Saturday Ascot and York Racing Preview and Tips – DS
Saturday Ascot and York Racing Tips
I am not going to look back at last week’s runners as it was a total shitshow. Being depressed is not the best state of mind to be studying in! We head into this weekend with renewed hope and there is a nice mix of handicap and stakes races to get stuck into. Hopefully we can smash in a winner or two, check out our Saturday Ascot and York preview and tips below.
1.50 Ascot – Princess Margaret Stakes (Group 3)
We backed a Rod Millman horse to no avail last weekend but I am going back in with one of his here. Cuban Mistress, a daughter of Havana Grey, looks an absolutely huge price upped in distance to 6f for the first time. She ran a poor race on debut at Salisbury but since then, she has progressed very nicely. She made all to win at Sandown next time (5f gd/fm), beating the now 84 rated Beautiful Aisling by a neck.
Then, she ran a cracker at Bath (5f gd) when she found just Lezoo too good by 1L. She was conceding 6lbs to the winner and she is off levels against her today. At Windsor next she ran in a three runner race and finished a 1.75L 2nd to Queen Mary 5th, Miami Girl. Last time out quieter tactics were deployed in the Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown. It took her half a furlong to settle but once she did she travelled nicely and she finished off very strongly to get black type behind Rocket Rodney.
On the evidence of that run, 6f looks well worth a shot. She finished with petrol left in the tank at Sandown and she should have learned plenty from that experience. Ross Coakley keeps the ride and if he can get her to settle from the start this time, hopefully Cuban Mistress can stay on late for a place at least.
Saturday Ascot and York Racing Tips: Cuban Mistress e/w @ 28/1 NB
2.05 York – Nunthorpe Handicap (Class 4)
The one I like at odds of 25/1 in this unique race is the old boy, Secretinthepark. Now a 12yo, this horse ran a very nice race last time out at Haydock (5f gd/sft). His first two runs of the season were poor but that last run gave the impression he was coming to hand. Given his age, you couldn’t blame him for needing a couple of runs to blow the cobwebs away.
This son of Sakhee’s Secret is a former C&D winner. That victory came on his last visit to York for his former handler Mick Mullineaux off a mark of 73. Now, he is off 78 today but he won off 80 in January and was placed off 80 last time so he is not handicapped out of this.
He actually ran in this back in 2019 under Kielan Woods and was beat just 1.75L off 74. So, I am thinking that maybe his owners have targeted this race again. It looks like he has been trained for it anyway and he usually comes to hand in the summer months. He’ll be outpaced early but hopefully they’ll go a proper gallop. If they do, Secretinthepark can fly home to reward e/w support.
Saturday Ascot and York Racing Tips: Secretinthepark e/w @ 25/1 (6 Places)
2.25 Ascot – Valiant Stakes (Group 3)
Another interesting contest. Zanbaq is the fav for Crowley and Varian after her fine effort at Ascot off 99. She got a 6lb hike for that and is now rated 105. She gets allowances for her sex and age and with a feather weight of 8-11, she should run well. I’m not sure she should be as short as 7/4 though as she was well beat on her sole start in pattern company. Jumbly is also rated 105 and her form is far stronger than the fav’s. She ran with credit in G1 and G2 company the last twice and she also went very close in a G3 at Newmarket in April. At the prices, she would be the one I’d back of the top two.
Huge Odds
One that might run into a place at huge odds is Eidikos. Trained by Ed Bethell, this 3yo daughter of Ardad was last sighted running well in the Listed Carlisle Bell, 2.75L behind Oscula. That extended her winless run since winning on debut to six but it was a career best. Given her sire, I don’t think it is a coincidence that this filly’s best form has come on fast ground. She has had two runs on good to firm, last time at Carlisle and when beat a neck off 85 in a Class 2 Newmarket nursery last season.
The trip is a slight concern but she did keep on well behind Oscula last time. When she tried a mile at York in a Listed contest it was her first run of the season and she ran a nice race in 4th. Admittedly, she didn’t finish strongly but I am going to put that down to fitness rather than a lack of stamina. This is a more open race than the bookies are making it look and at 40/1, Eidikos can hopefully sneak into the frame.
