ROYAL ASCOT - DAY 4 (FRIDAY)

14:30 ASCOT - ALBANY STAKES The draw could play a significant part in this and likely favourite, Meditate, bids to become just the third winner of the race from the last fifteen to be housed in a single digit box. Hailing from the Aidan O'Brien yard and with Ryan Moore on top, she comes into this race unbeaten in two starts and she was very impressive when readily brushing aside a fair field over five furlongs at Naas the last day. Very likely to be suited by today's step up in trip, she really ought to take some beating here though she must prove herself on the ground and the draw is obviously something of a concern.

Cathy Come Home was heavily bet on debut at Musselburgh and she overcame a slow start to score in decisive fashion. Trainer Karl Burke landed this race a couple of year's ago and his daughter of Expert Eye looks as likely as any to find more improvement now nudged up in trip. Currently trading at each way prices and with Danny Tudhope in the plate, she appeals as a likely type for the places and she is afforded a slice of the vote to deliver just that.

Mawj caused something of an upset when blowing away her opposition at Newmarket, the form of that race does look a little suspect though the second has won at Wolverhampton since and there was certainly no fluke about her winning. Already proven at the trip and from a yard who have already had a winner here this week, she could well prove up to the task and a good deal of respect is afforded.

Queen Olly is one of a number of impressive debutant winners for the Amo Racing owners this season, she made no mistake when readily dismissing her rivals at York and normal progression ought to see her going well here.

Lady Bullet, Fully Wet and Powerdress are others to make appeal though the vote shall be split, with Meditate taken to overcome her iffy-looking draw and Cathy Come Home who is suggested to make the places at decent odds.

MEDITATE (WIN)

CATHY COME HOME (E/W) written by Chris Connolly 15:05 ASCOT - COMMONWEALTH CUP

Twenty of the quickest 3yo colts in the world line up today in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, El Cabello has been a horse of a lifetime for connections. The son of Havana Gold made it six wins from seven starts last time out at Haydock in the Group 2 Sandy Lane with a battling performance. Karl Burke’s charge put any doubts around good ground to bed also with that run, he deserves the utmost respect today. Irish challenger Twilight Jet has the second highest official rating of this field after comfortably despatching a good field in the Group 3 Lacken Stakes at Naas, he does not have a great run to wins ratio though and he finished behind the horse that is my selection for today’s race in last year's Norfolk.

My selection is the highly impressive and talented Perfect Power who connections ran last time in the 2000 Guineas but unsurprisingly did not stay the mile trip. Back down to 6 furlongs today will suit him perfectly and he will take a lot of stopping in the hands of Christophe Soumillon, especially if the pace is strong.

PERFECT POWER (WIN) written by Michael Taylor 15:40 ASCOT – DUKE OF EDINBURGH STAKES

Yet another Ascot cavalry charge awaits but this time over the longer trip of 1m4f.

The Ascot crowd loves to see the purple and red silks of The Queen held aloft to victory this week and they got so close to witnessing that yesterday with two seconds. Will we see Her Majesty claim success with current race favourite Just Fine? The Ryan Moore and Sir Michael Stoute combination have plundered many a prize in their time and after the four year old claimed 3rd in an Ebor trial at York last time out you expect it to come on further for that performance. It’s hard to gauge the strength of that form but it looks some of the best on offer so deserves upmost respect. However with 18 rivals to contend with it’s tricky to be super confident on a horse at such odds.

Another runner with just the one run to their name this season is Trawlerman. The Godolphin runner clinched success at Chelmsford in his most recent performance and the form has subsequently been franked with the 3rd placed horse going on to win a class 2 contest at Ripon. Needs to improve further but the Dettori and Gosden duo haven’t been at their usual best this week and I’d air on the side of caution backing them for the rest of the meeting.

Two Irish raiders that deserve a mention are top weight Ever Present and the Johnny Murtagh trained Mashhoor. Ever Present rounded off last season with a win in a big handicap at Leopardstown and showed he could compete at this level but off a mark of 107 this looks an insurmountable task and the best Jessica Harrington’s charge can hope for is place money.

