9.55am Dettori hoping for a Magical Royal Ascot
Tony Paley: Frankie Dettori, the current leading jockey at Royal Ascot with 52 winners in total at the meeting, has revealed that Magical Memory in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes on the final day is his best chance of a winner next week.
Speaking in his blog for Ladbrokes, Dettori said: “Royal Ascot is the biggest week of my year. I travel all over the world, but Ascot is still at the top of the pile and the Royal meeting is the pinnacle.
“I said at the start of the season that I’d be making the Royal meeting one of my key targets this year. I’m not going all over the country again in a bid to be champion jockey, but when it comes to Royal Ascot week I am going all out to be top jockey.
“I know it won’t be easy, but I’ve had a good look at some of my rides and you write me off at your peril [to be top jockey for the week]. I’m going to throw everything at next week and I can’t wait for it to arrive now.
“My best chance of the week could be with Magical Memory on Saturday [Diamond Jubilee Stakes on Saturday]. Charlie [Hills] loves this sprinter and I do too. Charlie has a great ability with his sprinters and I don’t see a rival in the race that I’d rather be on.
“I know that Wesley Ward’s two-year-olds are going to have to fire if I’m to stand a chance, but I went down to Manton last week and they look tremendous. I’d say their preparations couldn’t have been better. It’s up to me now to show them to best effect. Lady Aurelia and Create A Dream both look picture perfect. Those two fillies really excite me.”
Dettori added: “I’m on standby for Time Test and hoping it works out that I reunite with him after winning last year. I’m on Mehmas in the Coventry, who is second-favourite, and I rode Nemoralia for Jeremy [Noseda] earlier this week and she gave me a great feel [ahead of the Coronation Stakes].
“The St James’s Palace on the opening day looks high class. Everyone is excited about The Gurkha after what he did in France, but my own Guineas winner [Galileo Gold] is in tremendous shape. Awtaad is in there for what could be a sensational race and I’m keen to have another crack at turning the tables on him after what happened in Ireland.
“The more I talk about it the more I convince myself I’ve got a fighting chance next week. I grabbed three winners last year and hope to surpass that next week.”
Friday’s best bets, by Greg Wood
The seven-furlong handicap at York on Friday is one of those races that would probably be best for punters to leave alone, were it not for the almost irresistible challenge of breaking down a 19-strong field to find a winner at the kind of price that should pay for the weekend.
Normandy Barriere is the narrow favourite this morning at 5-1, but at least a dozen of the runners have a claim on their best form. If there is one horse that may have sneaked in at a value price, however, it is probably Big Time (3.45), who has a decent draw in stall seven and a prominent running style that should help him to exploit it.
Kieren Fallon takes over from Royston Ffrench in Big Time’s saddle after an unlucky run at Musselburgh last time, when the five-year-old had to be snatched up with just over a furlong to run but still finished strongly to cross the line one-and-a-half lengths behind Kalk Bay. The time of that race was notably strong, Big Time can race from the same mark today and he needs just a little more luck in running to be a serious contender at around 7-1.
Nicky Henderson does well with the handful of hurdlers he steers towards races on the Flat over the summer and Sign Of A Victory (4.50), whose preference for a fast surface is well known, appears to be very fairly handicapped on a mark of 88 given that he was fourth in a handicap hurdle at Ascot in October off a hurdles rating of 153.
Apamurra (1.45) and Shabbah (4.05) both have obvious chances on the card at Sandown, while at Goodwood this evening, Sam Missile (7.20) does not need to find much to take the 10-furlong handicap having finished a good fifth in a very strong race at Newmarket first time out this season.
Tipping competition, day five
Our winners so far:
Monday
Intisaab 11-4
Dutch Mist 16-1
Moondyne Joe 9-2
Tuesday
White Poppy 2-1
Monarch Maid 10-1
Parnell’s Dream 3-1
Wednesday
Singyoursong 3-1
George William 9-2
Mezmaar 15-2
Thursday
Growl 7-2
Iconic 25-1
Capo Rosso 5-1
And our leader is:
Copshaw +33
… who kept up his outrageously good week with Growl. And yet he barely has his nose in front because no fewer than four of you found Iconic. The other good scores are: 72luca +31, waltersobchak +22.50, 16heathermac01 +18, jakesnake1 +17.75, titusisashambles +16.50, GForce1 +16.50, palace55 +16, Perry Tang +14.25, jamesstod +8, charlie_c +8, chris1623 +7.50.
For today’s thrilling climax, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.30 Sandown, 3.45 York, 5.20 York.
This week’s prize is offered by the tipster and analyst Marten Julian. Our winner will have access to his ‘Royal Ascot Package’, including his preview books (available as PDFs and in hard copy), an online preview the night before each day’s racing and text messages on race mornings. If you don’t win, you can order it here.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today but you will start on -12.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
