It is the turn of the middle-distance stars on Wednesday at Royal Ascot, in which the feature race is the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.
Last year’s Derby winner Auguste Rodin is the star attraction in the big race, while there are also plenty of big-field races on the straight course for punters to get stuck into.
Our expert, Clive Gildon, has a trio of selections on the card including one against Auguste Rodin in the feature and possibly the next big two-year-old to come out of Ballydoyle.
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Wednesday’s tips
3.05 Royal Ascot – Highbury
Illinois has been the one for money in the Queen’s Vase, following Ryan Moore’s choice to ride him plus the form boost he received after Ambiente Friendly, the horse who beat him at Lingfield, finished second in the Derby.
He looked like he would have rather been anywhere else at Lingfield that day and, until he proves otherwise, his attitude is under suspicion. Stablemate Highbury is the one to take him on with.
Highbury made his racecourse debut only in April, but he was second that day and got off the mark a couple of weeks later in good style. He left the field for dead in winning by seven and a half lengths at Leopardstown.
While the form may not have looked too good at the time, it has since been advertised. Runner-up Himalayan Heights and fourth-placed Highland Bling both won maidens on their next outings, while Vice President in third improved his form by 13lb in finishing second on his next run.
None of those horses are stars, but they do not have to be given how emphatically Highbury beat them. He still looked to lack experience that day and further improvement will bring him right into the mix here.
4.25 Royal Ascot – Horizon Dore
Auguste Rodin is a huge talent, a five-time Group 1 winner, but he is also a horse who only a masochist could back. His tendency to throw in a poor run means he is a shaky betting proposition and he has rarely looked less in the mood than on his only previous visit to Ascot for last year’s King George.
He is worth taking on in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and the horse to do it with is French raider Horizon Dore. This time last year, this horse was climbing the grades in a fruitful spring/early summer campaign. He then returned in autumn and continued that progress, ultimately finishing third in the Champion Stakes here.
Horizon Dore has again been built up through the spring this year. He was beaten only a short head in a Group 1 in France last time and comes here ready to run the race of his life.
He has rarely run on quicker ground, but he has the sort of running style that should suit conditions and this looks like being his cup final.
6.15 Royal Ascot – Treasure Isle
Aidan O’Brien is famed for his slow burners. These days he tends to get one or two early two-year-olds and he hot-houses them for Royal Ascot. Treasure Isle is the obvious one this year.
This horse looked a complete professional on his second run at Naas 31 days ago. He pinged out of the stalls and did not see another rival, coming home by half a length but it could have been further. Ryan Moore has ridden him for both starts and keeps the faith today.
Treasure Isle is drawn in 15, which is a long way from the wings from which so many Windsor Castle winners have come. But this is not a draw race, it tends to go to the best horse and this year that looks like Treasure Isle.
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