Patriotic racegoers will be hoping the King and Queen are winning owners at next week’s prestigious Royal Ascot meeting. A year ago, the William Haggas-trained Desert Hero duly obliged in the royal colours and the same horse will be among their runners next week too.
However, the royal couple could have one of their string in the winners’ enclosure as early as tomorrow when SERRIED RANKS contests the Churchill Tyres Supporting Macmillan Sprint Handicap. This contest, however, will take place at York racecourse (3.35 p.m.), more than 200 miles away from the Berkshire track.
I am pretty confident that the Ralph Beckett-trained, three-year-old gelding will step up on his seasonal debut at Sandown in April when he was only fifth of the nine runners. Serried Ranks was boxed in at a crucial point in that race and was not given a hard time by jockey Rossa Ryan when his chance had gone.
Serried Ranks, who will be ridden by Hector Crouch tomorrow, will be better suited by tomorrow’s six furlongs rather than Sandown’s one-furlong shorter trip. He is also highly likely to come on for his first run of this campaign.
There are dangers aplenty in this 19-runner field, all competing for a first prize of more than £50,000. However, back Serried Ranks each way at 14-1 with Ladbrokes or Coral, both offering five places. SkyBet is offering an extra place but its odds are only 10-1.
We are, of course, only four days away from the start of Royal Ascot and I put up four horses for the meeting in last week’s column. A week on, the five-day declarations for some of the handicaps are now available too.
My favourite two handicaps at the meeting each year are the two staying races on day one (Tuesday): the Ascot Stakes over a distance of two miles four furlongs and the Copper Horse Handicap over one mile six furlongs.
In the Ascot Stakes, the Irish horses, notably any runners from the Willie Mullins yard, always have to be considered. However, as usual, given Mullins strong record at the meeting, the odds on his runners are often cramped. Mullins’ horse My Lyka is currently favourite for the Ascot Stakes at around 4-1 and that seems plenty short enough to me.
As usual, I am going to go in search of value and the horse I like at a big price is TRITONIC for the Alan King yard. The Wiltshire-based, dual-purpose handler has his horses in really good form and he also has a good record at the royal meeting.
Tritonic is not one for the mortgage as he occasionally throws in a poor run amongst the good ones but don’t forget he was third in the Ascot Stakes last year off a mark of 100. That proved he stays this marathon trip on the flat and he comes into this year’s contest on a 5 lbs lower mark.
There will be more places available after the 48-hour declarations on Sunday but I am not sure that the 20-1 will still be on offer. That price is readily available from most bookies but back him with Betfred as the firm is also offering five places not four like its rivals.
In the Copper Horse Handicap, later on day one, the two horses I like are not guaranteed to make the cut for the race with a maximum field of 16 runners, so I will leave that race alone for now.
In the Kensington Palace Stakes on Wednesday, a handicap for fillies and mares over a mile, I really fancy a couple of outsiders. Both horses are trained by handlers that I really rate.
Trainer Hughie Morrison loves nothing more than a Royal Ascot winner and his filly, AZAHARA PALACE, made a highly-impressive seasonal debut when beating a decent field at Leicester last month with plenty in hand.
Back her each way at 25-1 with Betfred, once again with that bookie paying five places rather than four. Once again, there will be plenty more places on offer next week but the 25s may well have gone.
In the same race, I can’t resist an each way play on ELIM for the up-and-coming Ed Bethell yard. During the close season, the North Yorkshire handler could not hide his enthusiasm for this filly who won two of her three starts last season.
Her fourth at Redcar last month on her seasonal debut was clearly a prep race for bigger things after she returned from a injury received last year. Back Elim each way too, this time at 33-1 with Paddy Power, Betfair or SkyBet, all paying four places.
Once again, the competition in this race is red-hot and Owen Burrows’ filly, Rowayeh, is another who could also outrun her odds if she gets her preferred good ground.
All being well, I will be writing a daily column at Royal Ascot next week, with my tips appearing on the morning of each weekday’s racing.
Pending:
1 point each way Serried Ranks at 14-1 in the Churchill Tyres Supporting Macmillan Sprint Handicap, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Alyanaabi at 16-1 in the St James’s Palace Stakes, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Tritonic at 20-1 in the Ascot Stakes, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Azahara Palace at 25-1 in the Kensington Palace Stakes, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Elim at 33-1 in the Kensington Palace Stakes, paying 1/4 odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Jasour at 11-1 in the Commonwealth Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Isle of Jura at 12-1 in the Hardwicke Stakes, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Shartash at 10-1 in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
Last weekend: – 2 points.
1 point each way Popmaster at 20-1 in the John of Gaunt Stakes, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2024 flat season running total + 9.1 points.
2023-4 jumps season: + 42.01 points on all tips.
2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips.
2022-3 jumps season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
My gambling record for the past eight years: I have made a profit in 15 of the past 17 seasons to recommended bets. To a 1 point level stake over this period, the overall profit of has been 517 points. All bets are either 1 point each way or 2 points win (a ‘point’ is your chosen regular stake).
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