PTF here! Great to have one of my favo(u)rite form analysts — and good friends — Barry Faulkner, who covers US Racing over on attheraces.com joining us this week as part of our Ascot coverage. Also pls look for race previews from Steven Bonnick, daily podcasts, Youtube content, and for ITM Plus subscribers, best bets from another one of my faves. Take it away, Barry!
RACE OF THE DAY
Race 4) St James’s Palace Stakes G1 (3YO) Round mile – 4:20pm (11:20am)
The three first classics of the European season for colts are the 2,000 Guineas in England and Ireland, and their French equivalent. They are all races over today’s trip, and the winners of those three races line up here in a clash to savor.
First up, came the English Guineas at the beginning of May, where second favourite, Rosallion, eased to the lead with a quarter of a mile to run, only to be passed by Godolphin’s 16-1 shot, Notable Speech, who eased away to win by 1½ lengths from that lad.
With no Notable Speech to worry about, Rosallion won the Irish Guineas three weeks later, but did not have to improve on his Newmarket run to do so.
In between those races, Metropolitan took the French version at 25-1, with Aiden O’Brien’s unbeaten juvenile Henry Longfellow disappointing as 11-8 favourite.
Although Aiden O’Brien is convinced that Henry Longfellow will improve significantly on that run, the most likely winner here is Notable Speech and his price at the time of writing (3-2) looks fair.
BEST BET
Race 1) Queen Anne Stakes G1 (4YO+) Straight Mile – 2:30pm (9:30am)
Audience appeared to be the pacemaker for his stablemate, Inspiral, in the Lockinge Stakes G1 at Newbury last month. However, he did not read the script and kept going, and going and, at the line, had 1¾ lengths to spare from a race-fit Charyn in 2nd place, with Inspiral well behind in 4th.
Big Rock who had walloped Facteur Cheval in the Queen Elizabeth II Mile here in October, disappointed further back in 6th. He would be a threat back at that level of performance, but his best runs have come on ground with a lot of cut in it, and he is unlikely to get that today.
At the 8-1 currently available, Audience looks a bet to me.
LONGSHOT
Race 2) Coventry Stakes G2 (2YO) 6F – 3.05pm (10.05am)
The Actor has run twice at Newmarket and, after a 2nd place first up, got the job done last time. Trainer Richard Hannon think that he is the sort that ‘saves a bit for himself… which is no bad thing’. It means there should be more to come from him.
His second run was a pleasing improvement on his first and, with a similar step forward here, he has every chance to take this. That last run had the strongest speed performance in this group. I’ll be availing myself of sone of the 12-1 available on The Actor in this.
