2.30pm - Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes
The two-year-old contests during Royal Ascot week are usually very intriguing as there tends to be some very good types that come out of the races. And like usual the ones at the higher end of the market all arrive off the back of a win, in either their debut or with just a few runs under their belts.
With that in mind I am siding with one that has had two runs already, and that is Miss Rascal for Paul & Oliver Cole and Tom Marquand. This daughter of Havana Gold heads into this contest with two runs under her belt so far, which includes a pretty eye-catching 6th on debut at Newmarket which has thrown up a few winners since then, before going on to win over course and distance in pretty decent fashion some 40 days ago.
She was sent off the 5/6 favourite that day, and she made all before pulling away in the closing stages to land the contest by 3 lengths, which was a very impressive performance. Naana's Diamond, who was 2nd to Miss Rascal that day, has since come out and won at Salisbury, as well as Dolce Vita who came 3rd and has since won and ran behind Catalyse. The 5th and 6th placed horses have also come out and placed 2nd since the Ascot contest, so although it may lack proper potential black-type form, it has winning form so there is some substance to it.
The manner in which she ran well on debut when very green throughout, and the fact she still ran on for sixth was a better effort than the final position would suggest, but it was that Ascot win last time that is very much making me side with her here on Wednesday. Granted she has to take a step up in class, but so do the rest of these, and Miss Rascal has the all helpful course-distance form to boot.
- Selection - Miss Rascal (10/1 Each Way)
3.05pm - Group 2 Queen's Vase
The Master of Ballydoyle has a pretty exceptional record in this contest, and if he were to win it this year then he would be on eight trained winners of the race, which would make him level with Sir Henry Cecil for the leading trainer of the Queen's Vase. And given the fact he has four strong runners in the contest this year once again, it will be hard to not see him taking this prize once again.
Highbury arrives at this contest with a really interesting profile due to the fact he has only had the two career runs to date, a 3rd behind Birdman at Cork on his debut, before going on to back that decent effort up with a 7½-length victory at Leopardstown in a maiden contest. That was an eye-catching effort from the son of Galileo, when winning over the 1m4f trip, although he does take a step up in trip and class here, so might just find one or two a little too good here on Wednesday.
With that in mind, and Aidan O'Brien's record in the contest, I just can not see past Illinois winning this contest when tackling the 1m6f trip for the very first time. This horse was a nice 3-length debut winner over 1m1f at the Curragh in October, before going on to come 3rd in a Group 1 at Saint-Cloud, so connections obviously thought quite a bit of this lad.
Things have not quite gone to plan this season in terms of him heading to the Derby, and he has been beaten twice this season when sent off the short-priced market leader. Given the fact he was keeping on at the same pace in the Derby Trial last time I would firmly suggest that the extra yardage here will more than suit this lad, and I am sure if he wins this on Wednesday, he could be one for the St Leger at Doncaster in a few months time.
I think he is the class act in the race, and the extra few furlongs will more than suit him. Ryan Moore has chosen to ride this lad, so that is enough for me to side with Illinois for the Queen's Vase on Wednesday.
- Selection - Illinois (9/4 Win NAP)
3.45pm - Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes
This is a bit of a strange contest, and in truth not particularly a great one. It is quite interesting that Laurel has been kept in training as a 5yo, although she has not been seen since disappointing in the Lockinge last season which is around 13 months ago, so that is probably enough for me to look elsewhere and side with a horse who is race fit.
Last year’s winner of the contest, Rogue Millennium, was owned by Rouge Gallery Racing when landing this contest impressively 12 months ago. She took a keen hold throughout the race, but that did not stop her as she stayed on gamely to fend off challengers to win by a neck, before going on to then place 2nd in a Group 1 over in Ireland at Leopardstown.
She has since been purchased by new connections for a huge fee, and although she was beaten last time out when expected to win, she did not have any luck in running whatsoever, so although she came 3rd and was only beaten by a little under 3 lengths, I would draw a line through the last day.
The jockey seemed hell-bent on getting her down the rail last time, and that was unfortunately not possible as the pair got caught in traffic a few times, before squeezing through a gap and switching left in the closing stages, keeping on well but no match for the 1st and 2nd horses.
