Royal value
PAUL JACOBS CASTS HIS EYE OVER WHERE MONEY CAN BE MADE AT ASCOT THIS WEEK
PREVIOUS GLORY: Mum’s Tipple, ridden by Ryan Moore, wins The Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes at York’s Ebor meeting in 2019
LIFE is made so much simpler when we have a solid weather forecast and with the sun set to shine all through the Royal meeting this week, I anticipate ground on the fast side of good in next to no time.
I have avoided anything set to run at less than 10-1 in order to find the best value among the relative outsiders during the five days.
TUESDAY
There should be a double-figure field in the King’s Stand Stakes (3.40) and with Golden Pal, Nature Strip and Tis Mervellous likely to set a hot pace I fancy a big-price runner to hit the frame late on.
Last year’s runner-up Arecibo and MONDAMMEJ fit the bill.
There was little between them in both the Palace House and Temple Stakes but the selection is that bit bigger in the betting and can make the first four at 66-1 with a late rush.
WEDNESDAY
If he gets into the Hunt Cup (5.00), which is touch and go at the time of writing, then last year’s Cambridgeshire fifth FASTNET CROWN is a massive each-way play for Michael O’Callaghan.
He has always been at his best in the hustle and bustle of a big field.
But if the Irish raider doesn’t make the cut, then Godolphin’s SOFT WHISPER is the play of the day in the Kensington Palace Handicap Stakes (6.10).
A course and distance winner already this year, the daughter of Dubawi should go well under a 4lbs penalty if getting the luck of the draw.
THURSDAY
The Gold Cup field (4.20) could be diminished by the quickening ground and that could see a smaller field than expected line-up for the feature event of the week, which could help something like RODRIGO DIAZ hit the frame.
He was only a length behind Quickthorn in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown Park yet is a 33-1 shot.
And the drying ground will pose no problems for the runner trained by David Simcock (below).
FRIDAY
The Commonwealth Cup (3.05) looks wide open and a chance is taken with French raider SLIPSTREAM.
He was a smooth winner of the Palisades Stakes at April’s Keeneland Festival. Christophe Clement seems to have found the key to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf sixth, namely running him over sprint trips on a fast surface. He has been overlooked at around 16-1.
SATURDAY
With 88 entries at the time of writing, the Wokingham Handicap is desperately hard to predict but the fair weather forecast helps.
The lightly raced Deodar is of obvious interest off a mark of 98 but even better value could come in the form of
A cracking two-year-old, the handicapper has taken his time to relinquish his grip on the five-year-old.
But a rating of 96 looks fair enough and a fast-run six furlongs should play to his strengths so grab the 40-1 on offer at the moment.