17:00 Royal Ascot
Wednesday 21 June 2023
All14:3015:0515:4016:2017:0017:3518:10
Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Str)
- 3YO plus | Class 2 | 1m | Good | 30 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 17:02 | Winning time: 1m 39.48s
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Selected odds by:
Smart performer. Not at his very best so far this year, but not beaten far when last of 5 in a C&D listed won by Chindit last month and he was third in this last year (albeit off 6 lb lower).
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Second (at odds-on) in Hampton Court at this meeting 12 months ago. Pulled too hard in blinkers when tailed off in soft-ground Newmarket Group 3 on reappearance. Headgear off now switching to handicap company. Has a few questions to answer but talented and no shock if he bounced back with a bang.
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Third in last year's Irish 2000 Guineas but below that form since. Slightly better signs when fifth of 6 in Epsom Group 3 18 days ago but didn't show enough to think he'll go close from his lofty mark on his first run in a handicap.
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Group 3 winner as a juvenile in 2019. Understandably took a bit of time to find his feet again after returning from a long absence last summer but AW handicap wins at Wolverhampton and Kempton over the winter show he's as good as ever. Disappointing at Newcastle last time, though.
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Excellent second of 22 to Migration in Lincoln at Doncaster (1m, heavy) on reappearance. Might not have been over those exertions when last of 9 in 9f French Group 3 19 days later. Possible this low-mileage 4-y-o could resume his progression after a short break. Respected under Buick.
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Coaxed back to his best by this yard last term, finishing second in this race and third in John Smith's Cup. Fourth in Newmarket Group 3 on reappearance and shaped better than the result (set a lot to do) back in handicap company at Newbury since. Similar mark to last year. Not dismissed.
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Won the 2017 Britannia over C&D and showed he can still be a real force in top-end handicaps last year, following an unlucky seventh in this with a win in Bunbury Cup at Newmarket and second in International here. Two outings at Newbury this spring should him spot on for this.
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Reacted very positively to blinkers (retained) when a comfortable winner of the Newbury Spring Mile (heavy) in April but the headgear didn't work as well a second time when only eighth of 17 at Newmarket since. Third in Britannia at this meeting last year.
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Very low-mileage 7-y-o who was better than ever when winning 1m handicaps at York (good to firm) and Newmarket (soft) in the second half of 2022. Oisin Murphy booked for yard which won this in 2021. Interesting runner.
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Bagged a nice prize at York last summer (also second in Golden Mile at Goodwood). Shaped well when fifth of 16 on York reappearance and respected for a stable which does so well in these top-end handicaps.
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Useful 7f winner at his best for Charlie Hills. Ended 2022 out of sorts but didn't make too bad a start for his new yard when 6 lengths ninth of 12 in 1m Newbury handicap last month. His mark demands improvement but the booking of Ryan Moore takes the eye and possible blinkers could help him.
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Has reached the frame in the last 2 runnings of this (for Sir Michael Stoute) and showed he retains all his ability when promising fourth of 16 at York (1m, firm) on his reappearance for a new stable, looking unlucky having had to switch. Should go well in this again.
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Several excellent efforts despite failing to win in 2022 and deservedly got his head back in front at Chester (7.5f) in May. Found out off this mark at Epsom since, though.
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Useful colt who won conditions events at Doncaster (7f) and Goodwood (1m) last spring. Better effort in handicaps this term when 4 lengths fourth of 11 over 7.5f at Chester 25 days ago. Hard to argue he looks well treated enough to win a race like this.
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Got back on the up when comfortably landing 1m handicap at Newmarket last month. Respectable fifth of 12 at Newbury since but it underlines he needs a bit more from this mark.
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Very progressive last term, winning 4 big-field handicaps, and has taken it up another notch again this year, scoring on Limerick reappearance before an excellent second of 20 at the Curragh (good to soft) last month.
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Three-time winner in 2022, including over C&D. Respectable efforts in 1m Newbury handicaps on his last 2 starts but he'll need first-time cheekpieces to give him something extra to play a prominent role here.
