A scintillating five days racing are in order with several of the world's best horses on show. Filled with mouthwatering clashes, potential superstars and multiple Group 1 winning performers strutting their stuff - it is sure to live up to it's reputation yet again. Here are my selections for Day 1 of the best flat racing festival in the world.
Godolphin have a strong hand on the opening day of the festival with Night Of Thunder and the more intriguing Steady Pace hoping to give the boys in blue a better time of it than last year with just the one winner over the five days in a handicap. That said, I was really taken aback with Buratino's performace in the Woodcote at the Derby meeting, especially as he missed the break and was then a little keen early on. Despite that race not usually being associated with Coventry winners, he has always been held in the highest regard by his trainer who has an exceptional bunch of 2yos at his disposal. The way he travelled and then sprinted clear was very much in the style of a Coventry winner in my mind. Ascot, is of course a very different track but he ran well here on his second start and also won well at Newmarket so he should handle it just fine. The market for this race is formed upon hype and potential, but this fellow has arguably the best form on offer and can improve further still. At 8/1, he rates the best each way bet on Day 1 to me.
Sole Power can make history by winning the sprint for a third time, and with 4/1 still available in a place or two, he is well worth backing to do just that. Despite being an 8yo now, he is still one of the fastest horses in the world and looks too classy for the rest of these. You can completely ignore his reappearance run, 6f on soft ground was never going to suit him and he wasn't knocked about either. 5f on rattling ground is ideal and he loves Ascot, in my mind he's a 9/4 shot and even that's being generous. Muthmir ran a career best last time and he looks the only real danger, though hasn't run here before and has flopped on big wide open tracks in the past - it's Sole Power's to lose.
Noble Silk has always promised a big handicap prize and this could be his day in the 2m4f Ascot Stakes. He shapes as if this new trip will bring the best out of him, usually galloping on strongly in the closing stages from well off the pace. He will come on a bunch for his reappearance when he wasn't knocked about and that will have him set up perfectly for this. Oisin Murphy has ridden him twice before, winning last time he was in the saddle. He has course form too having come 3rd over an inadequate trip doing all his best work at the finish. He likes to weave his way through a big field and this race should really suit him. He will be coming through the field late, and at a general 25/1 but still 33/1 in a place, he rates a cracking each way proposition with firms paying four places. Fun Mac may be the one to be most wary of judged by his demolition job on reappearance - this new trip could help him too but at 7/1 vs this fella at 33/1, it's a no brainer.
Selections:
3.05 Coventry Stakes: Buratino 8/1 each way - WINNER
3.40 King's Stand Stakes: Sole Power 4/1
5.00 Ascot Stakes: Noble Silk 33/1 each way (4 places) PLACED
THT
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