Royal Ascot - Day 4

In today’s blog:
Review of yesterday’s blog
Today’s Racing Selections from Royal Ascot
World Cup Specials


Today’s Racing Selections from Royal Ascot
For Friday, the 4th day of Royal Ascot, there are a couple of interesting opportunities in the Group 2 King Edward VII stakes over 12f and the Group 1 Coronation Stakes over a mile.

The 12f King Edward VII Stakes revolves around Bullet Train. His poor run at Epsom in the Derby was put down to not handling the track, but he handled Lingfield well enough. My opinion is the horse needs an easy-lead. That, and he plain doesn’t stay 12f in top company. He is the 1st foal of his dam who was a 6f sprinter, after all. Add that the form of his Newbury maiden race has taken a hammering, and he has it all to prove. My handle on the Epsom Derby form is that the O’Brien horse At First Sight has been over-rated for his 2nd placing in that race. He was 100/1 for that and went into the Derby rated OR104; his run that day suggested he took advantage of tactical errors of the other jockey’s. Buzzword was sired by Pivotal, so the good-to-firm going won’t suit him. That leaves us with the only improving colt in the race who is unbeaten in 3 starts this season, GREEN MOON. He’s won on good-to-firm going and looks well capable of staying 12f.

The 8f Coronation Stakes usually goes to a top-class filly. This race hangs on the Irish Guineas form as 5 who ran there meet again in this. Of the remainder, Puff and Lady Of The Desert have the most potential, tho’ Puff may struggle to stay 8f. Lady Of The Desert was considered unlucky in running last-time-out but even so needs to find some improvement. As such, I’m drawn to the Irish Guineas form and in particular those involved in the blanket finish with under half-a-length covering the 1st-5 home. Lily Langtry was finishing well, but hit a flat spot 2f-out and ended-up having the clearest run to the line. Music Show was gradually closing but had no turn-of-foot and looks a horse that wants 10f now (as her relatives did). Its ANNA SALAI that looks to have the most potential. She was sent for home at the 3f marker and only just lost out on the line. Prior to that she showed a terrific turn-of-foot to beat subsequent French Oaks 2nd Rosanara over 2-lengths. With Dettori in the saddle that must be an “advantage” over Ajtebi and further reason to expect improvement.

Royal Ascot 3:05 GREEN MOON 2pts win @ 11/4
Royal Ascot 3:50 ANNA SALAI 1pt EW @ 6/1

Review of yesterday’s blog
Not a great day for the blog yesterday.
Principal Role plainly did not stay the 12f trip. And, as for Ask, in my opinion he was done for by the pace which, altho’ looking to be slow for the first mile and more actually resulted in a record time for the Gold Cup being run.

World Cup Specials
With defeats for Nigeria by Greece and France by Mexico, I’m calling it a day on the World Cup Specials for the weekend.

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