Royal Ascot Thoughts

I'm very much looking forward to the Royal meeting that begins next week. From a sporting point of view it looks at this stage as the best Festival in year's with Frankel, Canford Cliffs and So You Think all scheduled to appear. From a betting point of view I like to look at the two big handicaps before concentrating on the weight for age contests. In many way this makes it the polar opposite of the way I approach Cheltenham.

Anyway, in the Hunt Cup on Wednesday I'm looking for animals who have won over a mile and ideally have proven themselves to be fast finishers - i'e have taken the lead in a race in the last furlong or so and won by a length or more. The Roger Varian trained Eton Forever did this in a race at Doncaster in April. Actually he took the lead more than a furlong out and won by over three lengths which isn't strictly ideal as he went up eleven pounds for this success. If the jockey had held onto him for longer and won by a length and a half say he wouldn't have gone up quite so much. So Eton Forever's handicap mark of 103 isn't brilliant but the form of that Doncaster race has worked out really well. Also, he ran in a listed race over course and distance later on in April and although he didn't run that well I'm not too bothered as it wasn't a handicap - I also like it when a horse I have an eye runs in an irrelevent race (a non handicap, or a handicap over a different trip) before the contest I have it mind to back him in as I think it keeps the price nice.


I had a horse in mind for the Wokingham as well, an animal called Acclamazing. But he's only a 3yo and I don't think he'll get in the race. I'll be keeping my eye on him when he runs again - as long as it's over 6f.

As mouth watering as the group races are nothing stands out from a punting point of view - although Planteur may be underestimated in the Prince of Wales as the hype on So You Think gathers momentum. The French horse may be better suited to the short straight at Ascot. I may be tempted at around 4/1.

Hunt Cup:
Eton Forever £20w @ 18/1