[d-gal]

2.30 Ascot: Reckon Gale Force Ten could take this. One very nicely against Leitir Mor last time out and feel he will come on a ton for it. Betting speaking favourably for it, around 8/1 the average and good old O'Brien's Ladbrokes have it at 11/2 at the moment
If not to be then Cay Verde looks a worthy favourite, very impressive last time out but say he would prefer the ground to dry out a bit more (although has won on soft already)

3.05 Ascot: Princess Highway looks a nice e/w bet. Weld doesn't send over anything unless he feels like it has a good chance. The short priced favourite The Fugue looks the one to beat but I would also have a small e/w on Hazel Lavery if looking for an outsider to cause a surprise

3.45 Ascot: Rossom has nailed his colours to the mast with Saddlers Rock but I reckon the ground will not be right for him and I feel Fame and Glory is going to hammer the field!

5.00 Ascot: Starboard for me in this tricky race. Looks like the penny has finally dropped with this horse after beating the highly rated Expense Claim at Doncaster. Kept on really well that day and looks a tough individual

The other 2 races are a lottery and wouldn't touch them

[UrbanSea]

I liked Prince of Johannes today but hadn't the balls to pick a horse in the Hunt Cup cos I don't think I've ever had a good result going all the way back to when Bankable was beaten in it but I think Prince Alzain in the Britannia is the best bet of the handicaps this week to me

[rossom]

‎3.45 Ascot

Saddlers Rock 4/1 NAP of the festival

Its balls on the line time here. I'm predicting that Saddlers Rock is going to absolutely destroy Fame and Glory. Big statement I know and if I am wrong I will be the first to hold my hands up but I think John Oxx's 4 year old is an absolute machine and I really wouldn't be surprised if he turned this into an absolute procession tomorrow. In terms of the horse him self, this son of the late great Saddlers Wells has only had 7 starts to date and actually only made his debut 13 months ago as a 3 year old. After two distinctly average starts, he's gone on a huge upward curve. After winning a maiden and a handicap off a mark of 87, Saddlers Rock was stepped into Listed company for the Irish St. Leger trial of 14f at The Curragh last August. After being absolutely smashed in the betting, Saddlers Rock was absolutely mullered on the fence in a race I think there was no doubt he would have won with a clear run as he finished 1.5L beaten 3rd. Fame & Glory, who was probably under par that day, finished a neck in front of Saddlers Rock but the then 3 year old would have definitely beaten him with a clear run. Fame & Glory was conceding Saddlers Rock 17lb that day, the vast majority of it for age, but I certainly think over tomorrows longer trip he can overturn that deficit.

Saddlers Rock's best effort to date came when upped to 2m2f for the Group 2 Stobart Cup at Doncaster when he absolutely annihilated one of tomorrows rivals Opinion Poll. Receiving 17lb from that rival, again for age allowances, Saddlers Rock didn't actually travel that well throughout and had to be niggled by jockey Niall McCullough and he was actually outpaced with about 5f to go. However, his undoubted class prevailed in the final furlong as he powered clear close home to score by a convincing 4L. He absolutely loved every yard of the 18f journey and he will relish every single yard of tomorrows 2m4f trip. It was an extremely impressive effort in my eyes and Opinion Poll demonstrated that it wasn't simply he was out of form as he finished 2nd behind Fame & Glory on his next start. After him dismantling a rival of undoubted Group class that day, especially as a 3 year old, I really felt that John Oxx had an absolute machine on his hands. That was his last start as a 3 year old and earlier this month he made an extremely pleasing reappearance on heavy ground at Leopardstown over a 1m6f trip that was definitely on the sharp side. In the 4 runner field, he went down by 0.25L whilst conceding the very progressive winner 10lb and Johnny Murtagh definitely didn't give him a hard time. He's going to come on an absolute tonne for that run and I am sure that Oxx will have been as chuffed as I was with the reappearance.

Now a 4 year old, Saddlers Rock has got to show that he can compete with his rivals without the weight allowances he received last year but he's clearly a much more physically developed horse now. I get the arguments that Fame & Glory's form in the book is far superior to Saddlers Rock and that there is certainly an element of Saddlers Rock needing to progress again to win this but I think this horse is special. This race will clearly be his main target this year and the very shrewd Oxx will have him spot on for this tomorrow. The excellent Johnny Murtagh again takes the ride and I'm extremely confident of victory tomorrow. I've availed of the Racing Post Mobile App offer of a free bet of up to 50 quid if your selection finishes 2nd to Fame & Glory as he clearly is the horse to beat and he may prove to good. I've also backed Saddlers Rock 13/8 W/O Fame & Glory on Paddy Power which will cover my initial win bet in the case O'Brien's 6 year old beats Saddlers Rock. In my eyes, Saddlers Rock represents the only horse in the field that has any chance of beating the defending champion but I'm convinced he can and will. I've had a big, big bet on him and he definitely represents my NAP of the festival.

