Only an incredible burst of acceleration from Godolphin’s Invisible Man stood between readers and a bumper payout in the Royal Hunt Cup on Wednesday afternoon, but despite having to settle for second and fourth there courtesy of Riggins and Tryst it’s a been a promising (and profitable) week thus far.
Standing Royal Meeting dish Lord Culcheth was the only man in Berkshire who’d lumped on Riggins at 16′s with Coral and was still visibly relieved when he had to settle for second place – ever the showman and always a bastion of modesty he’d somehow convinced a group of enthusiastic and highly tanked up racegoers that he’d be more than happy to have his driver take them all to an excellent local fish restaurant for dinner, on his tab, in his Rolls Royce, which supposedly was parked up ready and waiting in car park 3, if his selection prevailed.
Surrounded by the eager crowd and unable to escape the great man was desperately trying to appear nonchalant as Riggins made for home under a confident looking Jimmy Fortune, as his growing army of fans began to raise the roof.
Unfortunately he’d omitted to mention a couple of technical difficulties with this developing situation.
Firstly, his chosen mode of transport on Wednesday was actually a taxi from the Travelodge in Slough where he was actually staying for £19 a night, and secondly he’s now persona non grata at said restaurant after turning up there blotto on Tuesday evening after enjoying a round a golf, falling over and refusing to get up when attempting to find his table, then shortly afterwards raising his standing still further by falling fast asleep in the gents’ between courses.
Hopefully he’ll soon be incarcerated and will be able to do no further damage.
Thursday’s Royal Ascot Odds
Anway, back to business. The big race on Thursday is a cracker with the first Ascot Gold Cup (3.50pm live on BBC2) of the post-Yeats era promising to be a thriller.
Stamina dounts cast aside my idea of a winner has to be Sir Micahel Stoute’s Ask – the undoubted class horse in the race, he can thrive on a track where he’s performed with distinction in the past (winner of a Cumberland Lodge and third in a King George) and where Ryan Moore should be able to finesse him home over this marathon distance.
In a race chocker with potential winners he certainly strikes me as having the edge in terms of raw ability, and I’m keen to take what looks a generous standout price of 6/1 with Stoke firm Bet365.
Anyone suggesting Ask hasn’t a prayer of staying the trip would do well to have another look at his win in Longchamp’s Prix Royal-Oak over a whisker shy of two miles on his last appearance back in October.
That was on soft ground and he certainly wasn’t stopping, and since he’s proven after a break (won on his first run of the season in 2007, 2008 & 2009) I’m loathe to desert him here.
What’s more he’s an easy ride, he just lobs along and has a pilot in the form of his life who’d probably be confident of coaxing the yard cat into staying two a half miles the way he’s riding at present.
Also, even favourite Manifest still has to prove that he’ll handle the step up further in trip despite his demolition job in the Yorkshire Cup, and when you stop to consider Ask won the same race a year earlier in equally devastating fashion, before netting Group 1′s at Epsom and Longchamp – he looks the one to be on.
Some commentators are suggesting the ground could be the undoing of Ask, but the ground on Thursday is likely to be broadly similar to that encountered in last summer’s King George, plus he has form on quicker surface a couple of seasons back.
Age Of Aquarius and Kite Wood appeal as obvious dangers to ruin the party, but Ask could turn out to be head and shoulders above these and I’m backing him to win.
A couple of others to look out for on a terrific third day – the opening Norfolk Stakes over the flying five furlongs can go to Richards Hannon and Hughes with Invincible Spirit colt Zebedee.
No strangers to two year old winners the Hannon team will have been delighted with their horse’s draw in stall 11, and although he needs to improve on the bare form of what he’s done so far, he is unbeaten, and has a course and distance win under his belt.
My feeling is there could well be a lot more to come. Bet365 is again the place to shop for a slice of their industry best 5/1.
A more speculative selection comes in the Britannia Stakes at 4.25pm where John Gosden’s Kona Coast jumps from stall 25.
His form was pretty miserable prior to his excellent third at Newmarket on Guineas Saturday (Balducci finished second and went on to win the Silver Bowl at Haydock), but he’s been working pleasingly with Showcasing and might be the type to thrive in this big field under a low weight, especially since the handicapper left him on 86 after that run.
He’s drawn on the right side of the track and is as big as 20/1 with a couple of the firms, although I’m sacrificing a couple of points to back him each way at 18′s with Bet365 or Paddy Power, both of whom are paying 1/4 odds 1-2-3-4-5.
Good luck!
Thursday’s best bets at Royal Ascot:
2.30 – Norfolk Stakes – 12 Zebedee (each way) @ 5/1 (Bet365)
3.50 – Gold Cup – 1 Ask (win) @ 6/1 (Bet365)
4.25 – Britannia Stakes (H’cap) – 20 Kona Coast (each way) @ 18/1 (Bet365 or Paddy Power)
Tags: ask, kona coast, odds, royal ascot, thursday 17th june, tips, zebedee
