Day two of Royal Ascot features the traditional seven-race card and Matty Sutcliffe has been busy finding the value. He has selections in six of the races, including a 150/1 shot who can shake things up in the last…
2:30 Ascot – Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) (Fillies) (Class 1) (2yo) – Solana Rose 30/1 1pt EW 5 places
Five of the first six home in the Listed Marygate Stakes at York all re-oppose here, a race which has seen previous runners fare well in the Queen Mary, and perhaps the most interesting of that quintet is SOLANA ROSE, who was making her debut in the contest.
The daughter of Mehmas had five last time winners ahead of her there, and she shaped with a considerable amount of promise to only be beaten three lengths having suffered for room at a crucial stage with the rest of the field already under the pump, and she finished off well under hands and heels.
Solana Rose then stepped up to six furlongs at Ripon and while she didn’t have much to beat a 4/9F, she could hardly have been any more impressive when making all to win an eased down seven lengths. It’s interesting that she doesn’t contest the Albany over six furlongs having looked at home over that distance there, but given she’s stayed on well over a stiff five and bolted up over a sharp six, this stiff five at Ascot will surely suit with both speed and stamina assured.
She looks a fairly uncomplicated filly, and if stall two is no issue (lower draws did fare well in last year’s renewal) then she looks slightly overpriced particularly for frame possibilities.
3:05 Ascot – Queen’s Vase (Group 2) (Class 1) (3yo) – Spinning Wheel 18/1 1pt EW 4 places
Unexposed types stepping up from novice company can often get overlooked in this race with the market preferring the group form in the book, but we saw with Eldar Eldarov in 2022 and to some degree Gregory in 2023 that these lightly raced types shouldn’t be dismissed, and the unbeaten SPINNING WHEEL holds good claims to take his record to three from three.
The stoutly bred son of Postponed needed every yard of the 1m2f trip at Beverley on debut having been one of the first off the bridle on the turn for home, but he stuck to his task in relentless fashion against the 6/5f Mafting to win going away, with the winner going in since.
He was then sent to a Yarmouth Novice under a penalty and looked a touch more streetwise this time around without being entirely furnished, but again showed a gritty attitude to pull seven lengths clear with a well touted runner from the Gosden yard. Marnier had the perfect sit behind leaders in third and looked a sure thing to pick them off late on, and while he easily dismissed his stablemate, he failed to get past the determined Spinning Wheel despite the 4lbs swing.
Spinning Wheel no doubt has to improve on form, but he’s done very little wrong since and strikes me as the type to improve against better horses in a more strongly run race to suit his galloping nature. He’s bred to improve further for this trip, though Harry Davies will have to be tactically astute to maintain an good early position from stall 11.
4:20 Ascot – Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1) (Class 1) (4yo+) – See The Fire 5/1 2pt WIN
SEE THE FIRE has been supplemented for a cost of £70,000 here after putting up one of the most impressive performances I’ve ever seen on the Knavesmire when landing the Middleton by twelve lengths. While the form might not have been up to much, there was little to suggest that performance was a fluke and she confirmed the suspicions that she needs rattling quick ground to be seen to her best effect.I don’t think that’s necessarily the case with the Tattersalls Gold Cup first and second Los Angeles and Anmaat, and that may counteract the pound she needs to find with that pair on the revised weights.
She has to prove she is up to this level, but her best performance last season came in the Group One Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on this ground when beaten a neck by Opera Singer who was given an excellent front running ride by Ryan Moore with See The Fire given too much to in rear under a keen hold. She was gaining all the while there regardless so a strongly run test at this trip shouldn’t be an issue, with course form assured.
5:00 Ascot – Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Ancient Rome 25/1 1pt EW 7 places
A chance is taken on the opinion that ANCIENT ROME hasn’t been campaigned ‘on merit’ so far this season, having finished well out the back in two Meydan Group Races before shaping in need of the run behind My Cloud at Newbury, and if that race has brought him on then he’s potentially thrown in given he was rated 110 toward the back end of the season and is subsequently 8lbs lower.
His latest best effort came in the Darley Stakes at Newmarket when four lengths behind the subsequent Lockinge winner Lead Artist and only three lengths behind subsequent listed winner Liberty Lane. It was only last August that he was beaten two lengths in the G1 Arlington Million Stakes behind Nations Pride, which came after his half a length second to Quddwah who was beaten three lengths behind Charyn next time out and has come out to win in listed company at Longchamp now rated 114.
He’s completely unexposed in handicap company with just two efforts and we can draw a line through the last one, but his first came on debut for Charlie Hills in the Chesterfield Cup at Goodwood when winning a shade cosily from 3lbs higher. Jamie Spencer, who rides the straight course at Ascot particularly well, was on board there and returns once more here with the ground to suit.
5:35 Ascot – Kensington Palace Stakes (Fillies’ Handicap) (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-105) – Serialise 11/1 1.5pt EW 6 places
Harrington won this in 2023 with Villanova Queen and returns this year with SERIALISE, who could be very well treated off a mark of 85. The daughter of Footstepsinthesand is bred to improve with age and was steadily progressive as a 3yo having had just the one run as a 2yo toward the back end of the season. She landed a Naas fillies maiden over a mile on seasonal debut last term with the second now rated 99, and she subsequently took a Cork handicap over seven from a 5lbs lower mark before not disgraced in a competitive 52k Leopardstown contest.
She returned this term in strong form, beaten a length on seasonal debut behind one backed in for the Royal Hunt Cup, and she went one place better next time out when second to Skukuza from 3lbs out of the weights at the Curragh, who was put up 7lbs for that win and vying toward the top of the Royal Hunt Cup market prior to not being declared.
She perhaps did too much on the front end that day having initially pulled clear, but she comfortably had second and the return to fillies company and her correct mark can see her show up strongly here.
6:10 Ascot – Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed Race) (Class 1) (2yo) – Beach Partee 150/1 0.5pt EW 4 places
This doesn’t look a particularly deep renewal of the Windsor Castle and a wild swing is taken on BEACH PARTEE, who’s bred to be smart around here coming from the family of Coventry fifth Kodi Bear by the Chesham second Lope Y Fernandez.
Beach Partee ran a credible race at York on debut over six furlongs when unfavourably drawn toward the nearside without cover for the most part. He displayed some solid speed however despite being caught for the win and had initially picked up well, but weakened away late on suggesting both, like most from the yard, needed the run on debut, and will be suited by a drop to save furlongs.
It’s unlike William Knight to throw one so inexperienced into the deep end at Ascot, but Neil Callan is retained here who rides Ascot particularly well with his record reading 57-9-16 (£70.83+) in the last five seasons, narrowed down to 19-4-5 (£33.83+) in non-handicaps.
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