Home / Tomorrow / 18:10 Ascot

18:10 Ascot

Good To Firm

Queen Alexandra Stakes (Conditions Race) (GBBPlus Race)

First Prize: £64800
2m 5f 143y
Class 2
13 runners

ITV

View Course

Runners: 13 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

1 (10)

A Piece Of Heaven 43 days

J: Dylan Browne McMonagle

T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Form: /3-221

OR: 105

W: 9st 4lb

Age: 8 yo Gelding

Form

Has very low mileage for an 8yo and has Flat form figures of 221 since the tongue-tie went on; unraced over this far but he looks all about stamina, having finished second in an Irish Cesarewitch (2m1f) and one better in last month's Chester Cup (2m2f, good; has run well on faster); that latest race went like clockwork from his low stall but he seems very uncomplicated, and this was nominated as his next target straight after that win; big player.

2 (9)

1 tip

Berkshire Sundance 43 days

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Form: 1-0116

OR: 96

W: 9st 4lb

Age: 6 yo Gelding

Form

Good strike-rate of 7-17 and he should have brighter prospects than some of staying this extreme trip given he wasn't stopping at the end of the Chester Cup over an extended 2m2f last time; has raised his game in cheekpieces (fitted in only his last two races) and he could outrun his odds if coping okay with fast ground.

3 (12)

Carlton 43 days

J: Cieren Fallon

T: James Owen

Form: 1-2154

OR: 82

W: 9st 4lb

Age: 6 yo Gelding

Form

All eight Flat wins have been on the AW, though he's won twice over hurdles at up to 2m4f; very capable at the right level but this isn't it; faces a mammoth task on all the figures.

OUR TIP

4 (3)

1 tip

Columbus 244 days

J: Colin Keane

T: W P Mullins

Form: 24536-

OR: 109

W: 9st 4lb

Age: 5 yo Gelding

Form

Three wins in France included a Group 3 over 1m7f in September 2024 and he was even better in defeat last year, finishing close up in a German Group 1 (1m4f, good to soft; has won on good; unraced on faster); after joining Willie Mullins for 400,000euros (then gelded) he was runner-up in the same Killarney novice hurdle (2m4f) which Sober won on his debut for Mullins en route to winning this last year; this 5yo is firmly in calculations.

5 (4)

Dallas Star 22 days

J: David Egan

T: Robson De Aguiar

Form: 233254

OR: 101

W: 9st 4lb

Age: 5 yo Colt

Form

Group 3 winner over 1m2f at three; his losing run of 13 includes a fading fourth in this last year (good to firm); likely flattered by his close proximity to Scandinavia in a 1m6f Listed race in April and hasn't fared so well since; even if back on song, this is a tough place for front-runners.

6 (6)

French Master 35 days

J: James Doyle

T: John & Thady Gosden

Form: 150-35 C

OR: 108

W: 9st 4lb

Age: 5 yo Colt

Form

First-time blinkers when he was a very taking winner of last year's Copper Horse Stakes (1m6f, good to firm) at this meeting in which he came from well behind to win going away; gelded and, in no headgear, returned to that level of form when third in Group 2 at Newmarket (1m4f) on reappearance, only to then finish last of the five in new cheekpieces (retained) in the Group 3 Aston Park at Newbury; however, the first two home at Newbury were Group 1 horses, and on reflection it wasn't that bad a run; the burning question is whether he'll stay.

7 (2)

1 tip

Hipop De Loire 28 days

J: George Wood

T: Nick Scholfield

Form: 4630-7

OR: 102

W: 9st 4lb

Age: 9 yo Gelding

Form

Has some back-class on the Flat but the wheels came off big-time over hurdles for Willie Mullins and, after moving on for 15,000gns, he was tailed off at 50-1 on yard debut at Goodwood (1m6f; blinkers returned).

8 (13)

1 tip

Illinois 14 days

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O’Brien

Form: 227-36 C

OR: 111

W: 9st 4lb

Age: 5 yo Colt

Form

Finished runner-up in last year's Gold Cup here (good to firm) and second again in the Goodwood version (2m, good), only narrowly failing to concede 14lb to Scandinavia; crystal clear claims on these favourable terms if returning to that level of form but he wasn't at his best when bidding for a second Ormonde at Chester and ran abysmally in the recent Coronation Cup when under the pump from a worryingly early stage (unwise to blame the rain-hit ground when he has soft-ground form); hard to dismiss but in equal measure he's hard to trust.

