STAR PREVIEW: Royal Ascot Day Five
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he final day of Royal Ascot 2017 and even if the temperatures have cooled a little the action on the track is still red hot.
The Diamond Jubilee Stakes at 4.20pm is the final Group 1 of the week and Henry Candy bids to win it back to back after Twilight Son’s success last year at 7/2.
His runner this year, Limato, looks set to go off at a similar price but looks a little short for me for a horse who disappointed last time out.
Whatever the excuse for his poor run in Dubai, at Group 1 level you surely want every box ticked. Limato is undoubtedly a class horse at his best as he proved when winning the July Cup at Newmarket last season but the big question for me today is whether he is capable of reproducing that level of form?
The Tin Man, each-way, makes more appeal. He won the Champions Day Sprint over course and distance last season and I think he is one that shows his best form on better ground.
The big talking horse of the day is September in the opening Chesham Stakes.
With Caravaggio and Winter both winning yesterday bookmakers will be praying to get this one turned over as it really will dictate how the rest of the day goes.
Ben Keith and Big Mac debated what to do …
I’m not sure I want a gun to my head as Big Mac suggests for this one but given, like most trainers, Aidan O’Brien is a creature of habit – it would be no surprise if September wasn’t out of the very top drawer. Churchill won this last year on his second start and September is also making her second start having bolted home by five and a half lengths on debut at Leopardstown earlier this month.
The bare form of that is hard to assess so we need to look more at the precedent of quality horses Ballydoyle have run here in the past and the expectation must surely be that September, in receipt of her 5lb fillies allowance, will take all the beating.
So I’m a backer Big Mac. Just don’t shoot me if I’m wrong.
RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-100 points)
BACK SEPTEMBER (2.30 Royal Ascot) 10 points win at SP with Star Sports
BACK THE TIN MAN (4.20 Royal Ascot) 10 points each-way at SP with Star Sports
PROFIT/LOSS SINCE JAN 1 2017: -64.60 points