The five-day Royal Meeting at Ascot is already underway but, with plenty of high class action still to come and several purported ‘good things’ yet to come under starters’ orders, we’ve had a look at prospects for later in the week and put together a potentially lucrative multiple bet.
On Friday, the Master of Ballydoyle, Aidan O’Brien, looks to hold all the aces in the two Group One feature races of the day, the Commonwealth Cup and the Coronation Stakes, and in the preceding Group Two King Edward VII Stakes.
In the King Edward VII Stakes (3.05), Japan was beaten 5¾ lengths when only fourth of eight behind Telecaster in the Dante Stakes on his seasonal debut at York in May. However, stepped up to a mile-and-a-half for the first time at Epsom two weeks later, he showed the benefit of that run – his first for 228 days – when staying on well to snatch third place, beaten half-a-length and a nose, behind stable companion Anthony Van Dyck. A repeat performance should be good enough and, having won on heavy going as a juvenile, any softening of the ground shouldn’t hinder his chances.
The Commonwealth Cup (3.40), which O’Brien won with Caravaggio in 2017, looks best left to 2,000 Guineas fifth, Ten Sovereigns, who won the Group One Middle Park Stakes, over 6 furlongs, at Newmarket as a juvenile and should be suited by a return to sprinting on a testing course like Ascot. He won on good to yielding going at the Curragh last September so, while he probably doesn’t want it bottomless, a little rain shouldn’t do him any harm.
Last, but by no means least, the Coronation Stakes (4.20) looks to provide an excellent opportunity for Hermosa, already a dual 1,000 Guineas winner, to complete a hat-trick. The daughter of a Galileo was a comfortable 4-length winner from Pretty Pollyana at the Curragh last month and is another who shouldn’t be inconvenienced by any rain that falls.
Selections: Ascot 3.05 Japan (7/4), Ascot 3.40 Ten Sovereigns (13/8), Ascot 4.05 Hermosa (11/10) 5-point Win Treble
