Royal Ascot Day One

Tuesday 17 June 2025

Royal Ascot

2.30  Rosallion had done particularly well at Newbury and looked magnificent. He is only 5/2 at time of writing and I will sit it out at those odds.

3.05  We will know a lot more after the Coventry than before. Nothing done.

3.40  I backed Asfoora last year but cannot have it this time around. Believing and Regional for the exactas.

4.20  Field of Gold will be the best backed horse of the meeting. I have already noted Rashabar and expect a huge run.

5.35  Haunted Dream was second in the race last year behind good thing Israr. He has improved since then, gets his fast ground and has Michael Barzalona booked. Wait on the exchanges as there may be Rule 4s i.e Ecureuil Secret etc.

 

Saturday 14 June 2025

Sandown 2.40

Star of Mehmas is a fast filly and can score with Ryan up

York 3.00

Alsakib has his best form at York and can enhance his latest Knavemire effort

Irish 2,000 Guineas 24 May 2025

 

Of all the horses that ran at the early trial meetings Rashabar impressed me the most. He looked particularly backward but had made tremendous progress as an individual.

Before the 2,000 Guineas I thought I had all the bases pretty much covered but then Expanded strolled in to add another component to the contest. The son of Wootton Basset has made up into a very impressive colt and is every inch a Group One performer. He has a real width to his hamstring muscles and should leave his Newmarket form way behind. Unfancied in the market at the time of writing, my experience is that it’s the good ones who win at prices. 

Field of Gold was different class before the Craven and I backed him accordingly.

Kieren and the 2,000 Guineas. Field of Gold was too slow!!

I can’t believe the rush of pundits to nail Kieren Shoemark to the cross for his ride on Field of Gold in the 2,000 Guineas.

First of all am I speaking through my pocket? Not really. I had a good bet on FoG to win the Craven and saved on the colt having backed Shadow of Light ante post for the colts classic.

When I am at the races I like to watch the horses canter to start to see how they use themselves before the race.

At Newmarket watching horses go to post is like watching the race actions in reverse. From the winning post they go downhill as the proceed to the start. They then meet the rising ground i.e. the ‘Dip’ in reverse.

Before the Craven FoG was rather short when on the course going to post. Only when he hit the rising ground did he change his legs and lengthen in a pleasing manner. I knew then he would extend and quicken in style in the final furlong.

The same before the Guineas and the same scenario played out in the contest. Ruling Court quickened superbly into the dip but FoG did not fully stride out and could not go the pace. Once again, only when he hit the rising ground did he begin to catch up.

Just because Buick went for home sooner is irrelevant. Shoemark correctly waited on the horse with the known turn of foot but he lacked the wherewithal going downhill.

Shoemark took one for the team by saying he was at fault. He was wrong. The horse did not have the speed when needed.

Should the Gosdens have trained the horse to handle the gradients better?

Maybe that is the more pertinent question to ask in the post mortems.