Nick Luck – Royal Ascot 2017 Day Two!

On Wednesday, we start with the Jersey Stakes and it’s the usual impossible task that’s for sure. John Gosden has a good hand on it with Daban, Chessman and recent handicap snip Parfait all lining up. Whilst Saeed Bin Suroor’s Dream Castle ran as well as could have been expected in the Guineas when 5th behind Churchill and drops back a furlong here with Josephine Gordon up, it’s a big week for her with some exciting rides in store.

That said I like Winning Ways who made a mockery of the field when winning at this venue in May and could well have any amount still to offer. I love Gerald Mosse’s riding and he’s booked for Jeremy Noseda which is a big plus. He is so accomplished and experienced and it surprises me punters don’t steam into his rides like they do with some of his foreign counterpart’s when they arrive in the UK. At the prices he is the selection.

Expect Whitecliffsofdover to run better than we saw at Naas as he needs it super quick. In fact this could be a big week for Warfront progeny as the conditions will really suit them all and I expect he will do better and it’s something to note for sure.

Happy Like A Fool will take a lot of beating for Wesley Ward in the Queen Mary, reports from the camp suggest she will be incredibly hard to topple under Ryan Moore. If searching for something at a better price, then I thought Treasuring, by Havana Gold, was one to fit the bill. It’s very hard to look impressive at Navan but that’s what she did at the beginning of the month and Colin Keane is riding seriously well at present for a yard who’s two year olds are just starting to fire. She showed a little quirk with the tail flashing but it seemed to propel her forward if anything and the price appeals for this promising, well bred, sprinting 2yo.

The Duke of Cambridge has a mighty impressive last time out victor at the top of the market in Laugh Aloud. This is a hot race though and the price is short enough to consider alternatives. It’s entirely possible J-C Rouget’s French raider Qemah needed the run last time at Lingfield and for a G1 winner without a penalty she remains a fair price.

Smart Call for Sir Michael Stoute and Ryan Moore interests me most though as she shaped with tremendous promise at York in the Middleton and certainly as the best filly in the race without being knocked about. I think she is one of the best imports from South Africa we’ve seen here for a long time and is worth chancing the odds are generous for a better effort in this.

I’ve been banging on about Highland Reel’s chances for the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes for some time and the price was out of kilter for Aidan O’Brien’s runner all week long but now it’s about right. That said I’m not changing my mind and I do think with the ground and track to suit he is the one they have to beat.

If there is value in the race now it might lie with Olivier Peslier’s ride for Sir Michael Stoute, Queen’s Trust. Conditions wouldn’t have suited the last day at York and her best efforts all coming on quicker ground so that and the fillies allowance is a big help now. She can play a part at decent odds.

The puzzle of the Royal Hunt Cup is a cracking one. There has been money for Abe Lincoln but the most interesting runner for me in the field is Luca Cumani’s El Vip. The stable are hitting a little bit of form and the ground will be ok for the improving 4yo. I’d be a little concerned he will be keen early but last time it was quite pleasing to see him fully see it out at Newcastle which is testing enough.

I’d be concerned most by the chances of Fastnet Tempest who will need a finesse ride to win this but is very good and rates the main danger in a field full of them!

Once again I don’t rate my chances highly of getting out with the winner of the Sandringham. That said Josephine Gordon has picked up another plum ride with Gymnaste for John Gosden and should be involved but a passing fancy is Queen Of Time for Henry Candy and Harry Bentley. Two wins at Goodwood on route to this and is improving. It’s a mighty tough race to crack!

Four for Wednesday:

Best of luck for Day 2!

Nick Luck

 
Odds are provided at time of writing, please check your betslip to confirm they have not changed before betting.