Friday Royal Ascot Tips from Andy Holding

A race where Meditate and Mawj take a huge chuck out of the market, but whether their respective speed figures they’ve achieved so far to date afford them as much respect as the layers suggest is open to debate. BEAUTIFUL EYES (best price 40/1) and ELVENIA (best price 33/1), on the other hand, however, have posted the sort of numbers which intimate they might be up to the standard required and, as a result, they are well worth an interest at their generous-looking morning odds.

The former has already dipped her bread in pattern company and having acquitted herself with distinction in a hot renewal of the Margate at York, it’s hard to see why she’s chalked up at 40-1. Her tendency to drift to the left is a little bit of concern, but on the plus side she does shape as though she will improve for the trip and she also represents a team in good order with their juveniles.

The latter is one of the unknown quantities of the race, but she’s already shown a good degree of class and tenaciousness in victory on her debut at Newcastle. Looking in trouble over a furlong out at the Gosforth Park venue, she ultimately proved too strong for a horse with plenty of experience and given that five-furlongs appeared the minimum of her requirements, her performance has to go down an extremely promising one.

One of only two juveniles to run at the meeting for a trainer who normally has more representatives, the significance of that may become a good deal more obvious come 2.35. Others to mention are Beautiful Aisling, who would have won at Chelmsford last time but for blowing the home turn, and Lady Bullet who has rather gone under the radar according to the betting despite being impressive on both her two starts to date.

A cracking renewal of a race that has become extremely fashionable since its inception and with both EHRAZ (best price 6/1) and GO BEARS GO (best price 9/1) bringing strong C&D form to the table, they are worth playing against the field.

The former was behind his old rival to the tune of three lengths in the Pavilion Stakes here back in April, but being as though he looked badly in need of the run on his first outing for 252-days (hadn’t come in his coat), a decent amount of slack can be afforded in his direction. Nicely-backed to prove a totally different proposition at Newbury last time, he certainly lived up to the pre-race vibes, and if it wasn’t for having to challenge away from where the main action took place down the middle of the track, he may have got all the sweets.

Still, that agonising defeat will have served the purpose of putting him spot on for a tilt at his ultimate target and with fast ground, course experience and potentially favourable draw (most of the jockeys tended to edge towards middle to far side on straight track yesterday), the son of Showcasing can go a long way to provide his trainer with a change of fortune here this week.

Connections of the latter are probably still seething after not getting the Norfolk Stakes in the stewards’ room, but they have a decent chance of compensation in this contest. A good winner in a fast time on his seasonal bow, that victory took his C&D record to 121 and you can forget his last run at Haydock on account of him stumbling badly out of the stalls. A hugely likeable and consistent colt

who has more solid credentials than most, the son of Kodi Bear makes plenty of each-way appeal his morning odds.

The normal low bias hoodoo from the 1m4f gate was banished here yesterday (first two home drawn 8 and 3), so with that in mind, both MASHHOOR (best price 9/1) and TRAWLERMAN (best price 5/1) can take advantage of how the round track is riding at the Berkshire venue this week.

The former was entered up in the Wolferton earlier this week, which is an indication of highly he is regarded by connections, and after analysing his latest victory at The Curragh several weeks ago, it’s easy to see why he would be thought of in that way.

The way he quickened up when the gap appeared at the Co Kildare venue marked him down as a horse who could take his game to another level and that view was backed up by his final three furlong sectionals compared to the likes of Brad The Brief and Native Trail. Likely to chart the brave man’s route around the inner, he will be a danger to all in he gets the breaks at the right time down the lane.

It’s fair to say Messrs Dettori and Gosden haven’t had to rub of the green here so far this week, but in the shape of the son of Golden Horn, their luck might be about to change. Considered a possible Derby horse last season, the four-year-old failed in his bid to book himself a place at Epsom, but when you consider he was up against the likes of Alenquer, Adayar, Yibir and Lone Eagle in the Sandown trial, he probably ran a good deal better than feared at the time.

Off for a year when making a return to action at Chelmsford a month ago, the combination of racing wide and expending plenty of energy would have derailed a lesser mortal, so the fact he managed to stay on as strongly as he did late on, suggests he has a big engine to match his undoubted class. Providing Frankie’s mind isn’t scrambled too much after a chastening week and he can work his way into a position whereby he’s within striking distance turning for home, the Italian maestro might just have his moment he’s been waiting for.

Inspiral is without doubt the biggest attraction in this field and if on-song after her break, she looks the one to beat based on her two-year-old form. That said, with John Gosden stressing that she will be all the better for the run, she’s just too big a risk at the prices and she is passed over in favour of stable mate, GRANDE DAME (best price 14/1).

One of the most inexperienced members of the field, she has, however, already proven her suitability to today’s C&D with a notable success on her debut and she went on to better that initial effort on the figures at York last time. In what turned out to be an extremely well-run listed affair, the daughter Lope De Vega posted a big speed figure in defeat and if it wasn’t for the fact she was asked to make up a huge amount of ground in the home straight, she may have remained unbeaten.

However, that hard-knocking effort would have done wonders for her mental fortitude going forward and with today’s race likely to be run along the same lines in terms of pace, the scopey filly is easily good enough to cause an upset.

Charlie Fellows knows what it takes to plunder this prize having won it with Thanks Be and Onassis in recent times and in the shape of FRESH HOPE (NAP) (best price 7/1), there’s a decent chance the Newmarket handler can add to his already impressive tally.

Not quite seeing out the trip on her seasonal bow at Wetherby back in April, her performance that day doesn’t look too bad on paper in light of what the winner went on to achieve next time and it was a platform for her to go two places better at Doncaster last time out.

Despite being hampered at the start, the daughter of New Approach recovered to race nicely on the bridle in rear and then when asked to go about her work at the business end, she found plenty for pressure to get up close home. Impressing with the way she cruised through strong fractions on Town Moor, her hold-up style is tailor made for how races at today’s straight track often pan out and with her draw over towards the far side seen as no disadvantage based on what we saw here yesterday, the tall, rangy filly makes a huge amount of appeal at his morning odds.

GALERON (best price 3/1) made a pleasing start to his racing career despite doing a good bit wrong and with that initial experience unlikely to be lost on Charlie Hills’ colt, he makes of sense returning to the scene of that C&D effort.

Coming out of the gates as if one of the stalls’ handler’s was still holding his tail, the son of Camacho found himself well in rear through the early exchanges and that remained the case until halfway. From that point onwards, however, he really began to engage top gear and although he ultimately couldn’t quite get on terms with the main players, it was clear to see he harboured plenty of natural ability.

Given the speed figure of the race and the winner going on to run a blinder in the Coventry at Royal Ascot, there’s a case to be made his form is as strong as the favourite’s and with distinct possibility there will be even more to come second time around, he rates as easily the best value on offer at the morning prices.

RETURN TO DUBAI (best price 3/1) and Cosmic Desert were heavily involved in an extremely hot novice event at Lingfield and with the former coming out on top on merit, he rates the value call to uphold the form against his old rival.

Tracking the pace set by his Cosmic Desert, Saeed Bin Suroor’s colt had no trouble holding his position in light of the strong fractions and although he ended up being just run out of the argument by the fast-finishing Goemon, he maintained the gallop all the way to the line to finish an honourable second.

Since the speed figure was so good, it’s come as little surprise to see the form already given to work out (fifth horse won since) and with the cheekpieces on for the first-time, the son of Ribchester can provide his in-form handler with another winner.