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Gained deserved big-field handicap success in Golden Mile at Goodwood last summer and followed up in small field classified here. Below par on first 2 outings this season but bounced back to form when fourth of 12 at Epsom last time, keeping on to be nearest finish.
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Better than ever back from wind surgery when winning a big-field C&D handicap at the beginning of May. Looks to have saved for this since and a lightly-raced profile (only had 6 starts) suggests there could be more to come.
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Won the Britannia over C&D at the 2021 Royal meeting. Last season was a little disappointing but he shaped promisingly when making late headway to finish seventh of 22 in the Victoria Cup here (7f) on his reappearance for new trainer Roger Varian. Return to 1m will suit. Well handicapped.
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Very useful but there's not enough in his turf record to suggest he's likely to come out on top in an ultra-competitive handicap such as this.
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Quirky sort but he's done nothing wrong when winning 1m handicaps at Kempton and Newbury in recent months. Had a few of these in behind him at the latter track but a 3 lb rise for that may anchor him now.
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Seventeen runs since last win in 2020. Performed with credit in Dubai earlier in the year and also reached the frame in this race in 2021 but it's a bit of a stretch to think he'll snap his losing run this afternoon.
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Ran a cracker when narrowly denied in a big-field 1m handicap at York's Dante meeting and backed that up when filling the runner-up spot again at Nottingham 17 days ago. Likeable but hard to argue he has much in hand of his mark.
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Useful but lightly raced in recent times. Showed he retains his ability when 3 lengths fourth in 1m Sandown handicap 4 weeks ago, keeping on from further back than ideal. Harry Davies takes a handy 3 lb off.
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Largely progressive when winning 4 of his first 7 starts but he's failed to make an impact in a couple of strong 1m handicaps this spring. First-time blinkers need to have a positive effect.
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Sixth in last year's Hunt Cup. Got his head in front at Ripon (1m, heavy) in April but found out in better company at York since. Best to look elsewhere.
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Made a winning start for the George Boughey yard at Newmarket last July. Performed with credit in defeat in his 4 subsequent 3-y-o starts but couldn't have found a much harder race for his reappearance and improvement will be needed having been gelded.
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Useful handicapper but performed no more than respectably in 2 outings in Dubai at the start of this year and last of 9 at Goodwood in a first-time hood (quickly discarded) last month. Not an obvious one.
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Improved throughout 2022, finishing third behind Majestic in Cambridgeshire (first home in his group). Not disgraced in his 3 outings this year and he can be very competitive from his mark.
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Non-Runners
1
(17)
Migration45
Weight: 10-1| Age: 7
T: D Menuisier J: Non Runner
NR
Forecasts
Perotto (7/1), Awaal (15/2), Dunum (17/2), Ghaly (9/1), Reach For The Moon (9/1), Astro King (11/1), Intellogent (12/1), Tempus (16/1), Blue For You (18/1), Jimi Hendrix (22/1), Atrium (22/1), Point Lynas (22/1), Wanees (22/1), Chasing Aphrodite (22/1), Sonny Liston (25/1), Isla Kai (25/1), Koy Koy (25/1), Migration (25/1), Ouzo (33/1), Aerion Power (40/1), Bless Him (40/1), Dual Identity (40/1), Outbreak (40/1), Positive (50/1), Orbaan (50/1), Greatgadian (66/1), Bear Force One (66/1), Dawn Of Liberation (66/1), Revich (80/1), Imperial Fighter (100/1), Light And Dark (125/1)
As usual, stacks with chances but PEROTTO is simply too well handicapped to ignore. He offered enough when keeping on for seventh in the Victoria Cup over 7f here last month to think new trainer Roger Varian has him in form and he's 3 lb lower than when landing the Britannia at this meeting in 2021. Astro King shaped well on his reappearance for his new stable at York last month and has twice reached the frame in this so he's second choice. Ghaly, Bless Him and Awaal also make the shortlist.
Previous Winners
Prize Money
1st: £90,195.002nd: £42,298.003rd: £21,158.004th: £10,570.005th: £5,285.006th: £2,642.00
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