The only possible quibble about the excellent card at Ascot on Wednesday afternoon is that there are just six races, but since admission to the grandstand for the “Discover Ascot” raceday is actually free, it’s not a complaint that holds much water and there are likely to be runners in at least three of the Group 1 events at next month’s Royal meeting with form in one of the contests.
The Sagaro Stakes is a traditional trial for the Ascot Gold Cup and most of today’s eight runners are also engaged in Royal Ascot’s showpiece. These include Harbour Law, last year’s unexpected St Leger winner, who is shortest of today’s field in the ante-post Gold Cup betting at a top price of 20-1 and will be ridden by Tom Queally for the first time as George Baker continues his recovery from a serious injury sustained in a fall in Switzerland in February.
Harbour Law made a winning start to his three-year-old season in early May last year, but that was in a maiden race at Salisbury and today’s Group 3 is a rather different proposition. Pallasator, twice a runner-up at Group 2 level last season, is currently the favourite, but this could be the right time to take a chance on Nearly Caught (3.10), the only horse in the field who sets the pace as a matter of course. He took a decent renewal of the Group 2 Prix Kergorlay from the front at Deauville last August and anything close to that form would make him difficult to reel in.
The Sagaro seems likely to play second fiddle to a very strong renewal of the Pavilion Stakes in terms of highlighting a potential Group 1 winner next month. Clive Cox saddles two very plausible contenders in the 11-strong field, including last season’s impressive Mill Reef Stakes winner Harry Angel, but his 4lb penalty may give Godolphin’s Blue Point (3.45) a useful edge. He received quotes for the 2,000 Guineas after winning the Gimcrack Stakes last August, but even then, his trainer Charlie Appleby was suggesting that he was more likely to be aimed at the Commonwealth Cup and he should move a big step closer to the Royal meeting this afternoon.
Icespire, the favourite for the fillies’ conditions event earlier on the card, is nudging odds-on with some bookmakers after two fancied contenders – Glitter Girl and Kazimiera – were scratched on Wednesday morning. She made a very promising start to her career with a four-length success in a Salisbury maiden last October, but Prosper (2.35) should not be discounted at around 11-2. Roger Varian’s filly has the benefit of a run this season and she ran into a potential Group horse in Son Of The Stars when second in a handicap at Chelmsford City last time out.
Firmament (4.20), the runner-up in a very strong race at Ascot last autumn, could well be the pick of David O’Meara’s two runners in the Paradise Stakes, while on the day’s other cards, the course specialist Bloodsweatandtears (7.35) is worth an interest at Brighton. The nine-year-old has run at a dozen different courses since taking a maiden at Yarmouth as a juvenile back in 2010, but he has only ever won at Brighton and he returns for the first time since October on a very workable mark.
Wednesday’s tips
Ascot
2.00 Corinthia Knight 2.35 Prosper 3.10 Nearly Caught (nb) 3.40 Blue Point 4.20 Firmament (nap) 4.55 Mister Music
Brighton
5.05 Milton Road 5.35 No Not Again 6.05 Tidal’s Baby 6.35 The Juggler 7.05 Alnasl 7.35 Bloodsweatandtears 8.05 Virile
Pontefract
2.15 Ventura Dragon 2.50 Mudaarab 3.25 Gambit 4.00 Mittens 4.35 Gin In The Inn 5.10 Suitcase ‘N’ Taxi 5.45 Horsforth
Yarmouth
5.20 Orsino 5.50 Bartholomew J 6.20 Frosting 6.50 Commodity 7.20 Harlequin Rock 7.50 Lunar Deity 8.20 Compas Scoobie
Wolverhampton
1.20 Maggi May 1.50 Pleasant Surprise 2.25 Inflexiball 3.00 Viola Park 3.35 Ballard Down 4.10 Golden State 4.45 Whispered Kiss 5.10 The Dukkerer
(all times BST)
