the remainder. 

This son of Sea The Stars has yet to finish outside the top two in all six career starts and should be too good for these if able to run anywhere near his rating. Claymore was a cheap purchase but ran a cracker behind Native Trail in the Craven Stakes on his reappearance and is the main danger. His run in the French 2000 Guineas can easily be excused as he was drawn on the outside. If he can put that run aside, he’s likely to fill the runner-up spot behind the favourite, who gets a confident vote to take this Group Three event in leg six.

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