Friday Royal Ascot Placepot Tips from Architect

Leg 1 Selections: Porta Fortuna, Soprano

An excellent instalment of the Albany and I am playing three against the field. PORTA FORTUNA won under hands-and-heels on debut at the Curragh and then kept her unbeaten firmly intact when her turn of foot won her a Group 3 at Naas last month. 

The runner-up Navassa Island was making her debut and did well to make up the ground but I think she was flattered as the winner seemed to idle. I am inclined to think Donnacha O’Brien’s filly will confirm her superiority here plus she has the services of Frankie Dettori, which adds further confidence about her chances. From a good draw in stall 8, she is sure to be competitive. 

SOPRANO is a daughter of the speedy Starspangledbanner and looked a good prospect herself last-time-out at Newmarket, where she handled the undulations of the course and preliminaries very well and beat Midnight Affair with plenty up her sleeve. The second has boosted the form since by winning at Beverley and running well in the Queen Mary and George Boughey has consistently praised her, even before her debut. 

Leg 2 Selections: Lezoo, Little Big Bear 

LEZOO could offer a bit of value, who only tasted defeat once as a two-year-old and that came when marginally edged out by Mawj in the Duchess of Cambridge at the July meeting who she had previously beaten in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes and that is strong form in the context of this assignment. 

She was never going to get a mile in the 1000 Guineas on her return but travelled well throughout and that should have put her spot on for her return to a sprint distance. She’s a course-and-distance with Group 1-winning form to her name and could be yet another winner for Frankie Dettori this week, who knows her well. 

LITTLE BIG BEAR returned to winning ways when back over a sprint distance last-time-out and the form of his win in the Phoenix Stakes when beating Bradsell is strong given the latter won the King’s Stand earlier this week. He is the top-rated runner in the field and should be more than capable of at least making the frame. 

Leg 3 Selections: Nagano, Jack Darcy 

NAGANO hasn’t been seen for a long time but fitness might not be an issue and this five-year-old signed off his previous campaign with a head second in a Group 3 contest. He had previously beaten the now-115 rated Siskany at Goodwood and on the balance of that form, he is no doubt better than a mark of 100, while his defeat of the 107-rated Peter The Great at Newcastle also reads well. 

He ran very well at the Royal meeting last year, finishing sixth of 17 in the King George V Stakes over course-and-distance and would have at least made the frame without being badly hampered a furlong from the finish when just about to hit full stride. With the likelihood he is ready to go, he’s a big player at nice odds. 

JACK DARCY has been highly-tried by connections so far in his career and four of his last five outings have been in Listed events. He makes his handicap debut off a mark of 104 which might seem high at first glance but his rider takes off seven pounds to help matters, so he’s not badly treated on the face of it and the form of his second to Lassaut in a Listed race in France is solid given the winner is rated 110+ in his home continent. 

Not only that, but if you go further back in his form, he ran very well to finish fourth in a high-quality Group 3 contest at Goodwood, beaten under four lengths. In front of him was Hoo Ya Mal in third, who was second in the Epsom Derby on his penultimate start, in second was Deauville Legend, who was last seen winning the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes and in first was New London, who was second in the St Leger last-time-out. 

All three who were in front of him are rated 111+, while in behind was Cresta, West Wind Blows and Qareem, who have all advertised the form as well. Clearly, Paul and Oliver Cole’s charge ran a blinder that day and that is the sort of ability and class that he has, that he’s able to mix it with pattern-class horses at his best. 

He wasn’t beaten far in a Listed event on his reappearance at Goodwood having cut out the early fractions and his fitness should be about peak now with that run under his belt which ought to have blown away the cobwebs.

Leg 4 Selections: Tahiyra

The Coronation Stakes can go to the Dermot Weld-trained TAHIYRA, who ran so well on her return when just edged out my the race-fit Mawj in the 1000 Guineas when the pair pulled clear with Meditate back in sixth and then beat the latter easily when going one better in the Irish version when last seen. 

She is a filly of the highest-quality and is clear of these on both form and ratings. She is a worthy red-hot favourite and can claim a third Group 1 success of her career. If anything, I would have her even shorter in the betting to be honest with Mawj now out of the race, as she is in a different league to these. This is hers to lose. 

Leg 5 Selections: Bellaphina, Clounmacon

The Irish could well dominate the Sandringham despite the presence of some well-handicapped British-trained runners. BELLAPHINA placed in both starts last year and has raised her game this year, winning both starts in the manner of a much-improved filly. 

In the latest of those wins, she beat CLOUNMACON, who she meets again. I do fancy the latter to run very well too, who came close to beating the former on her handicap debut. However, the former has only been raised three pounds for winning on her handicap debut and sneaks in here near the foot of the weights.  

The latter travelled well and stayed on strongly to be narrowly beaten last time and is sure to improve. Her trainer Johnny Murtagh won this race two years ago with a horse who contested that same race at the Curragh prior to this contest, so this has obviously been the plan plus an excellent US jockey takes the ride. She makes plenty of appeal. 

The latter travelled well and stayed on strongly to be narrowly beaten last time and is sure to improve. Her trainer Johnny Murtagh won this race two years ago with a horse who contested that same race at the Curragh prior to this contest, so this has obviously been the plan plus an excellent US jockey takes the ride. She makes plenty of appeal. 

Leg 6 Selections: King Of Steel, Artistic Star

KING OF STEEL ran a huge race to finish second in the Epsom Derby but I’m not sure this course will suit him as much. Even so, he is the one to beat and could outclass but I do fancy the chances of ARTISTIC STAR, who was back in seventh in the Epsom Derby, to potentially reverse the form. 

Ralph Beckett’s charge looked a touch inexperienced in the big race at Epsom, as he was outpaced before staying on strongly inside the final couple of furlongs and that experience will have done him the world of good. I was impressed with his first couple of wins and he is fancied to get back on the scoresheet.