Andrew Asquith had winners at 10/1 and 13/2 in his latest column and returns with one selection in the Victoria Cup at Ascot.
Weekend View: Saturday May 10
1pt e.w Gleneagle Bay in the 2.40 Ascot at 12/1 (1/4 1,2,3 4- bet365, Betvictor, Ladbrokes, Coral, Betfred)
It’s going to be another warm week, with temperatures set to rise again and little if any rain around. Therefore, Ascot has announced they will be putting 5mm of water on the round course this evening, with a further 10mm on the straight course on Wednesday to maintain the current going description of good to firm.
The Victoria Cup is the big betting race at Ascot on Saturday and it is Irish raider GLENEAGLE BAY who tops my shortlist. He’s already with his third different trainer after just six career starts, but Stephen Thorne is making a good name for himself, operating at a 25% strike rate in 2025, and Gleneagle Boy shaped very well on his seasonal reappearance in the Irish Lincoln at the Curragh in March.
He had run a cracker when beaten half a length over the same course and distance on his debut for Thorne in November, looking the likely winner in the final furlong – he traded at 1.21 in running on Betfair – only to be denied by the game winner who had the benefit of the rail.
Connections fitted him with first-time cheekpieces and a first-time tongue tie on his reappearance to help his concentration and he travelled best of all in a competitive, big-field handicap, one of the last to come off the bridle but shaping as though the run would have done him the world of good.
That was also on soft ground, but his strong-travelling style of racing suggests he’ll be well suited by a faster surface, while I also think he will be well suited by dropping back to seven furlongs, especially in a likely strongly-run race on the straight course at Ascot which also has a stiffish finish.
The fact he started favourite for the Irish Lincoln suggests connections believe he’s at the right end of the handicap and the English handicapper may have taken a chance with his mark of 92. The draw will obviously play a big factor, but Hollie Doyle has been pencilled in to ride, so he’s seemingly an intended runner, and he should be well suited by the demands of what Victoria Cup brings. Gleneagle Bay is also far from exposed and odds of 12/1 look more than fair to me.
The lack of races priced up at the time of writing by most bookmakers means I’ve found it hard to find any other bets, but will be back next week to look at what should be a cracking card at Newbury, with the London Gold Cup and Lockinge particular highlights.
Preview posted at 1545 BST on 06/05/2025
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