SILVESTRE DE SOUSA: Royal Ascot Saturday

After Friday’s card looked touch and go for a long time fingers crossed the rain doesn’t go too crazy and we can get through the week. Here are my thoughts on my six rides on Saturday and the opening Chesham. I’ve also recorded the final Zoom Room of the week with Bill and Johnny and you can watch that by CLICKING HERE.

SATURDAY

ROYAL ASCOT

2.30pm Chesham Stakes

No ride for me in the opening Chesham Stakes where all eyes will be on Aidan O’Brien’s Point Lonsdale who created a really good impression on his debut at the Curragh earlier in the month. He didn’t travel with great fluency but put the race to bed in taking fashion when asked to go and win. Obviously held in high-regard by the Ballydoyle team, he will be hard to beat. However, New Science and Great Max were both impressive on their debuts and it will be no walkover in tough conditions.

GREAT KING 3.05pm Jersey Stakes

My first ride of the afternoon is Great King for Roger Varian in the Jersey Stakes. I’ve never actually ridden him before, and he has a fair bit to find based on his latest run at Chelmsford. On a positive the return to seven furlongs should suit and he has run well in the soft before. He is in the deep end here against horses that have been running in Group Ones. I though the two horses carrying the Royal colours could go well. Tactical is a horse I’ve always liked for Andrew Balding while Light Refrain will like the ground.

BANGKOK 3.40pm Hardwicke Stakes

All that rain probably wasn’t ideal for Bangkok (pictured below) who will be one of the outsiders in the Hardwicke Stakes. He has a decent draw though and looked in great shape when I saw him at Andrew Balding’s yard last Saturday. I had thought Japan could go well but conditions now point to the likes of Wonderful Tonight and Ilaraab who won’t mind really bad conditions.

ART POWER 4.20pm Diamond Jubilee Stakes

My best chance of a winner on the day could easily be Art Power (pictured below) for King Power racing in the Diamond Jubilee. We disappointed him a bit last time at York when not letting him get on with the job and he’ll be happy if allowed to go forward rather than being held up. Conditions are ideal for him as he loves it soft, and he ran really well in two six furlong Group Ones at the end of last season. He was a brilliant winner at this meeting 12 months ago and I’m hopeful of a good run. Dream Of Dreams goes so well here and is the one I fear most.

CHIL CHIL 5.00pm Wokingham Stakes

King Power racing also own a couple in the Wokingham Stakes where I ride Chil Chil in preference to Lampang. The reality is that Friday’s rain isn’t really ideal for Chil Chill who is at her best on a decent surface. That said, she has a nice draw up against the stand side rail and looks to have improved again this season. The Balding team also saddle King’s Lynn who looks a really progressive sprinter and ran a cracker in the King’s Stand on Tuesday when blocked at a crucial stage. He looks the one we all have to beat.

FANTASTIC FOX 5.35pm Golden Gates Stakes

I’m really looking forward to riding Fantastic Fox in the Golden Gates Stakes as he gave me a lovely feel the other morning. In an ideal world we would have preferred a little less rain, but I guess it’s the same for all of them. He’s a horse we have always liked a lot and we are hoping the step up in trip will help him too.

MORANDO 6.10pm Queen Alexandra Stakes

If there is one horse I ride who will relish the mud then it’s Morando in the finale. The worse the conditions the better his chances and he goes particularly well at Ascot. I guess the only question mark will be whether he sees out this extra trip, but I’m hopeful he will. You have to respect anything that Willie Mullins sends over so Stratum should go well.

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