While punters can expect the form to work out in most top-class races, sprints are trappy. The Diamond Jubilee Stakes has been won by two outright favourites in the past decade, compared to three winners returned at 20-1 or bigger and perhaps another boilover is due in the shape of Al Jazi (4.20).
This filly is 33-1, being an unfamiliar raider from France, like the shock winner of Friday’s first race. On her only previous start in Britain, she was a tidy Glorious Goodwood winner at 12-1. Since then, she has been returned to sprint distances and looked classy in landing a Listed prize last time. Her stamina for further will help her and she can run a big race.
Ryan Moore is a really excellent new choice of jockey for Limato, who gets his favoured conditions for once. But there is no cushion in his price, considering what can go wrong in a 19-runner race.
2.30 Chesham Stakes Aidan O’Brien won the Chesham last year with Churchill and can follow up with September. A daughter of the multiple Group One winner Peeping Fawn, she hosed up on her debut a fortnight ago and sets the standard on that form. If she improves as most of O’Brien’s youngsters have improved for a run, she’ll be hard to catch.
3.05 Wolferton Handicap After a failed experiment with hurdling in December, Central Square made an eye-catching return to the Flat last month, keeping on into third in a steadily run race. They should go a proper pace here and the extra furlong will help. The blinkers that helped him score in September are refitted.
3.40 Hardwicke Stakes Dartmouth is a likeable beast who won this last year and hardly knows how to run a bad race. But he was helped by a softer surface than he’ll meet here and has sometimes looked a bit short of pace on a really fast surface. He might be good enough to beat nearly all of these in any case but *Idaho *poses a real threat and looks the better option. A close second in the Irish Derby last year, he was a classy winner of the Voltigeur but might have been a little forgotten by punters, having only raced once in Europe since unseating in the Leger. He was given a gentle reintroduction in the Coronation Cup, running on nicely.
5.00 Wokingham Handicap Third in the Stewards’ Cup last year, Raucous still looks a bit ahead of his rating, judging by his good effort in a Listed contest last time. Ryan Moore and first-time blinkers aid his cause.
5.35 Queen Alexandra Stakes It’s only five years since a Willie Mullins horse, Simenon, won both the Ascot Stakes and the Queen Alexandra in the same week, so Thomas Hobson deserves to be favourite as he tries to complete the same double. But it’s asking a lot to run two such marathons in five days, so perhaps *Qewy *can take advantage. Formerly with John Ferguson, he has won the Geelong Cup and run fourth in the Melbourne Cup since joining Charlie Appleby and was beaten just a neck in a handicap at last year’s Royal Ascot.
Tips for Saturday races
Ascot
2.30 September 3.05 Central Square 3.40 Idaho (nap) 4.20 Al Jazi (nb) 5.00 Raucous 5.35 Qewy
Redcar
1.35 Collateral 2.05 Presenting Julio 2.40 Truth Or Dare 3.15 Desert Sport 3.50 Nonno Giulio 4.30 Subjective 5.10 Ebitda
Ayr
1.50 Royal Liberty 2.20 Aardwolf 2.55 Speed Company 3.30 Sophie P 4.10 Queen Kindly 4.50 El Hombre 5.25 Vallarta
Newmarket
2.10 Main Street 2.45 Pumblechook 3.20 Angel’s Quest 4.00 Game Starter 4.40 Ascot Day 5.20 Meshardal 5.55 Merlin
Lingfield
5.45 Tojosimbre 6.15 Gabrial The Thug 6.45 Hepplewhite 7.20 Day Of Rest 7.50 Medburn Dream 8.20 Dealer’s Choice 8.50 One Big Surprise
Haydock
6.30 Mabs Cross 7.00 Teodoro 7.35 Chai Chai 8.05 Jumira Prince 8.35 Sante 9.05 Big Tour
