Day 4 at Royal Ascot celebrates the fillies, with the feature the Coronation Stakes for three year old fillies over a mile.
It is also a fascinating day for stayers, with future long distance horses tackling the Queen’s Vase over two miles as well as the King Edward VII Stakes over a mile and a half.
Just Horse Racing’s Andrew Hawkins had another good result last night, tipping the quinella in the feature race, the Ascot Gold Cup. He also tipped a $66 exacta in the final race, with the highly touted Brown Panther flogging his rivals.
Can he keep it going for a third day in a row?
Here is his preview for Day 4 of Royal Ascot:
Race 1 – Group 3 Albany Stakes (6f)
HISTORY
This race for the two year old fillies was only established in 20o2. As a set weights race, usually the best horse wins. Last year’s winner Memory contests the Coronation Stakes today.
PREVIEW
Two year old races, on the whole, have been quite hard to assess this week! I’m going to go for INETROBIL. Beat nothing on debut but the manner in which she did it was very very impressive. Only needs to demonstrate slight improvement to play some part in the finish. TEOLANE is by far and away the best exposed horse, having won a Listed race at Naas at her last start. Stable used the same path with Cuis Ghaire, who won in 2008, so must be respected. SWITCHER is another one who was good on debut and she looks to have a bright future ahead, while LILY’S ANGEL looks a good chance of filling a place.
SELECTIONS
4 – Inetrobil
13 – Teolane
12 – Switcher
7 – Lily’s Angel
Race 2 – Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes (1m 4f)
HISTORY
One of the older races of the carnival, it was first run as the Ascot Derby in 1834. It was renamed the King Edward VII Stakes in 1926, in honour of the son of Queen Victoria. Seen as either the logical next step after the Epsom Derby or an alternative to the Derby, it still takes a very good horse to win. The likes of Pentire, Royal Anthem, Mutafaweq, Storming Home, Papal Bull and Monterosso are notable winners of this race.
PREVIEW
I think this is a very good edition of this race, and I think there is a fair bit of depth to the race. WORLD DOMINATION was widely fancied in the Dante Stakes but he was, fair to say, a fairly disappointing fourth to Carlton House. I think he’ll be much better at the longer distance here though and I think the odds about him are good. NATHANIEL was great last start behind eventual Derby second Treasure Beach. On that form alone he has to go very close. MIJHAAR is less exposed than many here and his last was strong in weaker company. I reckon GLEN’S DIAMOND is looking for further (the trainer has already said he is the perfect 2012 Melbourne Cup horse) but winning form is good form! But I am keen on World Domination.
SELECTIONS
11 – World Domination
10 – Nathaniel
9 – Mijhaar
6 – Glen’s Diamond
Race 3 – Group 1 Coronation Stakes (1m)
HISTORY
This race was initiated in 1840 and was named to celebrate the coronation of Queen Victoria two years prior. The female version of the St James’s Palace Stakes, it features fillies who previously ran in the English 1000 Guineas, Irish 1000 Guineas or the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. Prominent fillies to have won the race include Lillie Langtry, Lush Lashes and Nannina.
PREVIEW
I’m reluctant to go past MEMORY here. She refused to race in the 1000 Guineas but if she produces her best then I think she can win this race. Remember she was heavily supported in the 1000 Guineas, and this seems to be an easier race. MORE THAN REAL is a daughter of noted sire of wet trackers More Than Ready. She should appreciate it soft underfoot and looks a classy commodity based on her good win in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. It is her first run since the Breeders Cup meeting though. TOGETHER was great in both the English and Irish 1000 Guineas. Can she peak three runs in a row though? That’s a bit of a query for mine. JOVIALITY is on the up and will be competitive.
SELECTIONS
9 – Memory
10 – More Than Real
13 – Together
7 – Joviality
Race 4 – Listed Wolferton Handicap (1m 2f)
HISTORY
First run in 2002, it has quickly established a reputation for longer priced winners. Championship Point in 2007 was a notable winner at 25-1. However, last year’s winner Rainbow Peak went off at $2.50. Interestingly, last year’s runner up was owned by the Queen. Now known as My Kingdom of Fife, he’s a subsequent Australian Group 1 winner.
PREVIEW
I would love to go for something at double figures, but GREEN DESTINY looks a very good galloper in the making. He’s still right down in the weights, he is more progressive than any of these and he should be winning. At odds, RIGGINS could be a good each way bet. Disappointed at Meydan in January but struggled for luck so can be forgiven. LOST IN THE MOMENT has a nice turn of foot and gets in under his rating on his run at Chester last Saturday, while the blinkers on BEACHFIRE could be the key to that galloper.
SELECTIONS
15 – Green Destiny
2 – Riggins
11 – Lost in the Moment
16 – Beachfire
Race 5 – Group 3 Queen’s Vase (2m)
HISTORY
This three year old race over two miles was first run in 1838, in the first year of Queen Victoria’s reign. Upon her death, the race name was changed to the King’s Vase, but when Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne the name was changed back to the Queen’s Vase. It is so named because the initial trophy was a gold vase donated by Queen Victoria. In recent times this has produced four Melbourne Cup runners – Maridpour, Mamool, Mahler and Holberg. Last year’s winner Mikhail Glinka is a possible runner in this year’s race. Notably, Mahler ran in the Melbourne Cup in the same year as his Queen’s Vase victory.
PREVIEW
The winner of this year’s race may get an easy passage into the Melbourne Cup, given how easy it is for European three year olds to gain a run (due to their light weight and the disparity between benchmark weights and actual weights). Given I think World Domination looks the one in the King Edward VII Stakes, I think I have to go for SOLAR SKY here. Looks a stayer and is relatively unexposed. He’s on the up. ETERNAL HEART has won his last three and should get the trip. His stablemate HALIFAX also looks a stayer and can go on, while Aiden O’Brien has a good record in this race and can bolster the record with REGENT STREET.
SELECTIONS
10 – Solar Sky
4- Eternal Heart
5 – Halifax
9 – Regent Street
Race 6 – Buckingham Palace Stakes (7f)
HISTORY
Introduced in 2002, the last five runnings have produced a winner at double figure odds. If you are looking for value, this may be the race as a large field and handicap conditions suit horses at odds.
PREVIEW
It wouldn’t be a day at Royal Ascot without a large field in any race and this race indulges. I am far more keen on the likes of World Domination, Memory and Green Destiny earlier in the day so will probably stay out of this race. There are a lot of horses out of form too so it is crying out for a long shot winner. That said, I do like OUR JONATHAN. Yet to finish unplaced this year and he was very good last Saturday so gets in well at the weights. COURAGEOUS is right down in the weights and is one of the hardest horses to catch anywhere in the world. But should appreciate the step up to seven furlongs and on best rates highly. BEAUCHAMP XERXES was disappointing first up but can turn it around, while DOCOFTHEBAY is proven in big fields and at handicap conditions.
SELECTIONS
8 – Our Jonathan
32 – Courageous
12 – Beauchamp Xerxes
16 – Docofthebay
Coming up tomorrow…the final day sees the feature sprint, the Golden Jubilee Stakes, with Australia likely to be represented by Star Witness. Other features are the Hardwicke Stakes, which last year featured the world’s highest rated horse in 2010 in Harbinger and the Irish St Leger winner Sans Frontieres, and the longest race of the carnival, the Queen Alexandra Stakes over approximately 4300m
