Royal Ascot begins on Tuesday, and Andrew Mount has picked out three selections across the card, including his NAP of the week in the Queen Anne Stakes…
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Posted: 9.10am, Monday, June 16th
ROYAL ASCOT 2.30 – DOCKLANDS (1pt e/w – 22/1 bet365, four places, 25/1 elsewhere though only three places)
The stalls are in the centre of the track and with the GoingStick reading on Sunday suggesting that the ground is faster down the middle than the stands’ side or far side I’m expecting them to stay straight from the stalls and race in one group.
The pace is likely to come from SARDINIAN WARRIOR (stall 4 of 11) and LEAD ARTIST (stall 3) so I’m very happy with stall 5 for course expert DOCKLANDS, whose record here reads 113222 (2-6), including a second place to Charyn in this race 12 months ago and a half-length course and distance second to the aforementioned Sardinian Warrior in the Listed Queen Anne Trial Satkes in late April. The pair finished well clear of the remainder in a fast time that day and Docklands’ subsequent close-up third to Persica at Epsom was a fine effort on an unsuitable track and on ground slower than he prefers. Sardinian Warrior looks dangerous again, though Christophe Soumillon’s two from 68 record at Royal Ascot is of some concern (-£59.50 to a £1 level stake at SP, expected winners = 6.23, A/E = 0.32).
ROSALLION will come on for his Lockinge Stakes third to Lead Artist where he was looked after in the closing stages but still beat Notable Speech, the other eyecatcher down the stands’ side in fourth. He looks the chief threat to Docklands, and he’ll be going in my Placepot.
DIEGO VELAZQUEZ was withdrawn from his intended reappearance outing at Leopardstown last month as he became upset in the stalls but form figures on good/faster going over 7f-1m1f of 1111 (4-4) suggest that he shouldn’t be ignored, especially given his breeding. Older progeny of Frankel (4yo+) running over 1m or further at Royal Ascot have a nine from 49 record for a profit of £86.50 to a £1 level stake at. For information today’s other qualifiers on this angle are Military Order and Meydaan in the 5.35 and French Master in the 6.10.
ROYAL ASCOT 3.05 – UNDERWRITER (1pt each-way – 12/1 Ladbrokes, Coral, 11/1 bet365, William Hill, all paying four places)
Archie Watson is three from four with two-year-old debutants at Ayr…
Heidi High 4th 7-1
Army Ethos WON 5-4
Electrolyte WON 2-1
Underwriter WON 11-10
The first two winners both went to Royal Ascot for their next start and ran blinders in the Coventry Stakes…
Army Ethos 2nd 20-1
Electrolyte 2nd 40-1
…both traded odds-on in running (1.90 and 1.04 respectively) and I’m expecting a big run from UNDERWRITER, whose Ayr win impressed me as he disputed the lead into the headwind and got no cover. The other pacesetter dropped away to finish almost five lengths back in third and it was a performance worthy of an upgrade. Stall 18 of 21 might be slightly higher than ideal but I’m still expecting a big run.
ROYAL ASCOT 3.40 – AMERICAN AFFAIR (1pt e/w – 16/1 Coral, five places, 18-1 Ladbrokes, though only four places)
Last year, I wrote up AMERICAN AFFAIR as a likely future Group-race winner and April’s comeback win over Jm Jungle at Musselburgh did nothing to sway me from that opinion. However, stall 15 of 17 (once adjusted for the non-runner) prevented me from backing the 7-2 favourite in the Lindum Handicap at Yok’s Dante meeting last month, instead electing for the Musselburgh runner-up to reverse the form from a more favourable draw in stall 8. The pair finished one-two again, with Jim Goldie’s five-year-old confirming the form with the Quinn’s runner, who boosted the form when landing the “Dash” at Epsom next time.
American Affair was slightly disappointing in the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock next time, but Paul Mulrennan turned a good draw in to a moderate one by switching left towards the middle of the track. He also raced keenly in the very early stages and met trouble before staying on late to finish less than three lengths behind the winner MGHEERA, who was drawn top of the shop in stall 11 of 11.
Today’s bigger and field and likely much strong pace will be ideal – he’s won three of his last four starts in fields of 16 or more runners (poorly drawn in the Ayr Gold Cup in the other) and his draw in stall 16 of 23 should ensure that he finds plenty of cover. With last year’s winner ASFOORA lacking a British prep run this time around and BELIEVING stuck on the far rail in stall 1 the main threat could again be MGHEERA (stall 8) and I’ll be saving on Ed Walker’s mare.
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Andrew Mount’s Best Bets
2.30 Royal Ascot – DOCKLANDS (1pt e/w – 22/1 bet365, four places, 25/1 elsewhere though only three places)
3.05 Royal Ascot – UNDERWRITER (1pt each-way – 12/1 Ladbrokes, Coral, 11/1 bet365, William Hill, all paying four places)
3.40 Royal Ascot – AMERICAN AFFAIR (1pt e/w – 16/1 Coral, five places, 18-1 Ladbrokes, though only four places)
Andrew Mount’s Horse Racing Tips – Tuesday, 17th June
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