Timeform preview for 2020 Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot

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The Top-Rated

Finest Sound (Timeform weight-adjusted rating: 126p)

Finest Sound showed promise last season, finishing placed on all three outings, but he clearly was not the finished article and twice found less under pressure than had looked likely. However, he underwent breathing and gelding operations over the winter and proved a completely different proposition when wearing a tongue tie for the first time on his reappearance at Haydock, bolting up on his handicap debut by five and a half lengths. He was always travelling well and, pleasingly, found plenty when asked for his effort, really impressing with his strength at the finish. He is due to go up 12 lb for that victory but only has to carry a 5 lb penalty here, so creeps in towards the foot of the weights on an extremely attractive mark. Assuming Establish (122p), the third reserve, fails to get a run, Finest Sound will head Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings by 9 lb, which is most unusual for what is traditionally such a competitive handicap.

The Improver

Khaloosy (112P)

Plenty of these have the Timeform ‘small p’ attached to their rating, indicating the horse is likely to improve, but only Khaloosy has the ‘large P’, which signifies he is expected to do much better than he has shown. Khaloosy boasts an impressive pedigree – his dam is out of a half-sister to Nathaniel – and he shaped with promise, despite showing signs of inexperience, when finishing runner-up on his debut at Newcastle in October. He improved as anticipated to get off the mark at Wolverhampton the following month, running out a very easy winner, and he remains with plenty of untapped potential now making his turf/handicap debut.

The Timeform Flag

Great Ambassador (Sectional Flag)

Great Ambassador – along with Finest Sound, Khaloosy and Establish – has the Sectional Flag, which highlights a notable closing sectional time was clocked on his latest outing. Great Ambassador has yet to run this season, but he represents in-form trainer Ralph Beckett, who won the race last year with Biometric, and he signed off on a high last year by getting off the mark in good style at Chelmsford. He quickened well inside the final furlong to draw three and a half lengths clear and does not look badly treated on his handicap debut, with his Timeform weight-adjusted rating of 117p placing him behind only Finest Sound in the pecking order (assuming Establish does not make the cut).

The Verdict

The Britannia is usually one of the most difficult puzzles to solve of the week, featuring a clutch of unexposed, progressive three-year-olds, but this year Finest Sound very much stands out as the one to beat. He was extremely impressive at Haydock, looking some way ahead of his mark, so he is well treated under a 5 lb penalty for the same connections that won the race with Ostilio in 2018.

Timeform weight-adjusted ratings:

• 126p Finest Sound
• 122p Establish (reserve)
• 117p Great Ambassador
• 117 Johan
• 117 Ayr Harbour

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