Equinties - Royal Ascot day 4

Gm Equinauts

Day 1 was fine, up. Day 2 was hard. Day 3 was savagely unlucky.

Thursday kicked off with the best horse in the King George V Stakes doing this:

Gonna to be honest, we were so confident on him and we can’t quite believe what happened. His pedigree is insane and he’s so highly thought of at home, mark our words he goes on to do big things.

Then the day got even worse with our lad COLTRANE getting beat by Frankie Dettori.

Beat fair and square, no excuses, COLTRANE ran a huge race, looked the winner for a king way. He’s probably bumped into what quite possibly looks like a very, very good FRANKEL horse.

New day, let’s dive in.

BGP FANTASY LEAGUE COMP

Day 4 of Royal Ascot - lock the chimp away by playing the Fantasy game!

Use code QHZ36G to add your stable to the BGP league.

BIG RACE PREVIEWS

14.30 GROUP 3 ALBANY STAKES

CARLA’S WAY won well at Haydock on debut and the second has really boosted the form since as she then came out and won her next start by 11 lengths. The 4th (beaten 8l) was 2nd to the opposing JABAARA on debut (JABAARA beat her by 3/4l). Cost 350k as a breezer, has to be taken seriously.

PORTA FORTUNA has been a positive market mover, the Magnier/O’Brien family sold her to an American syndicate. Frankie Dettori is always a positive booking. She won by a short head on debut and then a neck on her second start.

NAVASSA ISLAND by TERRITORIES and a half-sister to LEZOO who runs in the Commonwealth Cup today. Ran a very good race on debut coming second to the re-opposing PORTA FORTUNA in a Gr3. She was a 240k breeze up buy and a private buy after that debut effort. Lots to like.

SOPRANO ran a big race on debut, the chit chat beforehand was that she was well educated and will know her job. The form has worked out to a certain degree as she beat MIDNIGHT AFFAIR who won the Hilary Needle nto. Will like the ground and if she can improve from her debut she’ll give her owners a good spin.

JABAARA won very impressively on debut after not getting the clearest of runs but picked up well when in the open. The Varian Ascot team are going well with two seconds and a winner.

MATRIKA in stall 1 sprung a surprise on debut as she was very unloved in the betting, that could have been because she looked poor or would come on from the run. But she defied any judgement and won well. The form has been boosted since with third place winning well nto. A half sister to THE WOW SIGNAL who won the Coventry.

GUSHING GOLD is a beautiful daughter of BLUE POINT who bagged a winner on Wednesday with one of his 2yo’s. GG ran well/green on debut, the stables runners normally improve considerably from their first outing and the step up to 6f will suit.

PERSIAN DREAMER has drifted in the betting but is the pick of Kevin Stott for the mighty Amo Racing. She ran a huge race on debut and then looked like she didn’t let herself down at York over 5f. The step up to 6f will suit her today and has a good chance at a big price.

DAWN CHARGER has had the benefit of 3 runs and looks to be improving each time. The last time she won well carrying a penalty beating the boys, no easy feat. She made the running that day.

Verdict: Most of them have only raced once in their lives. Looking at previous winning 2yo’s this week they’ve all had more than one run so put PERSIAN DREAMER in the mix as she’ll improve stepping up in trip and has two runs under her belt. We keep hearing SOPRANO‘S name and she’ll be well educated coming from Bougheys. CARLA’S WAY has had the one run but the form looks very good, she’ll stay and be educated from the breeze ups so should be fine, she really needs to settle otherwise she won’t get home but Jack Mitchell rode her lto, the Doyler on today. If one of those three don’t win…

15.05 GROUP 1 COMMONWEALTH CUP

The Group 1 Commonwealth Cup is a race that could cost the bookies or the punters a fair deal as LITTLE BIG BEAR has been well-backed for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore.

His case is simple and you know about him - he didn’t stay in the Guineas and was struck into, he returned to form in big way in the Sandy Lane.

Both SAKHEER and NOBLE STYLE also ran in the Guineas and did significantly better than LBB, though they had a much easier route through.

NOBLE STYLE has since come out and been disappointing at Newbury - seven furlongs may be his gig - but SAKHEER is coming to this race fresh and is obviously well regarded.

Of the two, based on his two-year-old form, he would be the most feared.

SHAQUILLE is the one away from the Group race saving progressed from a handicapper to Group 1 level performer - he was devastating at Newbury lto and in any normal field, he could go well.

Verdict: Tentatively taking on LBB with an ew play and our pick is SAKHEER. He’s looked good in everything he’s done but the Guineas where he just didn’t stay… back in trip, if he doesn’t beat the fave he should place.

16.20 GROUP 1 CORONATION STAKES

This race will see the shortest price of Royal Ascot go off in TAHIYRA and tbf, she probably deserves the price, there’s no way MEDITATE can be reversing the form.

We backed SOUNDS OF HEAVEN lto at 22’s. She’s well bred but only just got it lto (woof) and has a bit to find. Same form lines as QUEEN FOR YOU entitled to come on in her third start. Gosden’s having a party atm.

MAMMAS GIRL is a horse we gambled on debut, boy that was a good bet. She’s a class filly but didn’t stay the mile in the slop. She gets her favourable, quick conditions today and she looks a risky ew play against the fave who needs an ‘off day’.

Verdict: MAMMAS GIRL EW.

17.35 GROUP 2 KING EDWARD VII STAKES

Right then. A bunch of has been Derby horses.

KING OF STEEL on all known form this horse wins and wins well. He was second in the Derby and drew 4 lengths clear of 3rd. WAIPIRO has given the form a boost winning the Hampton Court Stakes. He’ll love the ground and will be in the mix.

ARREST was the BGP derby pick. He massively underperformed, was it the ground or just not good enough? He’s by FRANKEL and they generally go very well on good to firm, and soft going for that matter. Let’s put a line through that run.

ARTISTIC STAR is next in the market. A Ralph Beckett contestant who finished in front of a few of these in the Derby. He’s by GALILEO and o/o a FASTNET ROCK mare which do so well together. It would be fair to say on the form he has shown that he possibly wants easier underfoot conditions.

CONTINUOUS was a warm order for the French Derby, but a pathetic flop in that sees him here 19 days later. He was 3rd in the Dante, and that is smart form considering WHITE BIRCH was just in front and he placed in the Derby. You can always count on O’brien and Ryan Moore bringing him nicely to the boil.

DUBAI MILE was a very smart yearling purchase, he was only €22,000. He won a Gr1 as a 2yo beating Arrest, he’s by ROARING LION who got better with age and out of Beach Bunny who was Gr1 placed as an older horse. He is another who bombed in the Derby, but don’t rule him out just yet.

RELENTLESS VOYAGER was a 10,000gns foal. He has to improve around 20lbs today.

Verdict: Well, this should be easy. KING OF STEEL wins this on the steel buuuuuuut it’s horse racing, CONTINUOUS will love the ground and looks dangerous stepping up in trip.

DAY 4 SELECTIONS

We’ve had a brilliant run since Cheltenham, now is NOT the time to give it all back. Use our picks to play small or choose your Fantasy team.

14.30 SOPRANO, CARLAS WAY and PD

15.05 SAKHEER

15.40 TEUMESSIAS FOX

16.20 MAMMAS GIRL

17.00 CHELSEA GREEN

17.35 KING OF STEEL

18.10 CONQUISTADOR & FRANKNESS