A double on day one, a treble on day two and another treble on day three at Royal Ascot for man of the moment Ryan Moore, what a jockey he is, and it could have even been another if he had gotten a bit more luck in running in the feature on Kingfisher. Pandora ran a shocker and was eased right out of it as if something was amiss - better was expected. Curvy was the winner - frustrating as I had it between the two. The big handicap I also liked two but went with the wrong one again, Emirates Airline never involved, Rotherwick my other fancy ran a big race for fifth in the Britannia. Scottish ran a screamer in the last but just couldn't quite get up, nice horse to keep onside. Overall ended the day with a small loss but as it was only half stakes not too much damage done at all. On to day four where I've gone for a huge Johnston double and an overpriced Ralph Beckett filly.
The Albany is a total minefield and it's becoming a cliche this week but I usually try and avoid these events unless one really stands out. Illuminate, the favourite, was given a glowing reference by her trainer earlier in the week and could well turn out to be a very nice filly but there are seven other horses that have ran just once and won so 3/1 isn't the type of price I would take in a field like this with so many unknowns. Races like these aren't shy of throwing up a few big priced winners and I'm hopeful of more of the same this year. Miss Moneypenny is the horse in question. She ran an encouraging race on debut running on strongly close home after being badly bumped coming out of the stalls and the winner advertised the form with a very bold showing in the Queen Mary earlier in the week. She then progressed to win her maiden on her second start before being chucked in the deep end at Epsom in the Woodcote. Buratino formlines are working out well already and the subsequent Coventry winner dotted up there but this filly was in the mix for the places behind. That was a solid run and Beckett doesn't enter his horses unless he thinks they have a genuine chance of bringing home some prize money. She's related to 2yo 6f Group 1 winners and while she probably isn't quite up to that level herself, she can put her experience to good use here and shouldn't mind the open track having run at HQ on debut. Don't get me wrong, she is an outsider, if she was 20-25/1 I would have probably thought fair enough and passed her over. However, at 50/1 I can't resist a very small each way punt although being paid only three places is very frustrating in a race like this. Just a tickle for me and the IWAC for day four.
The penultimate race on day four is a mile and a half handicap and the one I like the look of is Mark Johnston's Watersmeet. They grey son of Dansili has shown significant improvement this year rising through the handicap to the tune of 26lbs. His improvement is showing no signs of stopping and despite being up in the weights he can give Joe Fanning his first winner of the week. He completed a quick-fire hattrick at the start of the season before looking the likely winner 1f out in a competitive Newmarket handicap before hanging terribly inside the final furlong and completely throwing the race away. His tendency to hang is a slight negative, especially at a wide open track like Ascot but he was better last time when resuming his progress winning a similar handicap to this one, beating a very decent field. While he probably needs to improve a few pounds again, the front runner is the one to go with each way with bookmakers paying four places and will need a very good showing here if he is to take up his engagement in a Newmarket Group 2 next month. I make him the best each way bet of the day and he gets the NAP treatment.
Vive Ma Fille has been quietly progressing at what in time may have turned out to be an inadequate trip. She has been screaming for a step up in distance, shown clearly by her last run where she was badly outpaced before rallying well and finishing with a rattle to come 2nd by the reopposing winner (who looks pricey at 66/1). She has long been under consideration for a run at Royal Ascot and connections clearly feel they have seen enough to warrant a place here. She has a few pounds to find but this new trip can be the making of her and she can make a bold bid for the same trainer/jockey that won this race last year with a similar horse moving up in trip from around 1m4f. How Aloft can be bordering even money is a farce, only ever raced at a mile and been off 237 days - also the trainer has turned to a tongue tie and cheekpeices - hardly encouraging and despite posessing the best form as a 2yo he is a joke of a price in my opinion. That said Moore/O'Brien are in scintillating form so may let this one get away without pressing the pink button. Fabricate I am more worried about, progressive, well regarded and likely to stay but with that one at 7/1 and this filly at 33/1 I know what I'll be backing.
Selections:
14.30 Albany Stakes - Miss Moneypenny 50/1 each way
17.00 DOE Stakes - Watersmeet 14/1 each way (4 places)
17.35 Queens Vase - Vive Ma Fille 33/1 each way
THT
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