WORD IN YOUR EAR!
Stoute’s set to seal sixth win
POET’S Word is our 15-8 favourite to provide Sir Michael Stoute with a record sixth victory in today’s King George at Ascot (3.40).
Winner of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes over 1m2f last time, Stoute’s charge has usurped his stablemate, Crystal Ocean, at the top of the market such is the momentum of support behind James Doyle’s mount.
But Crystal Ocean is looking to emulate Harbinger, who won the Hardwicke en-route to King George success in 2010 and this well bred colt has won five from nine races.
It is interesting he has taken a walk in the market despite being better suited to this trip than Poet’s Word.
But, and it’s a big but, Cracksman is a tough nut to crack on his day and we have him generously priced at 5-2 with the return to this distance very much in his favour.
In the International Stakes at 3.00, Makzeem heads the betting at 7-1 for Roger Charlton but he was a beaten favourite in this last year and is poorly handicapped.
So he’s opposable in favour of Shady McCoy who has been nibbled into 14-1 from 18-1 and has the services of Silvestre de Sousa who is currently riding to a 23 per cent strike rate.
Others that Unibet have seen cash for include Spanish City (16-1) and recent Chester winner Oh This Is Us (18-1) for Unibet ambassador Richard Hannon. There’s plenty of horsepower in the Porsche Handicap at 2.25 where Escalator has been the best backed at 5-1. But Corrosive, representing Hugo Palmer, is the one we fear most and he’s our biggest liability at 13-2.
At a bigger price, Scottish raider, Party Fears Too is the one each way punters have wagered on.
In the opener at 1.50, Royal Intervention has been the steamer of the week and if you can get 9-4 this morning you’ll be doing well as Ed Walker’s charge was originally 8-1.
One-time Classic hope Elarqam bids to get his career back on track in the York Stakes at 3.15.
This is a much easier opportunity than his previous two races and punters are not deserting Jim Crowley’s mount at 7-4.
Glorious Goodwood kicks off on Tuesday and Unibet, who are joint official betting partners, have already laid significant bets on last season’s Vintage Stakes hero Expert Eye, who was supplemented for the Sussex Stakes on Wednesday.
An Ascot Gold Cup rematch looks on the cards on Tuesday with Stradivarius renewing rivalry with his royal foe and he’s odds on to gain back to back wins in the Goodwood equivalent at 3.35.