Our racing expert Ben Linfoot has six selections for day three of Royal Ascot and he's backing Aidan O'Brien to win the feature Gold Cup again.
The Verdict tips: Thursday, June 22
1pt win Valiant King in 3.05 Royal Ascot at 10/1 (General)
1pt win Infinite Cosmos in 3.40 Royal Ascot at 17/2 (NON RUNNER)
1pt win Broome in 4.20 Royal Ascot at 14/1 (General)
1pt win Racingbreaks Ryder in 5.00 Royal Ascot at 18/1 (Betfair Sportsbook, 16/1 General)
1pt win Benacre in 5.00 Royal Ascot at 33/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook)
1pt win Kingdom Come in 6.10 Royal Ascot at 12/1 (General)
Broome to sweep by Gold Cup rivals
Gold Cup day at Royal Ascot has been dominated by horses like Yeats and Stradivarius this century but there looks to be no intimidating contender towering over the field this time around.
Coltrane looks a worthy favourite given his bank of Ascot form and proven stamina, but his level looks attainable for other horses in the field to rise to and that makes it an intriguing watch and a good betting race.
St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov is respected but there's a stamina question mark with him, Emily Dickinson is respected but there's a ground question mark with her and Courage Mon Ami is respected for all that he looks very short after just three runs.
Subjectivist would be a worthy favourite on the form of his win in this race two years ago, but he’s come back from a tendon injury that could’ve ended his career and for all his team have worked wonders to get him here, he looks a risky proposition in what can be a gruelling contest.
All things considered, Aidan O’Brien’s second-string BROOME looks a big price to land the spoils at 14/1.
The seven-year-old has a good Royal Ascot record having won and finished second in a Hardwicke, while he put in one of the best performances of his career when landing the Dubai Gold Cup over two miles at Meydan in March this year.
That race was a stepping stone to Gold Cup glory for Subjectivist two years ago and it’s form that has some substance to it – he hit the line hard off a strong gallop, breaking Subjectivist’s course record, while runner-up Siskany came out and franked the form in the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup in America.
Broome has had one run since then in the Yorkshire Cup when third behind Eldar Eldarov, but the slow early gallop counted against him and he did well in the circumstances, so it’s form he can improve on significantly back at Ascot over the 2m4f.
The Verdict: Back BROOME in the Gold Cup
Two against the field in the Britannia
Thursday brings two handicap cavalry charges on the straight course and I’m plucking two Britannia eggs from the stands’ side basket with plenty of pace amongst the high numbers.
RACINGBREAKS RYDER emerges from stall 22 for Charlie Hills and James McDonald and this horse is a serious improver with course form in his back pocket.
He clearly wintered well as he’s returned with three handicap victories this spring off marks of 79, 84 and 90, but he’s been impressive enough to warrant interest here at 16/1 off 97.
He pulled hard when winning over a mile at Haydock two starts ago but it was some effort as the form has been boosted by the second and third, while he settled better dropped to seven at Ascot when making all for an emphatic success.
The crucial thing with him is that going back up to a strongly-run mile could unlock more improvement out of him and I wouldn’t be concerned by his drift to the left at this track last time, as I just think he was idling given he was so far clear.
I want him onside and I can’t resist a twin attack on the race with Charlie Johnston’s BENACRE at 33/1.
Those odds look simply too big on his form this season, the strapping son of Australia having finished up close behind subsequent Sandy Lane second Shouldvebeenaring at Newmarket over an inadequate seven.
Sent off favourite for the German 2000 Guineas after that, he was part of the contingent that forced the pace and he kept on after being headed for fourth, a run that suggested he’ll thrive for a strongly-run stiff mile in a big field.
It’s no surprise he’s been pointed here then, with four-time race-winning jockey Jamie Spencer booked, and while his future lies over further he looks well-handicapped enough off 96 to have a big say in these circumstances.
The Verdict: Back RACINGBREAKS RYDER and BENACRE in the Britannia
Kingdom to steal Palace riches
The Buckingham Palace Stakes is one of the best betting races of the week as the seven-furlong handicappers do battle over the straight course and KINGDOM COME strikes me as a likely type for top honours.
Clive Cox’s four-year-old looks something of a seven-furlong specialist as he has come through the grades over that distance at Kempton where he eased his way to a hat-trick of successes earlier in the year.
His comfortable win over Rainbow Fire in April was franked by the runner-up who won a good handicap on his next start at Haydock and Kingdom Come achieved the victory despite being keen in the early stages.
A two-length fourth off his new mark of 102 over a mile at Haydock last time out, he travelled best of all before weakening late on and it simply looked a case of the extra furlong stretching him too far.
Dropping back to a hell-for-leather seven looks perfect for him and he’s taken to see off this big field under Kieran Shoemark.
The Verdict: Back KINGDOM COME in the Buckingham Palace
Valiant effort expected in the King George V
Finally, Joseph O’Brien’s VALIANT KING could be a handicap snip off 92 in the King George V Stakes at 3.05.
The son of Roaring Lion absolutely bolted up in a 10-furlong maiden at Navan last time, a race Barbados won in similar fashion a few years ago before he finished half a length second in the Queen’s Vase.
Group races could be this horse’s calling – he’s entered in the Irish Derby and the Irish St. Leger – and those entries suggest this extra two furlongs will be right up his street.
His dam is a half-sister to the 1m4f Listed winner, Teletext, and the style of his maiden success also strongly hints he’ll be right at home over a mile and a half under Oisin Murphy.
The Verdict: Back VALIANT KING in the King George V Stakes
Cosmos out of this world in Ribblesdale (NON RUNNER)
Earlier on the card Sir Michael Stoute’s INFINITE COSMOS looks a good bit of value against Ribblesdale hotpot Al Asifah at 17/2.
John & Thady Gosden’s impressive Goodwood winner is odds-on for the Group 2 after her easy Listed win in Sussex less than a fortnight ago, but this 19-runner field with loads of untapped potential in opposition asks a different question of her.
She may well be too classy, but the Ascot round course has thrown up its fair share of hard-luck stories over the years and getting a gap at a crucial time could well come into play, while Infinite Cosmos is an exciting prospect herself.
The daughter of Sea The Stars is from a family Stoute knows inside out and he trained relations like Crystal Ocean and Hillstar to win over 1m4f at Royal Ascot, a firm hint that Infinite Cosmos is going to find serious improvement on her first go at the distance.
There was nothing wrong with her Musidora defeat to subsequent Oaks winner Soul Sister, where she posted a good effort in third over a track and trip a tad too sharp for her, and she’s expected to leave that form behind her in this more suitable environment.
The Verdict: Back INFINITE COSMOS in the Ribblesdale
Preview posted at 1625 BST on 21/06/23
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