The Sky Sports Racing presenter is preparing for a big two days on the channel at Ascot and she outlines her fancies for the King George meeting.
Al Azhar to strike at Ascot Friday
After the extreme temperatures earlier in the week, we are thankfully just relying on the action on the track to be hot this weekend. I’m looking forward to heading to Ascot for the cards on Friday and Saturday and having been through both cards with a fine-toothed comb, I’m hopeful I’ve unearthed a winner or two.
The highlight on Friday’s card is the John Guest Racing Handicap at 3.40. Only six horses have been declared for the mile and a half contest and The Whipmaster looks like just one of a number of excellent rides for Ryan Moore on day one of this prestigious meeting. The Gary Moore trained four-year-old is on a roll, having won his last four starts and improving 17lb in the process.
Moore is an eye-catching booking for newcomer Never Just A Dream for Ismail Mohammed in the opening maiden, but I prefer to see this type of horse in the paddock before making a final decision, so you’ll have to tune into Sky Sports Racing for the verdict on this race.
Ryan rides another newcomer in the second race, for two-year-old fillies, so the same comments apply for Ralph Beckett’s runner, Quantum Light. On paper, Clochette is the one to beat here for Andrew Balding and Andrea Atzeni.
Mancini is 19lb below his last winning mark in his bid to win the John Guest Racing Brown Jack Handicap, but that’s because he hasn’t won for two years. Ian Williams is a shrewd trainer though and he hasn’t booked Ryan Moore to make sure he’s kept busy. Mostly Cloudy will be the short-priced favourite for this two-mile handicap having won his last four for rookie trainer Gemma Tutty.
Moore can’t ride in one of the seven races because it’s restricted to Lady Amateur Riders’, his sister Hayley has the bragging rights there, as she’s won that race in the past. I can’t split Alazwar and Carnival Zain in that one.
I do think Ryan can go away with another winner though, as I fancy Al Azhar to win the Slingsby Gin Handicap over a mile and a half. The horse has been a model of consistency for trainer Marcus Tregoning this season and the trainer and jockey have a 25% strike rate when teaming up in the past.
So, it could easily be a case of more, more, Moore on Friday.
Mish to mash King George rivals
What about Saturday then? Well, Ryan Moore rides Broome in the big race of the weekend, the King George V and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes and whilst not completely ruled out, he can only be classed as a lively outsider at best.
This is an incredibly prestigious race, and sees the Classic generation takes on their elders over 1m4f at the highest level for the first time in the season. We are lucky enough to have two of this season’s top Classic performers in the six-runner line up.
Westover is favourite to fly the flag for the three-year-olds and comes here off the back of an impressive win in the Irish Derby last month, and his fellow three-year-old, Emily Upjohn is perhaps unlucky not to be a Classic winner herself, having finished a short-head second in the Oaks at Epsom after a stumbling start.
With an 11lb weight for age allowance it’s easy to make a strong case for the three-year-olds, but it’s worth bearing in mind that since 2000 there have been six winners of this race from that age group and sixteen from the older horses.
Does that open the door for Arc winner Torquator Tasso, Group 1 winner Pyledriver, Broome or high earner Mishriff? In that same order, surely the ground is too fast, just short of this level, in the form of his life but again not quite good enough and, possibly, yes.
To clarify, Mishriff is the horse I’m prepared to take a chance with. At 100/30 with Sky Bet he looks an appealing choice, particularly as he looked unlucky in the Coral-Eclipse last time out and is a versatile and consistent performer at the highest level.
The Gosden stable (also responsible for Emily Upjohn) have won this race five times in the past. James Doyle, who takes the ride on Mishriff for the first time, is enjoying a superb season and is also on the King George roll of honour thanks to the win of Poet’s Word in 2018.
Lovely Jumbly can uphold family honour
Elsewhere on the Ascot card on Saturday, I’ll obviously be cheering on my old fave, Documenting in the Moet & Chandon International Handicap and will no doubt have a pound or two on each-way at 25/1, as Sky Bet are paying seven places.
I’m not sure how often this happens, but the Longines Valiant Stakes (2.25pm) was won in 2012 by Thistle Bird and in 2022 her daughter, Jumbly, is fancied to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Both trained at Beckhampton by Roger (& Harry) Charlton. Jumbly (not to be confused by Jumby who is Sky Bet’s 4/1 favourite to win the aforementioned International Handicap) is 100/30 second favourite to win this Group 3 over a mile. Confused yet?! If Sandringham Handicap runner-up Zanbaq has come out of her Royal Ascot exertions ok, she’ll be a tough opponent and may spoil the party.
The Flexjet Pat Eddery Stakes usually throws up a smart juvenile with the likes of Toronado and Chindit winning for Richard Hannon(s) in the past. Once-raced winner Bajan Bandit represent the yard this year. Charlie Appleby has won two of the past three renewals, and Naval Power is bidding to make it three wins from three starts for the trainer in 2022.
It should be a cracking two days and I’m looking forward to bringing you all the action with our top team on Sky Sports Racing. Also, keep a close eye on the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival Tipping Challenge. As promised, there are winners aplenty coming from those involved, with Oli Bell bossing things at the time of writing. A nice winner for me on Wednesday has saved face so far, with a steady third place in the table. It finishes at Pontefract on Sunday.
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