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14:30 - Chesham Stakes
Oisin Murphy rode Makesela to victory at Goodwood earlier this season on his only run in similar conditions. He was keen that day and stayed on really well to fend off both Golden War and the 4/11 favourite Fall Of Rome. Murphy really liked the run that day and in a recent interview said Makesela could be his best ride of the entire five day meeting.
Such words have to be taken seriously especially when the current festival leading jockey is saying them. Oisin is having a phenomenal Royal Ascot so far with 4 wins to his name.
The horse has done very little wrong and can add to Murphy's tally to kick start the final day with yet another winner.
MAKESELA (WIN)
written by Charlie Sharp
15:05 - Jersey Stakes
Fast Raaj won the Prix Djebel on his last start and is relatively unexposed. The pace threatens to be quite fast and this could play into his strengths at the end of the race. The ground will not be a worry and on official ratings, he has just as good a chance as any. However, I would be concerned about his form and the narrow way in which he wins his races. Moreover, he has a 3 lbs penalty for that Group 3 win, which doesn’t help his cause.
Creative Force is the favourite and is evident why, with many that he’s defeated subsequently winning, Significantly and Perotto, to name a few. The ground is not a problem and you would imagine that he should stay, should being the operative word! However, he did not perform to standard in the Coventry Stakes last year, now that could have been inexperience, but it is worrying at a track like Ascot and again with a large field. He does get the nod over stablemate Naval Crown, who is dropped back in trip here, after trying to go from gate-to-wire in the 2000 Guineas. My big concern is that he doesn’t have the greatest record on this ground and if he tries to dictate the pace from the front, he could burn himself out.
Mutasaabeq was the talking horse going into the 2000 Guineas and just found himself outpaced in the final stages of the race. Nevertheless, he wasn’t altogether disgraced. He drops back down in trip and class and represents a strong hand for connections, who have a great record in this race. He’s won on heavy ground, so this ground is not a problem. His Newmarket race was impressive, both visually and on the clock. He ticks all the boxes and should just track the leaders, so will be there when the pace collapses towards the end of the race.
MUTASAABEQ (WIN)
written by Kieren McHugh
15:40 - Hardwicke Stakes
Broome heads here as the early favourite however hasn't won over a trip further than ten furlongs and also hasn't managed to gain victory outside of Ireland, while Hukum won over course and distance at the Royal Meeting last season and is two from two overall over this trip but may not be seen to best effect in these conditions.
Ilaraab is unbeaten in six, having won over trips ranging from a mile up to a mile and a half, on ground ranging from good to soft, staying on strongly over today's trip to win on re-appearance at York in May. Today sees a step up in to Group company but he doesn't look to have reached his peak and has winning form on soft ground so needs to be considered for a yard in red-hot form.
Sir Ron Priestley is four from five over this trip and has already beaten a couple of todays' rivals when winning a Group 2 at Newmarket in May, however wasn't quite at his best at York just two weeks later and has been done no favours with the weather.
Logician looks to have regressed since his 2019 St Leger victory, finishing last of four in a Group 3 race in October 2020 and then returning with another lacklustre effort when readily brushed aside by Al Aasy at Newbury last month. On his best form he would be a leading contender but given his last couple of runs he is hard to fancy today.
Given the testing conditions the vote goes to David Menusier's filly Wonderful Tonight who has winning form on heavy, very soft and soft ground and is a prior course and distance winner having won the Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares stakes last October. It has to be taken on trust that she will be ready to go following eight months off the track, but we know she stays this trip and further when the mud is flying so has to be the selection today.
WONDERFUL TONIGHT (WIN)
written by Dean Kilbryde
16:20 - Diamond Jubilee Stakes
The final Group 1, in fact the final Group race, of the entire meeting sees the sprinters line up in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.
The current market leader and bookies favourite Dream Of Dreams deserves their spot based on the form book and claimed a convincing win at Windsor on return. He has won on soft ground before but I have to argue that there's horses in the lineup that are more suited to the heavy going they're set to experience today. Furthermore Michael Stoute's seven year old has gone well here in the past but is yet to taste success at Ascot in six previous attempts. Of those six starts his best performances came on much better ground.
