IT’S going to be a Grand day at Royal Ascot.
GRAND DAME (3.40) will have her first start of the season in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes but that’s rarely a worry with the Gosdens doing the training.
She went a long way in a relatively short space of time last season. After making a winning debut at Ascot she progressed rapidly throughout the season, signing off with a personal-best third in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket.
She would have finished even closer with a clear run and she is just the type of filly that might have improved a lot over the winter months. This race lacks depth so have 2pts each-way at 15-2.
The day’s big betting race is the Royal Hunt Cup where INTELLOGENT (5.00) looks to have a cracking chance of going one better than last year.
After finishing runner-up in this race 12 months ago, he was beaten just three-quarters of a length by subsequent French Group 1 winner Anmaat in the John Smith’s Cup at York.
He’s since struggled in Group 3 races over further than today’s mile distance but he enjoyed a perfect prep race when returned to handicaps at Newbury last month.
After finding traffic blocking his path, he was given anything but a hard time. Have 2pts each-way at 8-1. A few bookies are paying out on six places with Sky Bet stretching to a generous eight.
Trainer Owen Burrows has his team in great form and he looks to have a fine chance of landing the Kensington Palace Handicap with TARRABB (3.05).
Her course form is good and she is unexposed over this mile distance.
A four-runner race over 7f around Chelmsford’s all-weather track was never likely to play to her strengths on her return to action. This kind of race looks right up her street. Have 2pts each-way at 10-1. Several bookies are going six places with Sky Bet paying out on seven.
It will be fast and furious in the Windsor Castle Stakes.
SERGEANT WILKO (6.10) looks to have plenty of pace and he is bred to enjoy the switch to better ground after winning on soft at Thirsk in April.
He travels very smoothly through his races and could easily have improved a good chunk in the two months since his win. Have 1pt each-way at 16-1. Several bookies are paying five places.
