Keep the winnings ticking over with Time Test
HER Majesty The Queen fields Peacock in this afternoon’s Tercentenary Stakes (3.05pm) and it would be lovely to see a royal winner at Ascot this year.
The son of 2009 Queen Anne Stakes victor Paco Boy finished only 1½ lengths behind Investec Derby hero Golden Horn in Newmarket’s Feilden Stakes. He then followed that up with a win at the same track in the Fairway Stakes.
Despite that convincing form, I’m siding with Roger Charlton’s TIME TEST today who was last seen winning a strong-looking renewal of the London Gold Cup at Newbury.
On that day the three-year-old cut through a stack of horses and surged to the line to take the race with a bit in hand.
That contest often propels winners to Group success. Melbourne Cup hero Green Moon, multiple Group One winner Al Kazeem, and last year’s Tercentenary Stakes champion Cannock Chase were all winners of the Newbury race.
With the booking of evergreen Frankie Dettori I feel reassured of a big run and will be backing him at 5/2 with Unibet.
At bigger odds, Jessica Harrington’s Bocca Baciata deserves a second look having run creditably in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. However, this is a hard race for fillies to win.
Earlier on today at the Berkshire course, the Norfolk Stakes (2.30pm) opens events and I think the Richard Hannon-trained pair will take all the beating.
Both King Of Rooks and Log Out Island have come under Arab ownership after impressive displays and must be respected.
When talking about Log Out Island, John Ferguson, Bloodstock Adviser to purchaser Sheikh Mohammed, has said the sky’s the limit for this speedily-bred son of Dark Angel. But I’d probably just favour King Of Rooks.
▀ Pointers…
TIME TEST 3.05pm Ascot