Royal Ascot Review Day 3 & 4

Despite there being half a dozen winners in the Update during the first four days. it has been a tough week on the punting front at Royal Ascot. Merchant (advised @ 13/2) and Trawlerman (advised @ 7/2) won the King George V Handicap and Ascot Gold Cup respectively on Thursday, while Amiloc maintained his unbeaten record in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes on Friday. There have been plenty of frustrations along the way, including Never So Brave blitzing the field in the Buckingham Palace Stakes having fancied him strongly for the Wokingham Handicap on Saturday. I had been keen on both La Botte (Britannia Stakes) and Cajole (Sandringham Handicap) for the meeting during the lead up but bottled it and had a change of heart - I thought the latter may have preferred slower ground. The pair ran crackers and I would deem them both unfortunate losers - Le Botte would have won with a clear run, while I feel the Cajole won have scored if her jockey had kept straight instead of joining another group in the middle of the track halfway through and then going back to where she started.

The success of Venetian Sun in the Group 3 Albany Stakes on Friday was another irritating result having been told she was an aeroplane before her debut at Carlisle last month. Karl Burke was adamant afterwards that the Starman filly would improve markedly for the experience at the Cumbrian track and benefit from stepping up to six furlongs. A big drifter on Thursday evening, she defied that outclassing her sixteen rivals and she looks a top-class filly in the making. There is a fine line between a decent week and an excellent one - it is all about making the correct decisions and they have been in short supply this week. Some of the the other selections haven't been good enough or not battle hardened enough for such an occasion.

As regards the Top 40, they had a very good first half of the week with Durham Castle kicking things off at Windsor on Monday followed by the Royal Ascot wins of French Master and Ombudsman. Following the victory of Docklands in the Queen Anne Stakes, one can't help thinking Sardinian Warrior would have gone close having beaten Harry Eustace's stable star in a Listed event over C&D during the spring. Then, it was back down to earth on Friday with French Duke (keen early and never put into the race), Hand of God (ran well until his stamina appeared to give way - he will be interesting in the John Smith's Cup at York next month)) and Falakayeh (too keen) all failing to trouble the judge. In the words of William Buick earlier this week, this game tames lions. 

I am working at Haydock Park on Saturday and will therefore update the Diary on Saturday. Fingers crossed we can end the week on a high at Royal Ascot.