The 2,000 Guineas winners in England and Ireland dominate the betting for the St James’s Palace Stakes, the feature event on the opening card at Royal Ascot 2023, but the form of the French equivalent could have been underrated and Isaac Shelby, touched off in the Classic at Longchamp last month, is an interesting bet at around 9-1 to emerge on top.
Brian Meehan’s colt was a ready winner of the Group Two Superlative Stakes at Newmarket last summer and made an impressive in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury in April.
That form will be dismissed by some as Chaldean, the subsequent 2,000 Guineas winner, unseated Frankie Dettori shortly after the start but Isaac Shelby won in a strong time and his form at Longchamp next time up was franked when the winner, Marhaba Ya Sanafi, finished third in the French Derby.
Chaldean has been winning on much softer ground than he is likely to encounter on Tuesday and Paddington arguably beat a sub-standard field at the Curragh, while the unbeaten Cicero’s Gift still has plenty to find on his latest form to figure.
That leaves Isaac Shelby (4.20), who will be ridden by William Buick for the first time, as the clear pick of the prices to give Qatar-based Wathnan Racing, which bought the colt privately last month, a first European winner at Group One level.
Ascot 2.30 Modern Games is impressively consistent at Group One level but Inspiral’s emphatic success first time up in the Coronation Stakes last year is arguably the best individual piece of form on offer here and she can get Frankie Dettori’s final Royal meeting off to the best possible start.
Ascot 3.05 The visual impression of Asadna’s 12-length win at Ripon last month was backed up by a remarkable time for a juvenile on debut and he deserves to be joint-favourite, at least, with Aidan O’Brien’s River Tiber, so at around 3-1 or better he is definitely worth an interest.
Ascot 3.40 Several interesting new rivals for Highfield Princess, including Australian-trained Coolnagatta and the three-year-old Dramatised, but John Quinn’s hugely popular mare looked as good as ever under a penalty at York last month and will take all the beating with that race under her girth.
Thirsk 1.50 Game Breaker 2.20 Time’s Eye 2.55 Blazing Son 3.30 Ascot Adventure 4.10 Create 4.45 High Opinion 5.25 Genesius
Royal Ascot 2.30 Inspiral 3.05 Asadna 3.40 Highfield Princess 4.20 Isaac Shelby (nb) 5.00 Calling The Wind (nap) 5.35 Cadillac 6.10 Ruling Dynasty
Stratford 2.40 Genever Dragon 3.15 Titanium Moon 3.50 Carrigeen Kampala 4.30 Too Friendly 5.10 Jet Of Dreams 5.45 Do It For Thy Sen
Beverley 5.40 Catena 6.15 Cori Glory 6.45 Na Scoitear 7.15 Manila Scouse 7.45 Forward Flight 8.15 Mr Heinz 8.45 Dandy’s Angel
Brighton 6.00 Beauld As Brass 6.30 Soveraine 7.00 Minhaaj 7.30 Film Star 8.00 Kitaab 8.30 Harbour Project 9.00 Letter Of The Law
Ascot 5.00 Runners from big jumping yards head the betting but Calling The Wind, with the excellent apprentice Billy Loughnane taking off 3lb, has also been dropped 1lb since running into traffic in the closing stages of the Chester Cup and has definite claims at around 10-1.
Ascot 5.35 Cadillac looked back to his best when successful in a handicap at Epsom earlier this month and may have crept in unnoticed here at around 12-1.
Ascot 6.10 A decent turn of foot carried Ruling Dynasty nearly seven lengths clear at Haydock last time and a third straight success is a distinct possibility.
