16:40 Royal Ascot

Friday 19 June 2020

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:40

Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap)

Off time: 16:40 | Winning time: 2m 35.4s

(22)

Dubai Future¹¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: P Cosgrave| T: S bin Suroor| OR: 105| D

12/1

Progressed from handicap company to finish runner-up in a Group 3 when last seen in February. Covered more ground than the winner that day and every chance of further improvement on just his seventh career start.

Form: 211-102

(3)

West End Charmer¹²^{(ex 4)}

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: W Buick| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 100

4/1

Easy winner at Doncaster in June 2019 and made a mockery of a 10lb higher mark at Newmarket (1m2f, good) when returning from just over a year off. 5lb well in under a 5lb penalty here but has disappointed in two previous tries at this trip.

Form: 11/481-1

(11)

Getchagetchagetcha^p¹⁶⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: A Kirby| T: C G Cox| OR: 101| BF| C| D

50/1

Course winner on debut (5f), has won twice over this trip since, most recently when winning at Wolverhampton in December but he wouldn't appear to have much in hand from this sort of mark and he was well beaten in the Hampton Court here last year.

Form: 18431-3

(10)

Le Don De Vie²⁶⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: R L Moore| T: H Morrison| OR: 101

11/1

Won his last two starts for Andrew Balding and off the mark for this yard in a four-runner Goodwood handicap (1m2f) in August. Outpaced when dropped in trip in the Cambridgeshire when last seen but may do better over this sort of distance this year.

Form: 3/11410-

(4)

Durston³⁰⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Jim Crowley| T: D M Simcock| OR: 100| D

11/2

Won two of his five starts in 2019 and only narrowly denied in a hat-trick bid at the Goodwood Festival; posted a creditable effort when third of five at Newbury when stepped up in class and wasn't seen to best effect; feasibly handicapped.

Form: 2/41123-

(2)

Deja²¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: P W Chapple-Hyam| OR: 100| D

9/1

Seemingly not the easiest to train having made just six starts in three years. Won his first three starts for this yard but disappointed when last seen at Newcastle; subsequently gelded and probably best watched.

Form: 5111/15-

(21)

Dolphin Vista¹²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: S W Kelly| T: J R Boyle| OR: 100

150/1

Cambridgeshire winner in 2017 and subsequently won twice in Listed company for Ralph Beckett. Below par on his last couple of starts and at his best with soft in the going description; starts out for new yard.

Form: 0418-44

(16)

Protected Guest¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: T P Queally| T: G G Margarson| OR: 99

50/1

All four of his wins have come at Yarmouth but he was only narrowly denied in a C&D handicap last year. 5lb higher for this though and his return at Newmarket was low-key.

Form: 85122-5

(19)

Indianapolis^p¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: B A Curtis| T: J G Given| OR: 99| CD

7/1

C&D winner at 2019's Shergar Cup meeting and got his head back in front on heavy ground at Leicester on final start of 2019. Shaped like he needed the run on return at Newmarket but dropped 1lb and he's a well bred sort perhaps capable of better.

Form: 84181-6

(20)

Johnny Drama²⁵¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Joshua Bryan⁽³⁾| T: A M Balding| OR: 99| BF

11/1

Won twice for Ger Lyons and has gone close in a couple of big York handicaps for this yard. Well beaten in this race last year but still relatively unexposed and yard have been in good form in recent weeks; De Sousa prefers Good Birthday.

Form: 106202-

(14)

Good Birthday¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: S De Sousa| T: A M Balding| OR: 98

9/1

Progressive last year, winning a valuable race at Beverley prior to a third in the Cambridgeshire. Too keen on his return at Newmarket 12 days ago and well beaten in the King George V here last year on his only previous try at this trip.

Form: 30513-3

(12)

Scarlet Dragon^h¹⁵⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-2| J: Hollie Doyle| T: A King| OR: 97| D

33/1

Without a win on the Flat since 2016 and below form in a couple of AW starts this winter; well-handicapped on his very best form but hard to gauge how much of that ability remains.

Form: 04034-5

(18)

Al Muffrih³⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Tom Marquand| T: W J Haggas| OR: 97| BF

10/1

Shaped as if amiss when tailed off at Haydock when last seen. Had won a Redcar handicap prior to that but the form of that race didn't work out particularly well and needs a big career best to defy this handicap mark; first start in 349 days.

Form: 314/510-

(17)

Medal Winner¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A Watson| OR: 96

9/1

Impressive when winning his maiden at Brighton in July and made light work of his opening handicap mark at Newcastle 17 days ago. Could be more to come over this longer trip and less exposed than most; 6lb rise is fair.

Form: 021-1

Non-Runners

(15)

El Misk²³³

Weight: 9-10| Age: 4

T: J & T Gosden J: L Dettori

(8)

Dal Horrisgle³⁰⁰

Weight: 9-7| Age: 4

T: W J Haggas J: James Doyle

(1)

Universal Order¹⁴¹

Weight: 9-7| Age: 4

T: D M Simcock J: S Donohoe

(7)

Byron Flyer¹³

Weight: 9-6| Age: 9

T: Ian Williams J: R Kingscote

(13)

Koeman¹¹³

Weight: 9-4| Age: 6

T: M R Channon J: J F Egan

Forecasts

West End Charmer (4/1), Durston (11/2), Indianapolis (7/1), Deja (9/1), Medal Winner (9/1), Good Birthday (9/1), Al Muffrih (10/1), El Misk (10/1), Le Don De Vie (11/1), Johnny Drama (11/1), Dubai Future (12/1), Dal Horrisgle (12/1), Universal Order (16/1), Scarlet Dragon (33/1), Koeman (33/1), Protected Guest (50/1), Getchagetchagetcha (50/1), Byron Flyer (50/1), Dolphin Vista (150/1)

Another competitive event to close day four of the meeting but it might be worth taking a chance on the lightly raced five-year-old INDIANAPOLIS. The course and distance winner looked as if he needed the run when returning at Newmarket last week and that run should have put him spot on for this. Byron Flyer has gone well here in the past and may represent some value at likely big odds while the likes of Medal Winner, El Misk and Dubai Future have more obvious chances for some of the big yards.