Royal Ascot 2020 - Day Five Tips
- Matchday FM
- Jun 19, 2020
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 20, 2020
Ahead of the final day of the 2020 Royal Ascot meeting, Harry Reynolds, Ben Wignall and Joseph Richardson have given their selections for what looks set to be a thrilling day's racing, with three Group 1s on the card.
12:40 – Silver Wokingham Handicap
Harry Reynolds – This race looks ridiculously open, so I’m just going for a punt at a wild price. COSMIC LAW won the Woodcote at Epsom in 2018, and he’s been around the block since. His last two runs have been poor but with cut in the ground, he could find a way into the places.
Ben Wignall – The Wokingham is one of the hardest races to figure out every year as most of the horses run against each other throughout the year, and the consolation version is similarly tough. BLUE MIST re-appeared last week at Newbury when finishing second to Breath Of Air, and he steps down to six furlongs for the first time in his career. He’s the most intriguing horse in the race for me, but I also think Louie De Palma will be right there at the finish.
Joseph Richardson – The first race to kick off an absolute bumper card is an open contest, but we saw a short priced favourite bolt up in the opener yesterday. I am tipping up an older horse here and the Commonwealth Cup winning combination of Clive Cox and Adam Kirby with LOUIE DE PALMA, who had smart handicap form from 2019.
13:15 – Queen Mary Stakes
HR – Ballydoyle have been in decent form this week, and I expect MORE BEAUTIFUL to deliver once again. This half-sister to the great Saxon Warrior is by War Front, has pace to burn and the step up in trip will suit. I’m hoping she’s a bit special.
BW – Albany Stakes winner Dandalla has been declared for this race too, and it would be very interesting if she tries to double up although you’d expect that she will be a non runner. It’s hard to look past MORE BEAUTIFUL for this on what she accomplished on debut at Naas. Quite a few short-priced favourites have been burnt though during this festival, and it may pay to look at some value as well, with Mark Johnston’s Sands Of Time impressive at Lingfield where she won by five lengths.
JR – It is very hard to oppose MORE BEAUTIFUL, impeccably bred out of War Front. She was a mightily impressive winner of a Naas maiden by 3 ½ lengths.
13:50 – Coventry Stakes
HR – Despite only being the Ballydoyle second-string on debut, ADMIRAL NELSON absolutely bolted up in the style of a very good horse over the minimum trip. He cruised up to the final furlong and quickened away rapidly, giving the impression that this extra furlong will benefit him massively.
BW – Some of Kingman’s progeny have looked breathtaking since he became a stallion, and Admiral Nelson looked a nice sort when winning at The Curragh last week. But Godolphin saddle CREATIVE FORCE, a half-brother to some nice sorts including Group 1-winning Persuasive, and at 7/1 represents a good price. The runner-up in his debut race – Imperial Force – came third in the Norfolk Stakes which is a good indication of the pair’s talent.
JR – Ryan Moore has another short two-year-old favourite here. He won the Chesham on Battleground, but I will oppose him here with DARK LION for Roger Varian’s on fire stable. He went off favourite on debut, finishing fourth behind Creative Force but recovered well from a bad starting position.
14:25 – Coronation Stakes
HR – I’m not convinced this is QUADRILATERAL’s trip, but she just looks the best horse in this race. The bend and more tightly packed field will help her settle better than in the 1000 Guineas, when she ran really well to get third after being hugely keen. Alpine Star is the danger, and her form was boosted when Santiago won the Queen’s Vase, but I expect Roger Charlton’s filly to improve enormously from her comeback run.
BW – The American filly Sharing flies across the Atlantic having won four races in a row, including at the Breeders Cup back in November, where she had the talented Daahyeh behind her from Roger Varian’s stable. She has every chance here but the favourite QUADRILATERAL finished third in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, and a round track with less competition may suit her a lot better. She’s still got a lot of potential and hopefully she will be fulfilling it here.
JR – The form of ALPINE STAR's last run looks very good, having beaten the 1000 Guineas winner Love by 2 ¾ lengths on ground described as yielding at the Curragh. Finishing fourth in that race was So Wonderful, who ran a creditable third in the Irish 1000 Guineas. At the prices, she’s an each way bet to place, but Alpine Star for the win.
15:00 – St. James’ Palace Stakes
HR – This looks to be between Wichita and PINATUBO, and I’m going to stick with the latter to reverse form from the 2000 Guineas. The race wasn’t run to suit the champion juvenile at all, but he still ran a nice race and will come on a lot from that. Ascot suits him a lot better than Newmarket, and if he settles better, he can return to the winner’s enclosure.
