Bell ready to Carry home first prize in Ascot International
RACING returns to Ascot for another big weekend, headlined by the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (3.40pm), a race that usually serves up one of the spectacles of the Flat season.
That was certainly the case last year, when Hukum and Westover fought out a pulsating duel up the home straight, with Hukum getting the verdict by a head at the line.
While this year’s renewal doesn’t look as strong, it still provides the chance to see the enigmatic, and brilliant at his best, Auguste Rodin return to the scene of his Prince Of Wales’s Stakes win at last month’s Royal Meeting.
Aidan O’Brien’s runner looks the most likely winner but given his inconsistency I couldn’t recommend a bet at 5/4.
Auguste Rodin’s main rival looks to be Rebel’s Romance in the Godolphin blue, but I was less than impressed by his last performance in Hong Kong, where he was made to work by some moderate rivals.
Bluestocking, who is set to line up for last weekend’s Irish Oaks-winning trainer Ralph Beckett, has the ability to trouble Auguste Rodin but would probably prefer a softer surface than she’s likely to get if the weather remains dry.
None of the remainder look well enough priced to tempt me in so this is a race to savour rather than to have a bet on.
Better betting prospects can be found in the big handicap of the day, the International Stakes (3.00pm).
You need a horse with a good bit in hand of their mark to be winning these fiercely competitive, big field handicaps and Michael Bell’s CARRYTHEONE appeals as a likely type.
I usually prefer to put up something at a bigger price in races like this but the more I looked into this race the more I found myself circling back to this seven-year-old at around 6/1.
Since making the switch to the Bell yard from Johnny Murtagh he’s looked an improved horse, winning on his third start this season at Newmarket and then arguably unlucky when third in the Buckingham Palace and again when a running-on fourth in the Bunbury Cup last time.
On both those occasions he’s met plenty of trouble in running and it would have been painful for backers at Newmarket last time to see him flash home after being locked away behind horses a furlong out.
Given his run style, backers will have to run the gauntlet once again, but on the bright side he remains on a mark of 101 and is clearly still well-handicapped.
Aalto beat Carrytheone at Newmarket, but our selection would have got close to him there with a clear run and is now better off at the weights, so he ranks a fairly confident selection.
Earlier on the card, we could be about to see a taking performance from MANDURAH in the Princess Margaret (1.50pm).
This daughter of Kingman caught the eye when winning on debut at Newmarket over six furlongs last month, where she only had to be kept up to her work in the closing stages to win comfortably.
That success came when the Simon and Ed Crisford yard were enduring a cold patch and now they are in far better form, so there should be plenty more to come from their filly who looked like she was a potential Group performer last time.
Simmering only lost out to the impressive Fairy Godmother in the Albany last time and looks the one to beat, but at the prices I’d rather chance Mandurah each-way at 10/1 than Simmering at around five times shorter odds.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Mandurah e/w Ascot 1.50pm
Carrytheone e/w Ascot 3.00pm