Don’t be surprised if Dock’s Lake on the scene
IT’S A Lockinge rematch to kick off Royal Ascot on Tuesday, with the first four home from that Newbury contest all lining up for the curtain-raising Group One Queen Anne Stakes (2.30pm).
The winner from Newbury, Lead Artist, will get his favoured fast ground again and it would be no surprise to see him pull off a Group One double, but the betting suggests Rosallion, third in the Lockinge, is expected to take the biggest step forward.
Richard Hannon’s St James’s Palace Stakes winner of 12 months ago looked in need of the run at Newbury but still ran with plenty of credit, so it’s not hard to see why he’s favourite.
Similar comments apply to Notable Speech, though he was soundly beaten over this course and distance last year, so that would be a slight concern, while Dancing Gemini is a very likeable horse who’ll likely run his race and is priced to do so at around 6/1.
There’s not much value in that quartet of runners at the top of the betting, though, and looking further afield, LAKE FOREST and DOCKLANDS make plenty of each-way appeal at around 11/1 and 16/1, respectively, with Star Sports.
The case for Lake Forest is fairly straightforward, with the drying conditions set to suit and a step up to the mile adding that element of potential to his profile.
His stamina is a question mark being by the speedy No Nay Never, but the dam has produced no less than five winners over a mile or further, so there’s a fair suggestion he’ll stay.
If he does, he could be lethal given the turn of foot he’s shown so far and 11/1 looks big.
At double those odds, Docklands is a sporting selection to extend his remarkable course record.
His form over Ascot’s straight mile reads 113222, including when second in this race last year.
If either of those wins, you should have some ammunition for the feature race of the day, the Group One St James’s Palace Stakes.
And you might just need it, as the race’s most likely winner, Field Of Gold, is a very short price at 10/11.
A repeat of his scintillating Irish Guineas win should be enough to land this, but he’s a bit too skinny for me.
One horse that I think is well worth an each-way play is MEYDAAN in the Wolferton Stakes (5.35pm).
This son of Frankel finished a respectable fourth in the Queen’s Vase at last year’s Royal Meeting but was subsequently dropped back in trip.
He struggled towards the end of last season but has returned in much better form in two runs this term.
The first of those came over an inadequate trip of a mile at Ascot, where he lacked the speed of three rivals that are due to contest the Queen Anne.
On his next start he took his form to a new level when a close second at Goodwood, having been stepped back up to 10 furlongs.
He stayed on powerfully from that back of the field there, something that isn’t always easily done at the Sussex track, and in doing so proved that this was his trip.
A return to a stiffer track like Ascot should suit him even better and I can see him reversing form with his Goodwood conqueror Liberty Lane, especially as he now receives three pounds from that rival.
There looks to be plenty of pace in this contest and if the leaders go off too quickly it could set up perfectly for Simon and Ed Crisford’s runner.
With so much looking to be in his favour, I’d strongly recommend snapping up the 16/1 on offer with Star Sports.
POINTERS TUESDAY
Lake Forest e/w 2.30pm Royal Ascot
Docklands e/w 2.30pm Royal Ascot
Meydaan e/w 5.35pm Royal Ascot