Diamond Jubliee Stakes – Blue Point can boss another big sprint
By declaring Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes winner BLUE POINT in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes on the final day of Royal Ascot, trainer Charlie Appleby has certainly throw a spanner in the works of bookmakers’ ante-post lists.
The Godolphin runner has been installed at an uneasy 11/4 favourite but it should be reassuring to potential backers that he won’t run unless his trainer is confident he has recovered entirely from his efforts earlier in the week. Dual runners in the two big sprints at the Royal meeting have a solid record and the five-year-old should take all the beating again.
Tuesday’s Queen Anne Stakes fifth Le Brivido is also scheduled to make a quick reappearance and is another fascinating runner but there are concerns with regard to distance and the Group 1 sprint looks as competitive as always.
The Diamond Jubilee Stakes was formerly know as the Cork and Orrery Stakes and has held Group 1 status since its name change in 2002.
There are no discernible trends to sort out the wheat from the chaff apart from winning form over 6f, which applies to all 18 runners this year.
Seven are previous winners at Ascot with The Tin Man winning the race in 2017 and finishing a close fourth last year, when just behind City Light and Bound For Nowhere and a length ahead of Projection.
American raider Bound For Nowhere should go close again at a general 12/1 and looks better value than Invincible Army.
Diamond Jubilee Stakes Current Best Odds
Blue Point 11/4, Invincible Army 9/2, City Light 8/1, The Tin Man and Bound For Nowhere 12/1, Sands Of Mali 14/1, Le Brivido and Dream Of Dreams 16/1, Kachy 25/1, Emblazoned 28/1, Keystroke, Lim’s Cruiser and Tip Two Win 33/1, Projection, Speak In Colours, Yafta and Donjuan Triumph 40/1, Enzo’s Lad 100/1
Chesham Stakes – Fernandez could be another juvenile winner for Ballydoyle
The Chesham Stakes, for two-year-olds, is only a Listed race so it’s a comparatively low-key start to the final day of Royal Ascot.
Only two of the last 16 winners had run more than once previously and most recent winners had raced over at least 6f.
Pinatubo won the Woodcote at Epsom and the extra furlong will suit but LOPE Y FERNANDEZ has already won over 7f. He looks the pick of the four Ballydoyle runners ahead of Year Of The Tiger – he’s a strong 5/4 favourite with Sportingbet. Newbury runner-up Heaven Forfend could also play a part.
Jersey Stakes – Power can leave supporters Happy
A sub-standard renewal of this Group 3 race which has provided compensation in the past for three-year-olds who have been found wanting over a mile.
Space Blues is currently just at the head of the market having beaten Urban Icon and Angel’s Hideaway in a Listed race at Epsom. But stablemates Bye Bye Hong Kong and HAPPY POWER are the joint top rated. The latter is around 11/2 with most bookmakers with his liking for soft going a major plus. The filly So Perfect won in the grade at Naas but has to carry a small penalty.
Hardwicke Stakes- Defoe to hit the target again
Hardwicke Stakes- Defoe to hit the target againGiven Sir Michael Stoute’s record in this Group 2, it would be no surprise to see Mirage Dancer take a big step forward.
Masar is having a first run since winning last year’s Epsom Derby so it will be interesting to see how he goes. DEFOE (a general 9/2) finally got his act together when winning the Coronation Stakes earlier this month when beating several of today’s rivals. Andrea Atzeni has now worked out how to ride him to best effect.
Wokingham Stakes – Will Byron be poetry in motion?
There are 28 declared runners, and three reserves, for one of the big betting races of the week.
This is always run at a frenetic pace so it often pays to follow these who are effective beyond 6f – real speedsters rarely win.
CAPE BYRON (a general 10/1) ticks all the right boxes having won over 7f at Ascot on his only run so far this year. He should have the pace to cope with a drop back in distance. At bigger odds, a case cam be made for Vanbrugh (a general 20/1), who ran well in a Listed race at Haydock after winning at Thirsk, and Spring Loaded (25/1 with 888sport), who looks to have been trained with this race in mind.
Queen Alexandra Stakes – Black Corton should relish stamina test on Flat debut
The last race of the Royal meeting is also the longest.
Willi Mullins runs useful stayer Max Dynamite, who can go well fresh but is also a bit of a character. Corelli is the dark horse in the race but he’s never raced beyond 1m4f, though jockey Frankie Dettori has been a man inspired this week.
Pallasator won this last year for Gordon Elliott while Couer Blimey beat a subsequent winner over 2m2f at Newbury.
BLACK CORTON, a high-class chaser, is having a first run on the Flat but will gallop all the way to the line.
It’s Megan Nicholls rather than Bryony Frost in the saddle today but the 20/1 on betfair is an attractive price for each-way punters who like a fairy story. Haydock winner Lucky Deal also comes into the reckoning.
(All odds correct at 3.30pm June 20)
