Day four of Royal Ascot sees two Group 1s vying for attention, but all seven races have come under Matty Sutcliffe’s microscope. He has seven bets across the card, including a rare favourite he simply cannot ignore…
2:30 Ascot – Albany Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (2yo) – Signora 11/4 1pt WIN + Balantina 12/1 0.5pt EW 4 places
The obvious starting point here is SIGNORA, who contested the same race at Naas on debut previously won by Fairy Godmother and Meditate, who both went on to land the Albany Stakes.
The daughter of Frankel was held up throughout there and travelled into contention strongly, but the leaders had already kicked and given they had the benefit of experience (winner was already a Listed winner), it was pleasing debut from Signora who wasn’t given a hard time by Wayne Lordan.
Porta Fortuna had also won that race in 2023 prior to landing the Albany, as did Cuff for O’Brien who was only beaten two lengths when a 2/1f, so it’s certainly a tried and successfully tested path for these two-year-old fillies.
Like many from the yard, Signora is more than likely to come on for that effort and its surprising to see her as big as 6/1 (though 9/2 generally), with Moore taking over. She’s out of the 2017 Queen Mary winner Heartache so she’s more than bred for the job, and is taken to land the opener on Friday.
I’d also like to chance Donnacha O’Brien’s filly BALANTINA, who ran awfully green on debut when a 5/2F behind Andab, before showing the benefit of that experience when making all to land a Fillies Maiden at the Curragh, lowering the colours of her 7/4F stablemate. Heavens Gate and Matrika had won the previous two renewals of that race, with that pair both following up to place in the Albany next time out.
Tom Marquand is booked who has landed two group one prizes for connections with Porta Fortuna, suggesting they may hold Balantina in similar regard.
3:05 Ascot – Commonwealth Cup (Group 1) (No Geldings) (Class 1) (3yo) – Big Mojo 18/1 1pt EW 3 places
Shadow Of Light was earmarked for this after his promising run in the 2000 Guineas which hasp his clear on ratings, and the drop back to 6F looks the correct move given his form over the distance last season read 1121, but he’s no price and BIG MOJO may prove an alternative option at larger odds, particularly given how well he’s started the season.
The son of Mohaather progressed well last term, taking the G3 Molecomb on his second start before showing up well in Gimcrack, then he was beaten a neck in the Flying Childers and only a length at the Breeders’ Cup.
While his best efforts came over five furlongs, he’s bred to appreciate the six and after a wind operation in February, he returned this season with a strong staying performance to win the Commonwealth Cup Trial over C&D, drifting from the centre wing to join the pair in second and third on the stand side in the process.
He then went to the Sandy Lane Stakes and I thought he shaped much better than the finishing position suggested, as he was short of room at a vital time when the others had already began winding up their efforts which potentially cost him the race. Had he got the gap sooner then, I’m positive he’d be a single figure price in here and provided he can avoid trouble this time, he looks set for a big run to go 2/2 over C&D.
3:40 Ascot – Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105) – Siege Of Troy 16/1 0.5pt EW 5 places + HMS President 50/1 0.5pt EW 5 places
I’m going to take a chance that there’s a non runner here for HMS PRESIDENT to be allotted a run, as connections won this with a very similar mould in 2020 with Scarlet Dragon.
HMS President has spent the last year over hurdles since taking off in a Newmarket handicap after a disappointing effort in the Ebor, but prior to that, he was a neck second under Rossa Ryan in this race off this mark, splitting rivals who subsequently went close in Group 1s.
His form here reads 42422 which bodes well for frames possibilities and if sneaking in off bottom weight then he’ll be a huge player in the first time visor.
If he doesn’t get in, then SIEGE OF TROY looks to have a good chance now dropping back into a handicap off what could be a lenient mark.
The daughter of Siyouni came good around this time of year last term when landing a Curragh Maiden in good fashion, before bumping into Puturhandstogether on handicap debut, giving him 9lbs for a 3/4L gap. That one is now rated 143 in the jumps sphere having landed the Fred Winter which bodes well, then he went and finished a length behind the winner in a Cork G3 with the third and second reversing that form with each other in a Longchamp listed race to be rated 102 and 103 respectively.
She then ran a huge race in Kentucky to be beaten two lengths into third behind a subsequent grade one runner up, and her seventh back at Naas in October perhaps came too soon after a long season.
She’s returned this term with two fourths in Listed company, and while she’d have to improve on the latter, dropping back into handicap company for only the second time with a tongue tie applied could see her return to the winners enclosure.
5:00 Ascot – Sandringham Stakes (Fillies’ Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo 0-105) – Miss Nightfall 20/1 0.5pt EW 6 places
The sole concern with MISS NIGHTFALL is that she’s not necessarily bred to stay the mile trip, being by Sands of Mali out of a Dark Angel mare, but in most of her two year old starts she was staying on strongly to the line and she may have well won the 300k 2yo stakes at Doncaster in another few strides.
She was a neck behind the 103 Camille Pissarro there who’s now rated 115 after landing the Lagadere next time out and latterly the French Derby, and she wasn’t disgraced in a competitive 51k fillies contest at Goodwood when not appearing to be all that in love with the heavy going when second, finishing a length in front of the now 112 rated She’s Perfect.
Miss Nightfall then went to Goodwood on seasonal debut for a competitive looking handicap and she was unlucky not to finish closer to the winner there. She travelled strongly in rear as did Silver Ghost, but the latter was pulled to the outside and got first run in the clear, whereas Miss Nightfall had to suffer for a while longer and come through runners, finishing off strongly in the process. She has a 6lbs pull with that one who has a live chance herself, and Oisin Murphy returns to ride her having won and finished second on her last season.
5:35 Ascot – King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings) (Class 1) (3yo) – Zahrann 11/2 2pt WIN
The Aga Khan won this with Calandagan last season, and connections have another progressive middle distance type in ZAHRANN this time around.
The son of Night Of Thunder only made his debut in April, beaten a head into second over a mile by the 5/4F Mississippi River, giving him 5lbs, with the first and third both somewhat franking the form since.
He ran very green that day but stuck to his task well, and duly came on for that run when stepped up in trip at Cork to 1m2f having bolted up seven lengths albeit at 1/3F. He looked far from the furnished model there but was seriously impressive regardless. Murtagh then stepped him up to 1m4f in the Listed King George V Cup at Leopardstown, and once again he looked a touch raw having broken slowly away and having to be rousted along for a couple strides to hang on to the rear of the field. Ben Coen was happy enough to keep him in rear and he settled well, then almost in an instant he swung wide around the whole field and powered down the outside, displaying an incredibly smart turn of foot in the process while still running around.
He ran a shade cosier than the winning margin suggested there to beat a pair of rivals rated 100, posting a higher RPR than Tower of London did when winning in 2023 before going on to be rated 118. Six of the last ten winners of this race have come from rear and with connections already talking of supplementing for the Irish Derby, he looks a rock solid contender providing he copes with the faster going.
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