[rossom]

‎5.35 Ascot

Misdemeanour 18/1 NB

Really like the look of Richard Hannon's 3 year old who I personally think has a lot in hand on her handicap mark of 84. This filly has only had 3 starts to date, winning her sole starts as a 2 year old and making a very pleasing reappearance on the back of an 8 month absence last month and I certainly think she has a fair touch of class about her. Misdemeanour made her debut at Kempton last September over 1m when scoring very impressively to win by 2L. After running in snatches, she came into the home straight travelling very well and after receiving 2 firm smacks by Pat Dobbs she responded very well to hit the front and win with a fair bit in hand. It was an extremely likeable debut and she definitely seemed to have an air of class in my eyes. The form of that race looks strong enough with the 3rd rated 82 and the 4th Coquet, who clearly came on a lot for what was a green debut effort over a trip probably on the sharp side, a twice Listed winner and a strong 6th in The Oaks. Although the form of that race is a bit topsy turvy, I really think the visual aspect of her performance was the thing to take away from it as she really asserted close home.

She was soon back in the winners enclosure a month later when landing a Class 4 event on handicap debut off a mark of 80 again back at Kempton and this race really put testament to her character as she overcame virtually everything going wrong. After being a step slow leaving the stalls, she got bumped early on as she made progress after racing a bit keen. After getting pushed along since about 3f out, Richard Hughes had to switch her from the rail in the home straight around horses to the wide outside before giving her a couple of firm hits. She responded almost immediately and I certainly think she scored with a fair bit more in hand than the 0.5L margin of victory suggested as Hughes was only hands and heels riding once he hit the front. The form of that race is no great shakes but it was her attitude to overcome adversity that I really liked and she certainly isn't a filly that shirks when hit with a setback. Again, she showed an air of quality and I though despite the difficulties she faced she had a fair bit left in the tank.

The handicapper raised Misdemeanour up to a mark of 85 after her 2nd consecutive victory and I thought she made a very eye catching and pleasing reappearance after an 8 month break on her turf debut when upped to 10f at Goodwood at the end of last month. After travelling into the race very kindly, she finished a very good 4.5L beaten 4th in the Class 2 event. I've watched and rewatched the race several times and to my eyes jockey Pat Dobbs never touched her once with the whip as she stayed on very well under hands and heels riding into 4th. It looks clear that this was race was just to get a run under her belt as she was never overly tried and again it looked like she had a lot left in the tank. Moreover, she was doing her best work late on and although breeding doesn't scream a step up to 1m4f which she gets tomorrow I think she certainly looked like she would relish it on that run. The form of that race looks very strong with the winner Grandeur finishing an excellent 0.25L beaten 2nd off an 8lb higher mark on his only subsequent start. Moreover the 5th Opinion, the only other horse in the race to have run since, won impressively off a 1lb lower mark on his only subsequent start and in hindsight Misdemeanour's effort was excellent.

I don't know what race the handicapper was watching but somehow he has dropped Misdemeanour 1lb for what I thought was a very promising effort and she now races off a mark of 84. When taking into account her last effort and her win off a 4lb lower mark, I certainly think she looks rather well handicapped. Although the step up in trip is a bit of an unknown, she certainly shaped as if she would stay the extra 2f and it isn't much of a concern to me. She gets in here off a featherweight of 8 stone which should definitely make her life easier around the 12f trip. With Richard Hughes unable to make the weight, Richard Hannon turns to Jimmy Quinn to take the ride and its the jockeys only action of the day. I think Quinn is a very good jockey booking considering the trainer combination yielded 4 wins from 7 starts with 3 year olds last year and it certainly is an excellent statistic to have on side. Although most of the field are unexposed and progressive, the same can definitely be said about Misdemeanour and I think she has shaped as if there is a lot, lot more to come from her. With a good draw in stall 3, I think Misdemeanour has been primed for a big run by Hannon for tomorrow and if staying the trip and getting a clear passage in the 19 runner field I think she could take a hell of a lot beating.

