JAPANESE RAIDER IN GLORY BID
After a damp and dank opening day of the royal meeting, racegoers will be hoping to catch a glimpse of the sun today and it may prove one of the rising variety when
(Ascot, 4.20) carries the hopes of a nation in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.
the son of Deep Impact will attempt to become the first Japanese winner at royal Ascot when he tackles this afternoon’s feature and, if his latest performance at Chantilly is to be believed, the four-yearold has little to fear from today’s rivals.
Heavy ground was a concern for A Shin Hikari prior to the Prix d’Isphan, but he made a mockery of those reservations by striding majestically clear to rout a quality field under a hands-and-heels ride from Yutaka take.
It is fair to say that one or two of the selection’s rivals didn’t fire that day, but it is wrong to denigrate the performance as all of A Shin Hikari’s previous nine wins have come on a sound surface so he was overcoming more issues than most, not least winning after a lengthy break.
Unfortunately, today’s race has fallen apart for punting purposes and there could be the likelihood of further withdrawals should further showers hit Ascot with the Grey Gatsby unlikely to find the Berkshire terrain to his liking.
However, a miserly price shouldn’t stop race fans revelling in the fascinating prospect of watching yet another truly international winner following tepin’s historic success in yesterday’s Queen Anne Stakes. Adam Kirby enjoyed a dream day when he lifted the King’s Stand Stakes aboard Profitable just a couple of hours after becoming a father.
With those momentous achievements behind him, Kirby should be riding with plenty of confidence and he might need it aboard BATTLE OF MARATHON (Ascot, nap, 5.00) who is a sporting nap to land the royal Hunt Cup.
John ryan’s four-year-old has run excellent races on soft ground all season, not least when beaten less than a length in the Lincoln by Secret Brief and last time when failing narrowly to overhaul Ascot specialist GM Hopkins.
Admittedly, the selection does take some motivating, but he is a strong stayer at a mile and had Decorated Knight behind at Ascot. that rival has since won a Goodwood Listed contest and finished second in an epsom Group three to lend the form a solid look.