Dream Of Dreams was last seen here at Ascot when finishing 8th of 16 behind the winner Glen Shiel. Archie Watson's charge also renews rivalries with Art Power, Happy Power and (now non-runner) Starman who all finished behind that day. The Hollie Doyle ridden runner will adore these softer conditions and with victories over several of these before looks vastly overpriced at current odds of 13/2.
At bigger odds the Irish raider Sonaiyla is another that should be pleased to see the ground as wet as it is today and although they'll need to make a massive step up in quality could sneak into the placings.
GLEN SHIEL (E/W)
written by Rory Paddock
17:00 - Wokingham Stakes
The final cavalry charge on the straight course is this years Wokingham Handicap where 21 are set to go to post and tackle the same six furlong trip as in the previous race.
Competing in the Group 1 Kings Stand Stakes on the first day was Kings Lynn who did well to finish seventh in a race that looked a tad out of his depth. Now dropping down to handicap company and with an extra furlong to travel I think this will be a much easier test for Ryan Moore's mount. I don't think the horse will have been overly happy about the firm ground on Tuesday and this contrasting ground I feel should be much more to his liking. Of course it'll be tough with so many opponents but the gelding has a touch of class which I hope should see the favourite capitalise.
Now with so many runners set to go to post I have to also be on the hunt for each way alternatives at bigger prices and I hope I've found a duo that can go well for punters looking for outsiders with a lively chance.
The first on the list in race card order is Snazzy Jazzy. At the top of the card this former Group 3 victor is the horse that will love this going the most. He was pretty poor in his last three starts but former trainer Clive Cox persisted to run him over seven furlongs. A drop back down to the only trip he's successful at makes much more sense now he's with his new trainer Lawrence Mullaney. With four of his six wins coming on soft or heavy ground it seems tailor made for the six year old to go close even if the handicapper hasn't been the kindest. At a massive double figure price he looked too tempting to turn down.
My second each way punt has to go to a horse who may not have won here at Ascot before but has produced a very solid performance when tackling another equally congested handicap here. He finished 4th of 22 in this race last year and returns with less weight on his back. The heavy ground wont be ideal but equally wont be too much of a hindrance either and looks more than capable of going close once again at around 20/1.
KINGS LYNN (WIN)
SNAZZY JAZZY (E/W)
GULLIVER (E/W)
written by Rory Paddock
17:35 - Golden Gates Handicap
The penultimate race for Royal Ascot 2021 is the Golden Gates handicap for three year olds, over one mile two furlongs.
With torrential rain finally hitting Ascot there is a complete contrast in going compared to the start of the meeting, its going to be very testing for the final day of the meeting.
Pythagoras is an interesting runner. He finished six lengths behind Derby third Hurricane Lane in the Dante. This is an easier assignment today, he has form on the surface and should go well at a double figure price.
Irish Legend who wears blinkers for the first time and should also relish the going. He has won three from his four starts and looks progressive.
Seasett is the choice. He stepped up markedly on handicap debut, stays on dourly to win over a mile. He improved on that run to finish a fine second at Haydock on his latest start, doing all his best work late on.
This step up in trip and his ability to handle these conditions makes him look a very attractive proposition, especially with his handicap mark looking more than fair.
SEASETT (WIN)
written by Matt Polley
18:10 Queen Alexandra Stakes
The last race of the 5 day royal ascot festival sees again another race of flat and national hunt based trainers in a 2m 5F test which given the rain yesterday will certainly be another test of stamina in this long distance race
The favourite Falcon Eight was a winner of the Chester cup last time out and has lots going for him in this race. Frankie on board sure they’ll be plenty of punters on him.
Stratum for Willie Mullins has the experience of these staying races and is nicely weighted for this race. Wouldn’t be without a chance. A lot of these horses have never gone this far so the stamina will be a massive ask and there could be a few really struggling at the end and in all fairness you could make a case for a few of these.
One I could see going well for Ian Williams is The Grand Visir the rain coming yesterday will only
of helped his chances today. Came 2nd to Falcon Eight on good to soft at the Chester cup I do fancy him to reverse that form potentially . Ian Williams has already had a winner on Tuesday at Royal Ascot in a staying type of race similar to this so it wouldn’t surprise if another one of his makes the frame.
The Grand Visir is a course winner so knows how to win round here. Pretty consistent sort of horse so at 7/1 most bookies each way i would hope at least for The Grand Visir to make the frame
THE GRAND VISIR (E/W)
written by Luke Tucker
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