Mashhoor on the other hand hails from a yard who’ve only had the two Royal Ascot runners so far. They were a tad unlucky with Flying Dolphin yesterday which hopefully indicated the yard are starting to hit their stride. I’d have been super confident with this horse but the handicapper may have scuppered his chances. He won with a rating of 87 last time but is set to enter the stalls on Friday with a 12lb higher weight. In all honesty I’m gutted that the handicapper has crippled him so much and although I still think he’ll run a decent race that weight is surely too much to contend with?

Call me crazy, call me mad, call me utterly ridiculous but there’s a trio of outsiders that peak my interest and I just cannot bring myself to ignore one as I’m convinced if I did that then ‘Sod’s Law’ would strike me down and the one that got the chop will undoubtedly bolt up. So I’m going to fire three at you and hope that one of them can do the business at big odds.

The first and more well fancied of the three, according to the bookmakers is the Richard Hannon trained Sir Rumi. He’s not won since this time last year but after a mixed bag of performances he’s now back to just 1lb above his last winning mark. He seems to love firmer ground which he gets today and despite a poor draw could grab a place.

I’ve already mentioned two Irish based runners however I’m opting for an alternative. Longbourn returned from a lengthy break to claim 2nd in a one mile contest at Naas. The Ross O’Sullivan runner likes to be up near the pace so being drawn in stall 8 will help his cause. He’s gone well over this lengthy trip previously and with very few runners coming from way behind the race could be run to suite.

Finally and perhaps my most ludicrous selection is currently priced at a massive 80/1 but veteran Kelly’s Dino represents a stable who’ve had a fantastic Ascot thus far. Karl Burke looks to have a monster of a horse in Dramatised but could he pick up more prize money with this nine year old, former course and distance winner? He’s raced just three times since September 2019 and showed little when making his return last time out. It’s safe to say he’ll be fitter for that effort and considering he’s tackled group race company and black type events in his past he clearly has a decent level of talent. The big question however is whether or not he’s got any of that talent left in the locker. It’s unlikely he’ll keep his 100% course record in tact but if he shows anything like his best he could make his current market price tag look mightily foolish.

SIR RUMI (E/W)

LONGBOURN (E/W)

KELLY’S DINO (E/W)

written by Rory Paddock 16:20 ASCOT - CORONATION STAKES

French-trained runners who won three of the last seven runnings of the Group 1 Coronation Stakes and they've got a big chance of further success with Mangoustine(7/1). The daughter of Dark Angel came out on top in a close finish in the Group 1 Poule D´essai Des Pouliches at Longchamp last month where the reopposing 1000 Guineas winner Cachet(11/2) was a mere head in arrears. George Boughey’s charge will appreciate the quicker surface but wouldn’t be assured to reverse the form with the French raider.

The unbeaten Inspiral(15/8) may be a class above her rivals, which I know sounds strange given we have the 1000 Guineas winner in the field. However, John Gosden’s Frankel filly won all four starts last season, culminating with victories in the May Hill and Fillies’ Mile. In truth, she’s yet to be asked any serious questions and could be a superstar in the waiting!

Aidan O'Brien is represented by the well-bred Tenebrism(12/1) who was well held in the 1000 Guineas and needs to take a serious step forward to feature. Others of note include American raiders Spendarella(8/1) and Pizza Bianca(16/1).

INSPIRAL (WIN) written by Peter Keogh 17:00 ASCOT - SANDRINGHAM STAKES

29 Fillies go in this Sandringham Stakes race. Looks a very wide-open contest as you expect.

Current market favourite Heredia come here unbeaten in 3 starts. Is one of the top weights here after winning a class 3 handicap at York. She has never ridden on a right-handed track or ran in a sizeable field like this. She will be shortened in price on the day and I think maybe is worth taking on.

Heredia beat runner up Espresso that day at York and although it's difficult to see her turning it around she does look a little overpriced at around the 25/1 price (At time of writing)

Fresh Hope is nicely weighted to go well here potentially and could be one that should place and you'd like to think is in contention. She has received early market support with her price shortening. Trainer and Jockey combination winning this race twice in recent years.

Frankie has gone with Crenelle rather than Kings Joy out of The Gosden's horses. Persist & Invigilate look like potential improvers based on their form and coming from powerful yards.