Saturday Ascot and York Racing Tips: Eidikos e/w @ 40/1
2.40 York – Dash Handicap (Class 2)
I was licking my lips when I looked at this race earlier this week. Venturous was priced up at 25/1 and he was going to be my NAP. That crazy price hasn’t lasted and he is now into 10/1, which is probably about right. He is handicapped to be competitive, he won over C&D for us last year at 40s and he shaped as though his turn was close at Ascot. However, he can be a bit of a boyo in the stalls and now that he is so short in the betting, I am going to look elsewhere.
Another horse that looks handicapped to win is Nomadic Empire. David O’Meara’s son of Kodiac didn’t shine at Ascot last time but the Knavesmire tends to bring out the best in the 4yo. He won here off 99 in September, he was beat 1.5L off 102 in October and the ground was blamed for his below par effort here in May (not quick enough). There should be no such concerns for him today and he is in off 97. This is a nice pot so you’d think he’ll be trying so at odds of 18/1, Nomadic Empire is the e/w selection. Venturous is a huge danger though.
Saturday Ascot and York Racing Tips: Nomadic Empire e/w @ 18/1 (5 Places)
3.00 Ascot – International Stakes (Class 2)
The eye is instantly drawn to Ropey Guest here. He has run massive races the last twice, including over C&D. He got a pound for his last run at Newmarket but with Callum Hutchinson’s claim he is effectively 4lbs lower than when beat a length in the Buckingham Palace. 16/1 is a more than fair price and he is worth backing each way again.
In the Buckingham Palace we also backed Rhoscolyn. The son of Territories finished a head behind Ropey Guest in 3rd off 103. He is admittedly worse off at the weights today but he had a luckless passage at the Royal Meeting. If things had panned out differently I think he would have won and I think it is worth putting a line through his last run at Newmarket.
Danny Tudhope is on Fresh but Cieran Fallon is an able deputy and he has hit the frame in five of his seven rides for O’Meara this year without winning. He has a win and three 2nds from just six rides for Rhoscolyn’s owners too. The trip, ground and track are all ideal and at odds of 25/1, Rhoscolyn is also worth chancing e/w.
Saturday Ascot and York Racing Tips: Ropey Guest e/w @ 16/1 NAP; Rhoscolyn e/w @ 25/1 (both 6 Places)
3.15 York – York Stakes (Group 2)
Just five runners and nothing jumps out at big odds. No bet.
Saturday Ascot and York Racing Tips: No Bet
3.35 Ascot – Kinge George VII Stakes (Group 1)
Just the six runners but what a field it is. The 3yo generation is represented by Irish Derby winner Westover and Oaks runner up Emily Upjohn. Colin Keane keeps the ride on the Juddmonte horse and he looked a bit special at the Curragh. Like his main market rival, he was unlucky at Epsom and he could arguably be coming here as a dual Derby winner.
The fact that Westover beat Tuesday 10L last time does not bode well for Emily Upjohn. She should have beaten her at Epsom but it wouldn’t have been by that far. Of the elder lemons, Mishriff is shortest at around 7/2. He ran a massive race in the Coral Eclipse last time and he chased home Adayar in this last term. David Egan lost his job over what happened at Sandown and James Doyle will be eager to make a good impression. If he repeats his Sandown run, he’ll be thereabouts.
Ground Concerns
Arc hero Torquator Tasso adds some International flavour. However, I am amazed he is running on this quick ground. It was heavy when he won the Arc and he was beaten at a far lower level than this on his last two starts on good. With zero rain today and none forecast tomorrow, there’s not a chance I’d be backing him at 10/1.
Broome is a cracking horse on his day. He was on top form last time out when he slammed Mostahdaf by 3.25L at Royal Ascot. Fast ground is key for him and he will get that today but he is no banker to back up his last run. Pyledriver is the rag here at 25s, a monstrous price. He came unstuck behind Hukum at Epsom last time but that was likely needed.
In December Pyledriver was only beat a length in the Hong Kong Vase. He was beat the same distance in the G1 Sheema Classic in Dubai in March. Two years ago, he landed a G2 over C&D so he is proven on the track and the ground should be fine for him. He may struggle to give so much weight to Westover but I think at his best, he is capable of beating the rest of the older horses. At 25/1, he is worth backing e/w for small stakes.
