Royal Ascot Day 5 Preview And Tips

Race 1: Chesham Stakes

The opening race on the final day of Royal Ascot is the 7f Chesham Stakes, a Listed contest for 2yo fillies and colts. The one I like at a nice each way price for this contest is Arthur Kitt, a well related son of Camelot who looked a very nice prospect when scooting home by 2.5L on his debut over 6f at Haydock on good ground.

Arthur Kitt could run a big race for Tom Dascombe.

At first glance the form doesn’t look overly strong, but the runner up was beaten just 4L by Shine So Bright on his next start and that colt ran a cracker to be 5th in the Coventry earlier this week. Arthur Kitt’s pedigree is all about speed on the dam side, but his sire will have hopefully added enough stamina to ensure 7f shouldn’t be an issue. At odds of 12/1 I can see Arthur Kitt running a big race for each way players.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: ARTHUR KITT E/W @ 12/1 NB

Race 2: Hardwicke Stakes

Only five horses will go to post for this 12f Group 2 and I struggled to find a value angle. No bet.

Race 3: Windsor Castle Stakes

A total of 28 fillies and colts will go to post for this Listed contest for 2yos and it looks an absolute minefield for punters. Moonlight Romance is well fancied for Wesley Ward and Joel Rosario and her run behind Shang Shang Shang on debut looks alright form now. Queen Of Bermuda’s debut form has worked out very nicely too and she has improved with every run. It would be no surprise to see her make her presence felt here.

However, with such a big field and with plenty of bookies offering enhanced each way terms, I am going to take a chance on one at a big price and I think Rolling King could go well back down in trip and back on quicker ground. He won well on debut at Chantilly (5f gd) and 6f on soft ground seemed to stretch his stamina at the same venue last time. In first time blinkers and from a reasonable draw in stall 13, I think Rolling King could go well at odds of 33/1.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: ROLLING KING E/W @ 33/1 (5 PLACES)

Race 4: Diamond Jubilee Stakes

The feature race on Saturday at Ascot is the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, a 6f Group 1 that has attracted a field of 12 of the fastest horses on the planet. Harry Angel, a close 2nd in the Commonwealth Cup here last year is the clear favourite after his fine reappearance win at York last month. He is the highest rated horse in the field, trip and track suit and he will have no issues on quick ground. He is deservedly the market leader and if he is at his best he will be hard to beat.

Last year’s hero The Tin Man is back to try and defend his crown and the 6yo son of Equiano looked as good as ever when winning a Listed heat at Windsor on his seasonal comeback. At 8/1 he has each way claims, as does American raider Bound For Nowhere. However, one horse that I think looks massively overpriced is D’bai for in form duo Charlie Appleby and William Buick.

D'bai looks overpriced on his Windsor run behind The Tin Man.

This son of Dubawi was campaigned mostly at 7f/8f/10f during his 2yo and 3yo seasons, but he produced one of the best runs of his career when dropped to 6f at Windsor last month. He was beaten less than a length by The Tin Man and he followed that up with a fine win in a 7f Group 3 at Haydock. I think he could well be suited by a furiously run 6f, he won on his only previous visit to Ascot and at odds of 40/1 he could give each way players a run for their money.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: D’BAI E/W @ 40/1

Race 5: Wokingham Stakes

Robert Cowell came ever so close to winning the Norfolk Stakes with 20/1 shot Pocket Dynamo earlier this week and I think he could go close with another one at a big price here. Course regular Sir Robert Cheval has some serious form here over a variety of trips and he makes his seasonal reappearance off a mark of 103 with top pilot Gerald Mosse booked for the ride.

In a race like this the lack of a recent run would usually be seen as a negative, but this son of Green Desert has first time out form figures of 21 since joining the Cowell yard. He won easy on his seasonal bow last year off a mark of 97 and he ran another cracking race here in August when beaten a neck off 100 after a two month break. His last six visits to Ascot have yielded form figures of 261322 and at odds of 50/1 I think he could hit the frame.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: SIR ROBERT CHEVAL E/W @ 50/1

Race 6: Queen Alexandra Stakes

The last race of the Royal Ascot meeting in 2018 is the Queen Alexandra Stakes, a conditions race run over the unusual trip of 21.5f. Any horse that has notions of winning this will need to have lots of stamina and last year’s runner up Thomas Hobson is back for another bite of the cherry. He won the Ascot Stakes a few days earlier and it is no surprise to see him chalked up as the 6/4 favourite.
 

Fun Mac has a good record on quick ground at Ascot.

The one I like at a decent each way price is Fun Mac, a horse I tipped up for the Chester Cup earlier this season. Hughie Morrison’s 7yo son of Shirocco has run well on two of his three visits to Ascot, the only poor effort coming on soft. He was a decent 5th in this race last season, given too much to do by his jockey Jim Crowley but staying on well. Hopefully Crowley doesn’t make the same mistake again today, and if he doesn’t I think Fun Mac can reward each way support at odds of 14/1.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: FUN MAC E/W @ 14/1 NAP