The Gold Cup is the highlight of Thursday’s action at Royal Ascot.
Yeats is attempting to win the race for the third year running and will go off a popular favourite.
With ten rivals he looks to have a good chance with the only serious rival looking to be the unbeaten French raider
Coastal Path who looks to be a high class horse. The imponderable is this is his first run outside France and the question is how well will he travel?
We will find out at 3:45 on Thursday. Personally this is a race to watch and savour, rather than one for any serious financial investment.
The Ribblesdale Stakes forty minutes earlier looks to be an intriguing race, with ten fillies competing in a race where a few of them have decent chances.
Dar Re Mi, impressive on her seasonal debut at sandown was subsequently disappointing in the Musidora at York. Some say the latter performance exposed her limitations. However a more charitable explanation is it was a rough race and she didn’t enjoy being knocked about. She also appears to be a horse who will be suited by the step up to 1½ miles.
Runner up in the Musidora was Cape Amber who went on to finish sixth in the Oaks. It looks at this stage she may go off favourite. It could also be argued she is better suited by the mile and a quarter as opposed to the mile and a half.
One place behind Cape Amber in the Oaks was Michita who did not seem to like the undulating course at Epsom and will probably be better suited by Ascot.
The Ballydoyle contender is Kitty Matcham who was disappointing in the French Oaks, seemingly not getting the mile and a quarter and it is questionable she will get the mile and a half here.
On balance and at the expected prices Dar Re Mi looks to be a good each way option.
The opening race of the day, The Norfolk Stakes looks to be a typical Ascot two-year-old race with most of the field open to improvement.
As a very long price I quite like the look of one of more exposed runners, Klynch.
However there are other runners with greater prospects amongst them Baycat, Finjaan and Moss Likely and of the three I will side with the unbeaten Baycat.
The Britannia Stakes at 4:20 looks to be an absolute nightmare with 33 runners in the mile handicap.
With a combination of exposed handicappers and some up and coming stars this really is a pin stickers guide.
My view of the winner is to perm any one of the following - Flawed Genius, Redford, Slugger O’Toole or Wassan.
The Hampton Court Stakes at 4:55 looks to be a classic Anglo – Irish clash, which despite having 16 runners actually looks to be a four horse race.
The favourite looks to be the O’Brien trained King Of Rome although he was disappointing in the Derby.
Sir Michael stout has two serious challengers Dr Faustus, a good winner at Newmarket last time out, coming on the back of a Thirsk maiden win at the tail end of last season.
However it is interesting to see that Ryan Moore has decided to ride Kensington Oval who beat the very well regarded Eqbaa on his debut at Sandown. He will learn a lot from that run and looks to be a future star, how he will cope in such a large field is open to debate but at around 14/1 looks worthy of an each way investment.
The Betfred Silver Bowl winner Staying On is the fourth lively contender, winner of three of his four runs, his one defeat coming on unsuitable going. He has scope for improvement and at 16/1 is another worthy of an each way play.
A difficult day gets no better in the final King George V Stakes. Although it is a handicap there are plenty of improving horses in the field and it is another for the permutation.
Take any one of Strategic Mission, Collection, Allied Powers or Missioner. With preference being for the former.