Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
It’s the final day of this year’s Royal Ascot with the Queen Elizabeth Ii Jubilee Stakes, the day’s highlight, where Archie Watson runs the smart Shartash, who seems to have had a new lease of life since changing yards from Johnny Murtagh.
We also have the big handicap of the week, the Wokingham, a 6 furlong sprint with runners spread right across the course, a magnificent spectacle.
There are some other large field races, and I have looked through these to find my selections for this week’s Lucky Fifteen. Here are my thoughts.
Royal Ascot Lucky Fifteen
3.05 Middle Earth
3.45 Shartash
4.25 Eben Shaddad
5.05 Albasheer
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
Beginning with the 3.05, The Hardwicke Stakes a Group 2 run over 1m 4f. Aidan O’Brien runs Continuous for his first season run after winning two Group races last year, including the St Leger. Perhaps he is vulnerable on his seasonal reappearance.
William Haggas trains Desert Hero for The King. He would be a popular winner and is not without a chance as a course and distance winner but his form would have to improve dramatically to feature in this company.
George Scott’s Isle Of Jura has been burning up the sand with four victories in Bahrain this winter, then coming to Goodwood last month and winning a Listed race. He could be anything.
I like John and Thady Gosden’s Middle Earth, who performed well at Newbury last month to win a Group 3, and he gets my vote over John Sadler’s Missed The Cut, who won here two years ago over 10 furlongs.
The big race of the day is at 3.45 the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, this is a Group 1 contest run over 6 furlongs. The current favourite is Ralph Beckett’s Kinross who is having his first run of the season. This has never been a lucky race for this superstar, and he prefers some give in the ground.
Charles Hills’s Mitbaahy was a fine winner of a Group 2 at the Curragh in May, where he beat Art Power and Shouldvebeenaring. He can confirm those placings and is expected to go very close to winning his first Group 1.
Last year’s winner, another Hills horse, Khaadem, has not won since and flopped badly on his latest outing at York in May. That York race was won by Jane Chappell-Hyam’s Mill Stream who just got home by a nose from Shoulvebeenaring. He is fancied to go well here.
But I just prefer Archie Watson’s Shartash, who was gelded and changed yards this season, giving him a new lease of life. His two victories this year show a dramatic improvement and he can carry on the good work for his new trainer here.
The Jersey Stakes is at 4.25, this 7 furlong race is a Group 3 contest for 3-year-olds. There is a warm favourite here with Richard Hannon’s Haatem who was only beaten a head in the 2000Gns in Ireland. Prior to that, he was a courageous third in the 2000Gns at Newmarket. So he is a deserving favourite.
Aidan O’Brien’s River Tiber was third in the Irish Guineas on his only run this season. He was a triple winner as a 2-year-old.
Ralph Beckett’s Task Force finished in front of River Tiber in a Group 1 at Newmarket last September. However, he was disappointing in the 2000Gns.
Harry Charlton’s Kikkuli won at Newmarket in April, then the following month, he ran second in a Listed race at Sandown. But a major improvement is required to figure here.
Sir Michael Stoute’s Never So Brave has shown fine form by winning both his races this term and can go well at a nice price.
But my preference is for John and Thady Gosden’s Eben Shaddad, who beat Haatem as a 2-year-old last October only to have the placings reversed at Newmarket in a trial in April. He was then beaten 2 lengths at Longchamp in a Group 1 the following month over a mile. This drop back to 7 furlongs will help.
The big betting race of the day is at 5.05, the Wokingham Stakes, a Class2 cavalry charge over 6 furlongs with 31 runners currently declared. Top weight is Kevin de Foy’s Vafortino who is having his first run since wintering in Dubai where he won a Listed contest and came very close in a Group 2. The weight may scupper his chances.
Harry Three is highly fancied. However, Clive Cox’s speedster has not had things all his own way since rattling up a treble last year. He finished fourth in a prep run at Salisbury last month.
Dark Trooper is now trained by A De Mieulle in France. He was a dual course and distance winner when trained by Ed Walker and won at St Cloud in May. He should go close.
John and Thady Gosden run Cover Up, who have won twice on the all-weather at Newcastle this year, with over 5 furlongs, but finished down the field over 6 furlongs in March.
The winner of that Newcastle race was Andrew Balding’s Fivethousandtoone, who beat several he meets here. However, he ran down the field in a Group 2 at York last month.
My preference is for Archie Watson’s Albasheer, who has also won twice at Newcastle this year over both 5 and 6 furlongs. He faded in Fivethousandtoone’s race, but he is now 7lbs better off with that rival. His latest run was on heavy going in a Group 2 at Chantilly and can be discounted.
A low-weighted outsider could be Balding’s King’s Lynn, who could go well as an each-way chance.
Royal Ascot Lucky Fifteen
3.05 Middle Earth
3.45 Shartash
4.25 Eben Shaddad
5.05 Albasheer
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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