9 (7)

Le Destrier 36 days

J: William Buick

T: W P Mullins

Form: 51/2/3

OR: 106

W: 9st 4lb

Age: 7 yo Horse

Form

Has form in Poland, France and Germany, beaten only 7l in a 1m4f Group 1 in the last-named country in 2023; restricted to only three runs in the meantime, the latest after an absence of 691 days when a closing third behind Scandinavia in a 1m6f Group 3 at Leopardstown last month (good; won on good to firm in Poland) on his stable debut; trainer did have him in the Gold Cup and, not only is he one of the classier acts in this field, he could be one of the strongest stayers judged on that latest effort.

10 (8)

Maxi King 43 days

J: Rowan Scott

T: Kevin Philippart De Foy

Form: 3434-2

OR: 103

W: 9st 4lb

Age: 6 yo Gelding

Form

Likeable 6yo who handles any ground and can usually be relied upon to give his running, as was the case when a close second to A Piece Of Heaven in the Chester Cup (2m2f, good); Toby Moore's claim meant the winner was giving him 8lb that day, so he looks to have his work cut out to reverse those placings; can run well but probably not well enough.

11 (1)

Mr Hollywood 269 days

J: Billy Loughnane

T: W P Mullins

Form: 22541-

OR: 98

W: 9st 4lb

Age: 6 yo Gelding

Form

Like stablemate Columbus, he was a Group 3 winner on the Flat (1m2f, heavy; effective on good; never encountered quicker); bought for 80,000euros and gelded after winning over 1m4f in France last September; should pay his way under both codes for new connections, though he was 7.5l behind Columbus when both made their debuts for Willie Mullins over hurdles at Killarney last month.

12 (5)

Aajej 43 days

J: Kieran Shoemark

T: Richard Phillips

Form: 255-19

OR: 77

W: 9st 3lb

Age: 4 yo Gelding

Form

Signed off for the Crisfords with a 1m6f win on the AW in a Class 4 handicap, in first-time blinkers; well held over 2m here on yard debut (tried cheekpieces) and this is highly ambitious on all the figures.

13 (11)

Pivotal Days 105 days

J: George Downing

T: Syd Hosie

Form: 7985-7

OR: 63

W: 9st 3lb

Age: 4 yo Gelding

Form

7f winner for previous yard but very minor form under both codes for this one and it would be the shock of all shocks if he won this.

Terms and conditions

*Odds displayed on this page are sourced directly from online bookmakers. Please check all details before placing your bet(s). 18+ only.

Betting Forecast

6/1 A Piece Of Heaven, 16/1 Berkshire Sundance, 100/1 Carlton, 5/1 Columbus, 16/1 Dallas Star, 4/1 French Master, 66/1 Hipop De Loire, 5/1 Illinois, 9/4 Le Destrier, 18/1 Maxi King, 16/1 Mr Hollywood, 250/1 Aajej, 250/1 Pivotal Days

Verdict

As is tradition, Royal Ascot closes with the Flat season’s longest race and many of these will be into unknown territory a good way from home. The glaring concern with last year’s Gold Cup runner-up Illinois is the rotten run in the Coronation Cup only two weeks ago when his battery was flat from a worryingly early stage on rain-hit ground that shouldn’t have bothered him. Le Destrier will be popular for Willie Mullins who is seeking a sixth win in the race, but his stablemate COLUMBUS is no less interesting when he is marginally the superior of the two on Flat form and geared up for this in a 2m4f hurdle race at Killarney that the yard’s Sober took en route to winning this last year. The Irish would appear to be sitting pretty with Chester Cup hero A Piece Of Heaven – Joseph O’Brien’s sole runner from an entry of five – also among their ranks, though French Master is hugely respected in his bid to go back-to-back at this meeting.[Alistair Jones]

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

POSTDATA:

LAMBOURN:

TOPSPEED: