Saturday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

The Ralph Beckett trained LEZOO (best priced at 15/8) was really unlucky not to win the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket last time but as a result she escapes a 5lb penalty in this race. She won at Bath on her debut before winning a listed race at Newmarket in impressive style on her next start which meant she was sent off 15/8 favourite for the Group 2 last time. She travelled well into the contest that day but was carried across the track by the winner Mawj and eventually only lost by ½ length at the finish.

Lezoo faces impressive novice winners Glenlaurel, Royal Charter and Palm Lily but I think the main danger will come from Kinta who has been impressive on both her starts on the AW. With a deserved rating of 101 though I do feel that Lezoo will prove hard to beat and she should win this Group 3 under Frankie Dettori.

Last year’s winner VENTUROUS (best priced at 10/1) has shortened considerably in price since the markets opened for this race but I do feel he is still worth backing for this Sky Bet Dash handicap. The David & Nicola Barron trained nine-year-old won this race off a mark of 95 having run four times over 5f in the build up to the race and he is now down to a mark of 93 having run over 5f on his previous three starts once again.

Venturous was only beaten 2 ½ lengths over 5f last time at Ascot staying on well at the finish and this step back up to 6f will suit him well and he looks a complete plot for this race once again.

With bookmakers offering up to seven places on the Moet & Chandon International handicap this year I am happy to go double handed in the race.

The first selection is DARK SHIFT (best priced at 5/1) who won the Royal Hunt Cup for us earlier this season and shouldn’t be inconvenienced by this drop back in trip to 7f. The Charlie Hills trained colt has a fantastic record at Ascot with form figures of 141101 with his only disappointing effort coming when drawn on the wrong side in the Victoria Cup. The handicapper has raised Dark Shift 6lbs for his Royal Ascot success but that is fair and William Buick will have the choice of where he wants to be from Stall 10.

The second selection is another previous Royal Ascot winner in the shape of TACTICAL (best priced at 10/1) for The Queen. The Andrew Balding trained four-year-old won the Windsor Castle Stakes as a two-year-old before only finishing 2 ¼ lengths behind the winner Inver Park in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at the Royal Meeting this year. He found a mile too far in the Summer Mile here last time when weakening into 4th behind Chindit and this drop back in trip to 7f should suit him well. Ryan Moore is back on board and he should run well if he isn’t inconvenienced by Stall 2.

Despite there only being six runners for the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes this year, it looks a high class renewal. I feel the market is overestimating the classic form on offer from Westover and Emily Upjohn and instead my preference goes to the John & Thady Gosden trained MISHRIFF NAP (best priced at 10/3). The five-year-old won the French Derby as a three-year-old before winning the Dubai Sheema Classic over 1m4f on his reappearance last season. He finished only 1 ¾ lengths behind Adayar in this race last season before winning the Juddmonte International in impressive style on his next start by 6 lengths which earnt him a rating of 127.

Mishriff reappeared in the Coral Eclipse again this year and arguably was unlucky not to win the race as he was denied a clear run at a crucial stage but he still managed to finish only a neck behind Vadeni. If this turns into a tactical affair as these small fields can do, then that should suit Mishriff and I am hoping this will continue the good season for James Doyle who deputises on the horse.

The Sir Mark Prescott stable have been in fantastic form recently with five winners from ten runners in the previous two weeks and I am hoping SEA KING (best priced at 6/4) can bounce back to form here. The three-year-old ended last season with an impressive 3 ¾ length victory in a novice race at this course before winning a Doncaster handicap easily on his reappearance.

Sea King was sent off joint favourite for the bet365 Handicap at Haydock earlier this month but he wasn’t suited by the soft ground that day and he should be able to bounce back off the same mark in this race. He drops back in class to a Class 3 0-95 handicap and it is interesting that he still holds an entry for the St Leger later in the season. Connections clearly still hold him in high regard and I expect him to prove hard to beat back on the AW.