Kieran Shoemark had a landmark victory at Royal Ascot on Thursday. Trusted by boss Roger Charlton, the apprentice delivered a perfect ride on Godolphin’s Atty Perse to win the King George V Stakes and has another high-profile mount in this Saturday’s Wokingham Stakes on PROJECTIONIST. The four-year-old looks well worth a bet at 9/1 with Marathonbet.
Marathonbet have a packed sportsbook running on their website and have partnered up with some top scorer clubs in the past. As a new Marathonbet customer, you can enjoy the benefit of getting your hands on a free bet bonus. To earn the bonus, you have to enter the special code TV20 on your first deposit and they will give you a 100% matched deposit free bet.
The minimum deposit is £10 and the maximum free bet that can be claimed is £20. It doesn’t matter if your first deposit is over £20, the maximum free bet that you can pick up is the £20 matched deposit bonus. The free bet will made available to you after you have played through your initial deposit three times (and at odds of 1.8 or more).
Just follow our link to Marathonbet to get your hands on this bonus.
Wokingham Stakes History and Trends
The Wokingham Stakes is one of the betting highlight of Royal Ascot for many punters. The final big-field handicap of the meeting, it is run over 6f and several past winners have go on to contest Group races, including the likes of Iffraaj, High Standing and Deacon Blues.
First run in 1813, the race was divided into two or three separate classes in its early years but it became a single race in 1874 – four horses have won it twice and last year’s winner, Outback Traveller, is looking to join that elite group. Bob Cowell’s charge is only 4lb higher and had the perfect pipe-opener over 7f at Ascot last month so it’s no surprise that he’s only a best 8/1 to stage a repeat.
Five-year-olds have won the last four renewals of the Wokingham Stakes and there hasn’t been a winner aged older than sixth in almost 20 years. Evidence of any draw advantage on the straight course at Royal Ascot this week has been inconclusive but only one of the last 10 winners of this Heritage Handicap has been drawn low. Half of the last eight winners have started at single-figure odds and gambles are not uncommon so the market needs scrutiny.
Like Outback Traveller, Projectionist appears to have had the perfect prep race at Newmarket. He finished behind Eastern Impact (a general 20/1) but will hardly have known that he’d had a race, making late headway under a hands and heels ride. A bit unlucky when fourth in last year’s Stewards’ Cup, the four-year-old looks capable of landing a big handicap like this.
I’d also like to put in a good word for Buckstay at 20/1 with several bookmakers. Peter Chapple-Hyam’s runner thrives at Ascot and goes well fresh so an absence since finishing fifth behind another course specialist, Librisa Breeze, in October is not a concern. Raucous, in first-time blinkers and with Ryan Moore up, has a shout at 16/1 with Paddy Power and top weight Certificate (a best 22/1) also has a touch of class and a competent 5lb claimer on board but Projectionist can light up the big screen at Ascot this Saturday.
Wokingham Stakes Current Best Odds
Outback Traveller (8/1), Projection (9/1), Normandy Barriere (14/1), Raucous (16/1), Buckstay, Eastern Impact and Edward Lewis (20/1), Certificate (22/1), Amazour, Squats, Steady Pace and Intisaab (25/1), Birchwood and Out Do (28/1), Danzeno, Boom The Groom, Duke Of Firenze, Muntadab, Polybius, G Force and Lancelot Du Lac (33/1), Donjuan Triumphant, Poyle Vinnie and Shanghai Glory (40/1), First Selection, Harry Hurricane and George Dryden (50/1), Captain Colby (66/1)
