Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Royal Ascot - Wednesday

Wednesday's feature is the Prince Of Wales's Stakes run over a distance of ten furlongs. A field of just eight are set to go to post but the race has something of a trappy feel to it. Sir Michael Stoute's market leader Tartan Bearer is the top-rated animal on official handicap ratings but he has just one pound in hand over Trincot and three over Twice Over. In addition this trip is probably shorter than ideal and he faces a strong challenge from French raiders Vision D'Etat and Never On A Sunday. Vision D'Etat was fifth in last year's Arc and comes to this on the back of a win in the Ganay while Never On A Sunday needs to improve again but could well do just that. Tartan Bearer is the percentage call in a race where the favourite has obliged on three occasions in the last ten years but I'm going to oppose with Vision D'Etat.

Lush Lashes, a Group 1 winner in a Group 2 event, looks the one to beat despite the penalty she carries in the Windsor Forest at 3.05.

For those who have to have a bet in the annual cavalry charge that is the Royal Hunt Cup (for the record, I do not include myself in that number) I was on the verge of suggesting Luca Cumnai's Axiom until I noted that the fast ground was likely cause something of a problem. That led me on to Clive Cox's Dunn'o who beat Axiom half a length over Sandown's stiff mile last time. Dunn'o carries a five pound penalty for that victory but is 20/1 with Victor Chandler this evening; he rates the tentative each-way suggestion.

2 comments:

Noel Bell said...

Hey Geedee I hear what you say about the concerns over the distance for Tartan Bearer but I have plumbed for him today.

GeeDee said...

I wasn't particularly confident before the Prince Of Wales's, and was even less so as they turned for home, but the gap came at the right time and Vision D'Etat (4/1) showed a fine turn of foot to come from last to first and beat Tartan Bearer (6/4f) half a length.
Something of a shock in the Windsor Forest with Spacious (10/1) making all under a fine ride from Johnny Murtagh; Heaven Sent put down a strong challenge but couldn't get to the winner. Lush Lashes (6/4f) failed to quicken two out and faded to finish a disappointing sixth.
For the record Dunn'o finished fourteenth and Axiom sixth in the Royal Hunt Cup. 4/1 favourite Forgotten Voice had this won at the furlong pole and is likely to have given the layers something of a headache this evening.