Our form expert is back to preview Saturday's ITV Racing from Ascot and York on King George day and he has four selections.
The Verdict: Saturday July 26
1pt win Aleezdancer in 2.00 York at 14/1 (Paddy Power, 12/1 General)
1pt e.w. Glittering Surf in 2.20 Ascot at 11/1 (bet365, 1/5 1,2,3,4, General 10/1)
1pt win Royal Champion in 2.40 York at 16/1 (General)
0.5pts e.w. Sword in 3.00 Ascot at 22/1 (bet365 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)
Royal rumble at York
No three-year-olds in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot but it’s still a compelling race with Rebel’s Romance and Kalpana tasked with muscling in amongst the Coronation Cup one-two.
The Epsom form could hold sway here for all that Kalpana looks a filly going places over 1m4f and if Ascot had received a bit more rain in the build-up I’d have probably sided with Andrew Balding’s filly.
As it is I think Calandagan can reverse Coronation Cup form with Jan Brueghel on this more conventional track – one he’s posted two very good efforts at – and I’m in full agreement with those bookies that consider Francis-Henri Graffard’s horse the most likely winner.
While there are no three-year-olds in the King George, three of them have turned up for the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes on the Knavesmire but none of that vintage have won this race since Best Alibi won the inaugural renewal in 2006.
Fourteen more have tried and eight of them went off 5/2 or shorter, so they have seriously underperformed in the context of market expectations and it’s a stat from which Almaqam backers will take confidence.
I’m a big fan of Almaqam and wouldn’t be surprised if he was capable of striking at the top level in the autumn, but he looks very short at odds-on here considering the drying ground and the potential for this to get tactical.
He wouldn’t want it turning into a sprint and I wouldn’t say the combination of this ground, trip and track is what he really wants, for all that he might well just have the class to get away with it.
I was happy to watch and see what happened until the bookies dangled big prices about ROYAL CHAMPION and he looks to be underestimated at around 16/1.
Two years ago he traded at even-money in-running on Betfair for this race when he hit the front in the straight, only for Alflaila to beat him a length and a half.
Since then he’s switched yards twice and been to Australia, but he seamlessly adjusted to life at Karl Burke’s on the all-weather in the winter and he was beaten a neck by Almaqam when giving him 3lb in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown in April.
His only run since then came in the Prince Of Wales’s at Royal Ascot when he was bumped after a furlong and chased a fierce pace, but you can easily draw a line through that. This looks the perfect spot for him and he’s a locally-trained hope that has the talent to get involved on his best efforts.
The Verdict: Back ROYAL CHAMPION in the 2.40 York
Are you ‘Dancer in Sky Bet Dash?
Also at York it’s the Sky Bet Dash and there are several in-form sprinters lining up here as well as others that are trying to find their form.
A couple to consider are Toyotomi, who could be well handicapped for David O’Meara, and Arctic Thunder, who was a massive eyecatcher for Ed Walker at Newcastle last time.
Both were on the shortlist but I just want a single win bullet in a race of this nature and was quite taken by ALEEZDANCER’s Pontefract win last time out.
That was a timely return to form for Kevin Ryan’s six-year-old as he’d gone a year without a win during which time he’d dropped 10lb in six races.
However, he capitalised off 87 with an authoritative victory at Pontefract where a no-nonsense change of tactics to front-running did the trick under Kevin Stott.
He’s still well-handicapped off his revised mark of 91 (has been as high as 100) and he won off that very rating over the course and distance at last year’s Dante Festival, so we know he can do it at York.
Ryan is a master at keeping his sprinters sweet and it while this horse is a bit of an in-and-out character it wouldn’t surprise me if he puts two good runs together now he’s back at York with a confidence booster under his belt.
The Verdict: Back ALEEZDANCER in the 2.00 York
O’Meara to put rivals to the Sword
Over at Ascot there is some good racing on the King George undercard and the Moet & Chandon International Handicap over the seven furlongs looks as devilish as ever.
The horse I like is David O’Meara’s SWORD as he could be perfect for this type of race at Ascot. He hasn't run here, but when he was with the Gosdens he ran and won over 10 furlongs only for O’Meara to reinvent him as a seven-furlong horse this campaign.
The hood has helped him and he won comfortably at Leicester in June, before he ran on for a good third off his new mark at Haydock after that.
Last time at York he was held up and was quite significantly hampered at a crucial point as he was making his run, but he finished like there was more in the tank.
This style of race at a track like Ascot looks perfect for him and he’s got pace to chase from his stands’ side draw.
Getting weight from the field, he is a threat and a small each-way bet looks the order of the day getting six places.
The Verdict: Back SWORD in the 3.00 Ascot
Unlimited Replays
of all UK and Irish races with our Race Replays
Discover Sporting Life Plus Benefits
All that Glitters for Burrows
Finally, GLITTERING SURF looks a good bet in the Group 3 Longines Valiant Stakes on the round course for Owen Burrows.
Burrows is in great form and he has a fantastic record at Ascot, his overall 18% strike-rate at the course rising to over 30% in the month of July.
Glittering Surf is his only runner on Saturday and she looked a filly of immense promise earlier in the year when she won a conditions race at Kempton that was subsequently boosted by the second and third in great style.
Things didn’t quite pan out for her on turf debut in the Listed Sky Bet Fillies’ Stakes at York in May, where she was a bit keen and lost two places late on, but she again showed promise and she was entered for a Group 1 at that stage.
I think there’s more to come from her and her potential isn’t really factored into her odds enough at 11/1 in this company.
The Verdict: Back GLITTERING SURF in the 2.20 York
Preview posted at 1600 BST on 25/07/25
Click here for full Ben Linfoot tipping record
More from Sporting Life
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.