[rossom]

‎4.25 Ascot

Compton 40/1

I'll try keep this short enough. Only a small bet but I think Ralph Beckett's 2nd string is vastly overpriced as he was a horse that I rated quite highly last year. He won very impressively on debut at Windsor last July over 6f in a race whose form is working out very well. The 2nd, 4th and 5th are rated 98, 97 and 100 respectively. On his 2nd start he came a decisively beaten 3rd behind a horse who I really liked last year but seems to have gone backwards in Rebellious Guest. Nevertheless, the 3rd Mehdi has finished a 1L beaten 3rd in a Group 3 and the form is again strong. On his 3rd start, he ran an excellent 2L beaten 3rd in the Listed 2 Year Old Trophy at Ripon and the 4th Roger Sez has won a Group 3 impressively subsequently so the form of that race is again strong. With his first 3 starts being over 6f, Compton was stepped up to 7f at Kempton in a Conditions stakes and I'm convinced something went wrong that day as he dropped out of contention extremely quickly. The fact he's been off the track since leads me to believe that is the case and you have to ignore that effort. Compton has been gelded since last seen and he makes his handicap debut off a mark of 92 tomorrow. On the basis of his first 3 starts, I certainly think he looks potentially well treated by the handicapper as he is stepped up to 1m for the first time. Although this is a complete unknow, Beckett is a shrewd operator and I certainly trust his judgement. He's been gelded since his last race which could definitely bring about some improvement and although he has a 281 day break to overcome he won very impressively on debut so I'm sure he'll be fully wound up. Jim Crowley hops off to take the reigns of more fancied stablemate Frog Hollow but that had to be expected given there is a lot of speculation about Compton. William Buick is a very good replacement though and I think it is very interesting that the combination have yielded a 23% strike rate on 3 year olds in the past 5 seasons. There doesn't seem to have been any bias so far this week so stall 3 shouldn't be much of an issue. I think a mark of 92 is definitely workable and if improving for the step up to trip then I think he should definitely outrun the price and I certainly don't think landing this is out of the question.

[markc91]

How do you do that through the rp app rossom?

[the groutch]

one that caught my eye was STENTORIAN - 7:55 Fontwell (8/1)

has been regressive on the flat since his 2yo days when running in group races, but showed a hint of return to form when closing last season with a solid 5L 4th to Gulf of Naples when stepped up to 2 miles for the first time.

on his first run over hurdles he was staying on right up to the line and only beaten less than a length. although the winner hasnt done much since, a horse in the race called Songsmith (who fell when still in contention than day) has won easily off 113 since.

I think that his next run of a tailed off 3rd can be excused by both the soft ground (which he never seemed to handle on the flat), and that the first two were 3rd in the Fred Winter and 4th in the Triumph Hurdle. The fact though that he was as still only 13/2 that day shows some level of confidence in the horse's ability.

he had a spin last month on the flat, and 102 looks quite a lenient mark for his handicap debut over obstacles.

[Johner]

Have only looked at the first four races, not very original selections though.

2.30 - Cay Verde 3/1

Have been very impressed with his last two runs, won his maiden over C&D beating Hototo(won the Winsor Castle at Ascot the other day) and won a Listed well at the Curragh beating Dylanburu(Who was 3rd behind in the Winsor Castle).

3.05 - The Fugue 5/2

The Fugue has been unlucky so far in her career, got bumped in the Gunieas, would have came second that day imo and was unlucky in the Oaks after being nearly brought down finished a close up 3rd. Think she will do the business today.

3.45 Fame and Glory

Think he will win this well but don't think I'll be having a bet at odds on.

4.25 Switzerland 22/1

A bit more exposed than some of these but has ran really well in his last two starts and just a small e/w on him.

[newuser89]

Colour vision in the gold cup I was waiting for all week
Just you watch rossom

[garyc1987]

ew lucky 31 done last night

reckless abandon
vow
trader jack
Nicholascopernicus
starboard (nr)

[CodyJarrett]

Colour Vision looks a cracking bet @ 5/1.

[marc96]

Originally Posted by garyc1987

ew lucky 31 done last night

reckless abandon
vow
trader jack
Nicholascopernicus
starboard (nr)

great start so far.good luck

[trinib]

Originally Posted by d-gal

2.30 Ascot: Reckon Gale Force Ten could take this. One very nicely against Leitir Mor last time out and feel he will come on a ton for it. Betting speaking favourably for it, around 8/1 the average and good old O'Brien's Ladbrokes have it at 11/2 at the moment
If not to be then Cay Verde looks a worthy favourite, very impressive last time out but say he would prefer the ground to dry out a bit more (although has won on soft already)

3.05 Ascot: Princess Highway looks a nice e/w bet. Weld doesn't send over anything unless he feels like it has a good chance. The short priced favourite The Fugue looks the one to beat but I would also have a small e/w on Hazel Lavery if looking for an outsider to cause a surprise

3.45 Ascot: Rossom has nailed his colours to the mast with Saddlers Rock but I reckon the ground will not be right for him and I feel Fame and Glory is going to hammer the field!

5.00 Ascot: Starboard for me in this tricky race. Looks like the penny has finally dropped with this horse after beating the highly rated Expense Claim at Doncaster. Kept on really well that day and looks a tough individual

The other 2 races are a lottery and wouldn't touch them

Good start to your picks

[Luap]

Can't believe I didn't do Princess Highway. Well done d-gal.

[andyman]

I'm on Saddlers Rock as well for the Gold Cup. Should be a cracking race!