BW – This could potentially be the best race of the whole meeting, as the second and third from the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket go head-to-head again. Wichita took a massive step up that day to finish just behind Kameko, but I’m giving PINATUBO another chance to prove himself. He may have needed the run first time out and he doesn’t look as physically imposing as some of the other three-year-olds, but you can’t get away from what he did as a juvenile and hopefully he gets back to winning ways here.
JR - It was a shock that the champion two-year-old PINATUBO failed to land the 2000 Guineas. It certainly wasn’t a terrible run, but perhaps he needed it at the start of his three-year-old campaign. Another horse of Shamardal, Victor Ludorum won the French 2000 Guineas on his second start. It’s hard to believe he hasn’t trained on and won’t reverse the form with Wichita.
15:35 – Diamond Jubilee
HR – The ground will be a big help to HELLO YOUMZAIN, and it will take Sceptical into unknown territory. It would be a great story if the latter won, but Kevin Ryan’s Group 1 winning sprinter has some scalps on his CV, no less than Calyx, and if fit he can land another top prize. BW – A lot has been made of the story of the Irish raider Sceptical, and it would be a real rags to riches story if he prevails for Dennis Hogan. But ONE MASTER is a proven Group One performer, albeit over a furlong further than this trip. She has won races on all types of different surfaces and she also gets three pounds in weight from all-but-one of the rest of the field.
JR - It’s a really tough one to call here as they’re all consistently good horses at the top of the market. DREAM OF DREAMS, last year’s runner-up interests me after being gelded, and you can bank on Sir Michael Stoute having him primed for this.
16:10 – Wokingham
HR – He is a bit expensive to follow but SUMMERGHAND knows these races better than most. The experienced campaigner ran a lovely race at Newmarket last time out, searing through the field, unable to catch the winner but the bird had already flown. He’s still on a nice mark and he’ll be finishing better than a lot of these.
BW – Only three of the last 15 winners of this race have been favourites, and the current favourite Bielsa will probably get the backing of Leeds fans especially. He looked progressive as a four-year-old and has now been bought by King Power Racing, and he could go off a short favourite. It’s worth looking for some value in this race though, and the old boy DANZENO - despite being nine years of age now – carries just two pounds less than his third-placed finish in this last year, as you can see in the video below. He’s always there at the finish and at 20/1 he could be worth a shot again.
JR – Plenty of live chances in one of the most competitive handicaps of the week. SUMMERGHAND is race fit and a good 2nd in a handicap at Newmarket a fortnight ago and a good chance to go one better with James Doyle in the saddle.
16:40 – Queen Alexandra Stakes
HR – Not a fantastic race to end Royal Ascot by any stretch of the imagination. THE GRAND VISIR won the Ascot Stakes at this meeting 12 months ago, and has run over longer trips than this over obstacles. He’s not a bad price in such a small field, and the ground won’t be a serious inconvenience. BW – The longest race of the meeting to close out the festival, there is a noticeable lack of Irish runners because of the new rules this year regarding no foreign entries in handicaps. Two jumps horses in Adrrastos and Monsieur Co make their flat debuts, but WHO DARES WINS had a nice campaign over fences in the winter, and we already know he’s a solid stayer on the flat. He’s currently favourite for this and I expect him to be battling it out with The Grand Visir at the end.
JR – Alan King has already had two handicap winners this week and a hat-trick of successes is a distinct possibility in the form of WHO DARES WINS. On ratings and ability last year’s winner The Grand Visir is the only danger here, but I’m siding with last season’s Northumberland plate winner.
Selections
Harry Reynolds
12:40 Cosmic Law 33/1
13:15 More Beautiful 6/4
13:50 Admiral Nelson 11/4
14:25 Quadrilateral 5/2
15:00 Pinatubo 7/4
15:35 Hello Youmzain 4/1
16:10 Summerghand 9/1
16:40 The Grand Visir 7/2
Ben Wignall
12:40 Blue Mist 11/2
13:15 More Beautiful 6/4
13:50 Creative Force 7/1
14:25 Quadrilateral 5/2
15:00 Pinatubo 7/4
15:35 One Master 4/1
16:10 Danzeno 20/1
16:40 Who Dares Wins 2/1
Joseph Richardson
12:40 Louie De Palma 14/1
13:15 More Beautiful 6/4
13:50 Dark Lion 15/2
14:25 Alpine Star 10/3
15:00 Pinatubo 7/4
15:35 Dream of Dreams 8/1
16:10 Summerghand 9/1
16:40 Who Dares Wins 2/1
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