Wilderness Girl hasn't been seen this season and although useful Jockey Harry Davies has 5 pound claim to use. A race of this nature is a massive ask first time out this season.

You could make a case for a lot of these runners and the result will be completely different every time and as a bit of a longshot & slightly left field selection. At 80/1 i found at time of writing this and bookies paying 7 or 8 places Augmentarium price looks a little big. Not saying this horse will win. But looks overpriced here in my opinion. Yes, she is 2 pounds out of the weights here. She has won around Kempton before and her run at Doncaster was encouraging first time out this season was a 4th on good to firm. So, she won't mind the conditions. This type of race can throw up big priced winners or bigger prices placing.

She could be outclassed in this field but I'm hoping there is improvement and with her owner saying she looks overpriced there must be confident in throwing her into this race and hopefully picking up some prize money

AUGMENTARIUM (E/W) written by Luke Tucker 17:30 ASCOT - KING EDWARD VII STAKES

Lysander has only found the winner’s enclosure once in his three starts but that doesn’t tell the full story. He was unlucky on his debut when having an interrupted final few furlongs. He scooted home at Newcastle, the time after, scoring by eight lengths. He wasn’t beaten far by Lionel, who holds an entry into the Irish Derby, when placing third in the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood. He’s taken to enjoy the extra furlong but he’s never ran on ground firmer than soft, which is a big concern given today’s ground.

Ottoman Fleet is the sole Godolphin runner for Charlie Appleby and William Buick. He was second on debut his stablemate but duly obliged at the next time of asking, in a competitive listed race at Newmarket. He’s impeccably well bred, being related to star French miler Keltos. He will have learnt a lot from his Newmarket victory, especially having to overcome a particularly bad stumble at the start. He has to warrant respect, going up in trip, for connections who have a nice record in this race.

Changingoftheguard won the Chester Vase in a canter, leaving fellow competitor Savvy Racer in his wake. He then ran a creditable fifth in the Epsom Derby, considering he made pretty much all of the running. That form is by far the best you will find in this race and when factoring in his nice draw and the advantage of a small field. He will prove very difficult to catch if he has it all his own way at the front. He’s the class act in the race and barring any fatigue from his last couple of races, he should notch up a Royal Ascot victory.

CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (WIN) written by Kieran McHugh 18:10 ASCOT - PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE STAKES Things haven't really gone for Wesley Ward at this meeting so far though the crack US trainer looks to have a solid chance of righting a few of the wrongs here and Ruthin could ease what has been a horrific meeting for rider Irad Ortiz. Fairly well beaten when running seventh in last season's Queen Mary, she has since made all at Keenland and one suspects this has always been on the radar. Given a mark of one-hundred and five by the handicapper, one could hardly suggest that is a gift but there is every chance she will prove better than this type of class in time and she is taken to blast out and make most from her decent draw.

Korker looked a little rusty when fifth on his comeback at Sandown and he duly proved that to be the case when bolting up at York the timer after. Nudged up nine pounds by the handicapper as a result, he will have to elevate his form yet higher still, however, Karl Burke rarely sends them to this meeting for the fun of it and his likable gelding could well prove up to the task under Clifford Lee.

Ladies Church just failed to reel in an exciting type when second at Cork last time, the form of that race has since taken a few notable boosts and she looks certain to be suited by how this race will be run. Proven on the ground and drawn up the middle, she appears to have plenty in her favour and she could land this for the Irish.

Latin Lover may lack the scope for improvement as a few of the but he is fairly consistent and he gained a richly deserved victory when proving too good at Kempton last time. Tactically versatile and off a nice low weight, he could sneak into the places at a price and respect must be afforded.

Nymphadora is closely matched with the re-opposing Shamlaan on the pairs Chester running, both ought to play some sort of part here although the first mentioned makes slightly more appeal at the prices.

Quite a few of the others could improve and play a part but with the draw now looking middle to low, a chance will be taken on Ruthin blasting off and holding on for a place, with Ladies Church looking a likely type for win purposes.

RUTHIN (E/W)

LADIES CHURCH (WIN) written by Chris Connolly