Tote Placepot Tips for Friday's Racing at Royal Ascot

Leg 1 Selections: Mawj, Believing, Powerdress 

Meditate remained unbeaten when following up her debut victory in a Group Three last month but this year’s Albany looks red-hot and I will take her on with three fillies’ who could really make a deep impression in this grade. Firstly MAWJ, who was impressive on debut, and recorded a very good RPR, so has to be included with more to come. 

But the outcome of that race might have been a little different if BELIEVING had a clear run, who was denied a passage twice, but stayed on strongly once in the open to be a clear second. She then built on that promise to score comfortably at Wolverhampton and her performance proved how good she is, given she blew the start by about 10 lengths but made up all the ground to win going away in the closing stages. 

James Doyle, who was in the saddle that day, is retained to ride and she’s drawn well in stall e11 too. I really don’t think there’s much between herself and the Godolphin filly, so while this is very competitive, she could be a serious player at huge odds for George Boughey in the hope we can eliminate the favourite.

I want to cover this race with eye-catching debutant winner POWERDRESS though, who did very well to overhaul the speedy Yahsat at Newmarket back in April. There’s every indication she will have taken a step forward from that experience and she could therefore offer some value against the big pair in the betting. For placepot purposes, I am happy to play these three against the field in the opener for leg one. 

Leg 2 Selections: El Caballo, Go Bears Go

There’s a really strong line-up for the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup and the one who’s on an absolute warpath in terms of success is the Karl Burke-trained EL CABALLO. Since finishing a close-up second on debut, this ultra-tough sprinter has not looked back, winning six on the bounce, and was last seen taking the scalp of some big reputations in the Group Two Sandy Lane Stakes. He doesn’t win easily in his races, but he finds loads for pressure, and this stiff finish should play into his hands. 

Additionally, he’s drawn very well in stall 20, which should allow him to bag the near side rail and, with even more to offer, he should make a bold bid to extend his winning sequence at the top level. 

GO BEARS GO was very smart as a juvenile, winning a Group Two and also finished third in a Group One in Ireland. He looked in great form when scoring over course-and-distance in a trial race for this on his return and shaped better than the bare result when fourth in the Sandy Lane behind the former. He almost fell out of the gates that day but did remarkably well to recover and stayed on powerfully in the closing stages to be hot on the heels of the front three. 

He was also a close-up second in the Norfolk at this meeting last year, faring best of those drawn low, pushing Richard Fahey’s Perfect Power to within a head. It is transparent that he has been trained specifically for this race and he looks a bona fide choice for the placepot. 

Leg 3 Selections: Trawlerman, Moktasaab, Ajero

The Duke Of Edinburgh Stake looks a tricky-looking race but while we haven’t seen him a lot, TRAWLERMAN could turn out to be a lot better than a handicapper and a mark of 98 on the turf looks more than manageable. He returned with a career-best performance to win at Chelmsford a couple of months ago and recorded quite a good time figure. 

His penultimate sixth, in a Group Three, reads really good form as that race featured a Derby winner, a Tattersalls Gold Cup winner, an Irish Derby runner-up and a Breeders’ Cup winner. This is by far easier, dropped into a handicap and, with the potential to rank higher, he must have excellent prospects of delivering the goods under Frankie Dettori who could do with a change of luck.

MOKTASAAB ran to a useful level of form when formerly trained by Owen Burrows but has looked a completely different model since he joined William Knight, making it two-from-two for the season in April at Goodwood under Callum Shepherd. He wasn’t disgraced when sixth at Epsom last time, where he didn’t get a clear run, but kept on strongly in the clear to be nearest the finish. I think he’ll improve for the combination of a step up in trip back on this quicker ground and is a contender.

An opening handicap mark of 89 could seriously underestimate AJERO, who has made a positive start on the Flat, finishing runner-up three times and ran a very good race two starts ago behind Francesco Clemente. Kim Bailey’s charge is interesting off bottom-weight and completes the shortlist for leg three.

Leg 4 Selections: Mangoustine, Inspiral

The Group 1 Coronation Stakes has the potential to be one of the races of the week with quality performers up and down the field but I really like the angle of the French 1,000 Guineas form. The winner of that race was MANGOUSTINE who took her career record to three from four and should have more to come on her first start in Britain. 

She showed a fine attitude to collect the spoils in her first Group 1 start last time, where she travelled well, quickened to the lead and dug deep when it mattered most to beat English 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet. My only concern would be stall one but she’s intelligent, has a good turn of foot and the French have an excellent record in this race, so she looks ready to make her presence felt here.

It would be quite foolish to not put INSPIRAL into the list despite an interrupted preparation. She is four-from-four and looked brilliant when winning the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile, in which she comfortably dispatched Prosperous Voyage. In addition, that form was advertised by the second, who went close in the 1,000 Guineas on her reappearance. 

For sure, this won’t be easy for her on her return, but she sets a high standard and if she returns in the same sort of form when we last saw her, she should be more than capable of at least reaching the frame. I like the American horse Pizza Bianca but, given this is for placepot purposes only, I’ll stick with the other two in the hope we can get past the halfway stage here. 

Leg 5 Selections: Zanbaq, Washraa

The Sandringham Stakes, the fifth leg, is never the easiest puzzle to solve but I was taken with the way ZANBAQ went about her business when making two wins from just three starts last month. Although required to carry joint top-weight here, she’s an improving mare, who ran well at Goodwood two starts back to take third in a Listed event. That form has been boosted, as the first and second went and finished first and sixth in a Group Three at Epsom. On a line through that form, she looks pretty well-treated off 99 and this galloping track should suit. 

Also, she’s been granted a favourable draw in stall 17 and conditions couldn’t be better so while a personal best is needed to come out on top, she’s worth a reasonable invite into the list with hope that Jim Crowley, who’s been riding ever so well this week, can get her into a top four finish. 

WASHRAA, a daughter of the classy Ribchester, has improved with each start, and recorded her second win in succession at Nottingham last time. I thought she won with much more in hand than the one length margin suggested and is another in-form rival who has been drawn very well in stall 19. Owen Burrows’ plots his handicappers very well throughout the season and this filly has only gone up three-pounds for that latest victory which seems lenient. 

There’s a good chance she could go well in this deeper grade as that was her turf debut and she looked at home on the good ground. Andrea Atzeni maintains the partnership, which is a good sign, and if able to continue her upward-curve, she could pose a threat here. 

Leg 6 Selections: Ottoman Fleet 

This looks like a shootout between the front three in the market but I’ll go into this race with just the one choice in the shape of OTTOMAN FLEET for the boys in blue. He went very close on debut when second and overcame difficulties to go one better next time at Newmarket. This longer distance should be well within his compass and William Buick is riding very well too. 

He is the least experienced in the field but has the most scope to improve and this course should hopefully suit his style of racing. His two nearest pursuers, who are trained by Aidan O’Brien and William Haggas, are good horses and have obvious chances but I’m optimistic the Godolphin team-member will improve past both over this distance and gets quite a confident vote to shine in this small but select field.

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