The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at 3.40 is the feature event on the final day of Royal Ascot, but the Wokingham Handicap is the race that every punter will be hoping to solve and Apollo One, at around 16-1, is an excellent each-way bet to improve on a fine run into eighth in the same race 12 months ago.
Apollo One led the field all the way to the furlong pole last year before the effort started to tell, but he has been ridden with a touch more restraint in his subsequent starts and should have a strong pace to settle behind with several confirmed frontrunners drawn mid-to-high.
He also arrives at Ascot off what was arguably the best run of his career, when he finished a neck second to the thriving Badri at Epsom’s Derby Festival meeting.
There are, as ever, a wealth of options to consider, and the lightly raced favourite, Orazio, has an obvious chance after a course-and-distance win last time, but he beat just seven rivals there and this will be a very different test.
Fresh, who thrives in big fields at this track, should also go well, but Apollo One (5.00) has crept in off a 1lb lower mark than last year and has a much better chance than his early odds suggest.
Ayr
1.15 Nighteyes 1.50 Showalong 2.24 Run Cmc 2.59 Kihavah 3.34 Nymphadora 4.14 Novak 4.54 Jkr Cobbler
Newmarket
1.32 Ancient Wisdom 2.07 Sophia’s Starlight 2.42 Imperial Emperor 3.17 Single 3.52 Wilde And Dandy 4.32 Cubanista 5.09 The Green Man
Redcar
1.37 Brave Empire 2.12 Pound Off You 2.47 Hidden Code 3.22 Mudamer 4.02 Lakota Blue 4.38 Rooska 5.13 Oneforsue
Perth
1.42 Chasing Chances 2.17 Petrastar 2.52 Gamigin 3.27 Captain Ivan 4.07 Definite Plan 4.42 Garde Des Champs 5.17 Pammi
Royal Ascot
2.30 La Guarida 3.05 Enfjaar 3.40 Highfield Princess 4.20 Hukum 5.00 Apollo One (nap) 5.35 Lion Of War (nb) 6.10 Run For Oscar
Lingfield Park
5.50 Outrace 6.20 Later Darling 6.50 Dovena 7.20 Drink Dry 7.50 Intoxicata 8.20 Swiss Star 8.50 Addie Boo Boo
Haydock Park
6.00 Chronograph 6.35 May Blossom 7.10 Gray’s Inn 7.40 Aqwaam 8.10 Pearl Eye 8.40 Young Fire
Ascot 2.30 Aidan O’Brien has won four of the last seven runnings of the Chesham and has a strong hand with both Pearls And Rubies and Content at single-figure odds. La Guarida, though, also has strong form to offer, having landed a Goodwood maiden with something to spare in which the next three home were all winners next time up.
Ascot 3.05 Covey is an obvious favourite here and looked a Pattern-class performer in waiting when he dismantled his field in a handicap at Haydock in May. He is nothing like as solid as his price might suggest, though, and the time of Enfjaar’s six-length success at Chelmsford City in May suggests he ran to a very similar level, so he looks a more appealing option at around 8-1.
Ascot 3.40 Sprinters from Australia, Hong Kong and the United States add a fascinating twist to the final Group One of the meeting, but Highfield Princess is the top-rated runner in the field. Her appearance here is a little unexpected after her fine run into second in Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes, but John Quinn left her at Ascot to avoid another long journey to and from his yard in Yorkshire and is confident that a mare who has always thrived on racing will be ready to do herself justice.
Ascot 4.20 A fascinating Hardwicke includes the returning Pyledriver, last year’s King George winner, but Hukum, last month’s Brigadier Gerard winner, has race-fitness on his side and looks the most solid option.
Ascot 5.35 Lion Of War did well to win from well off a steady pace at Musselburgh last time and is just 4lb higher here.
Ascot 6.10 Stratum is going for a hat-trick in the traditional closing event, but he is now a 10-year-old and Charles Byrnes’s Run For Oscar may have his measure.
