Royal Ascot - Day 3

Wednesday was awful. I didn't get a sniff and I can only presume Toronado's near miss affected my judgement calls. Most annoyed I ridiculously persuaded myself to back Camelot.

Onto Thursday then and I'm rowing in with a couple of French animals again. In the Gold Cup I think Last Train is worth an each way punt at 14/1 with a couple of layers offering a quarter the odds four places. This Fabre 4yo is by Arc winner Rail Link out of a Rainbow Quest mare and he has decent enough form over two miles. He was poor last time out on ground softer than ideal and was beaten by a horse he'd bested the time before. There are dangers naturally and I fear Rite of Passage the most but last year's renewal was poor in my opinion with ordinary horses close up and I want to be against the runners in that race that take part again. I honestly feel Last Train is one of the better contenders in this race and he's a decent price.

Later on in the Group 3 Tercentenary Stakes the Alain De Royer-Dupre trained Shikapour represents the Prix du Jockey-Club form which was boosted on Tuesday when Mshawish was fourth against top class opposition in the St James's Palace. I think the French form is stronger at middle distance than ours and I'm happy to back the Aga Khan's colt at 13/2. He is bred to stay further than the mile and a quarter he'll run over here but 12f animals generally run well at Ascot over shorter (think of the record of these stayers in races like the Prince of Wales.) The John Gosden trained market leader Remote is respected and his form is solid but it is at a lower level and he's quite short. My confidence is at a bit of a low ebb at the moment so there is a place element to this bet as well.

Gold Cup

Last Train £25ew @ 14/1 (lost)

Tercentenary Stakes:

Shikapour £20ew @ 13/2 and £20w @ 68/10 (2nd)

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