As mentioned, she was incredibly unlucky that day, and although she was expected to win, with the luck during the race she might have won in the end. She has race fitness on her side, now with Joseph O'Brien who does well with these types, so I can see her making amends from that last time effort and landing back to back Duke Of Cambridge Stakes on Wednesday afternoon to become the first horse to ever do so.
- Selection - Rogue Millennium (7/2 Win)
4.25pm - Group 1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes
This is a really good race, and one I am very much looking forward to seeing unfold on Wednesday afternoon. I am a huge fan of Auguste Rodin and I think he is better than most people say he is, despite putting in two pretty disappointing runs this season when expected to win, even though he did come 2nd last time out to a real improver.
The one burning question I have is who does this 1m2f trip suit more? Auguste Rodin who takes a step down in trip from his usual middle distance travels (although he did run over 1m2f last time), or Inspiral who takes the step up in trip once again.
Auguste Rodin has won over this trip when landing the Irish Champion Stakes last September, so he obviously warrants plenty of respect with form over the trip, but I just feel the middle distances is very much his bag as he was caught for a bit of toe over the same trip at the Curragh last time when coming 2nd to White Birch in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.
When the Aidan O'Brien-trained son of Deep Impact is on song, he is a very classy animal, but he has already thrown in a real stinker this year, and he did so on two occasions last term, plus he probably should have won last time out as he was rated some 11lbs higher in the ratings.
With that in mind, I am siding with Inspiral, my absolute favourite flat horse in training. Although she might be a bit of an enigma like Auguste Rodin sometimes, on her day she is a very classy animal, plus she gets a fair chunk of weight in this for the mares’ allowance, and is only 3 ratings lower than Auguste Rodin. A six-time Group 1 winner, she ended last season in blistering form when winning at Deauville, Newmarket and Santa Anita respectively, all Group 1 races, it was the Santa Anita performance that warrants her plenty of respect for this feature contest on Wednesday.
That was the first time she had tackled the 1m2f trip, and I still to this day do not know how she won, as she was slowly away and kept at the rear throughout, before absolutely rattling down the home straight to just collar Warm Heart on the line to win by a neck, really looking like the step up to 1m2f could open even more doors for the Cheveley Park mare.
I think you can ultimately draw the line through the Lockinge run last time out, as that was a very muddling race and in truth was a bit of a boil-over with Audience, her stablemate, running away with it in the end. That would have got her cherry ripe for this engagement on Wednesday, and it was clear to see that after the run last time that her main target would be to get to the Royal meeting in one piece.
Another thing to note is it's interesting connections have gone for this rather than the Queen Anne Stakes, and given the latter race is arguably an easier engagement, I think it's great connections have bitten the bullet and stepped her up in trip once more.
Race fitness is on her side, she loves it here at Ascot and getting the usual mares’ allowance off the rest of the field, I think this six-time Group 1 winning mare could make it 7 by landing this contest on Wednesday. I really can not wait to see her in action again, and I hope connections are rewarded for keeping her in training for another season, now she is a five year old.
It will be a huge day for Kieran Shoemark, who has been trusted to ride all the big races for the Gosdens, and although things have not quite gone his way as yet, that could be down to the fact the Gosden horses are a little hit and miss this year. However one thing is for sure, Inspiral will no doubt be perfectly fit and ready to go for this on Wednesday.
- Selection - Inspiral (5/2 Win)
5.40pm - Listed Kensington Palace Fillies Stakes
A very tough Listed Fillies stakes contest, there are only two real reasons I feel Elim will land this contest. One, her run last time out for seasonal re-appearance was a pretty good contest and has some good form substance to it, and two... Jamie Spencer down the straight mile at Ascot. His record there speaks for itself, and coming out of stall 20, that should pose no issues for the way he is expected to ride this horse come the penultimate contest on Wednesday.
- Selection - Elim (9/1 Each Way)
6.15pm - Listed Windsor Castle Stakes
It should be no secret that I am a follower of the Wathnan Racing two-year-olds this season, and although Shadow Army made his debut for previous connections the Bronte Collection, he has since been purchased by the new racing powerhouses of Wathnan Racing two weeks or so before Royal Ascot week, then they went on a big spending spree ready for this week.
Ultimately that could come to bite them, but I think they have made a good decision buying this lad, as he was a very nice winner on debut at York, where the form of that race does have some nice substance to it.
He dwelt at the start and was kept at the rear throughout, before making nice headway 2 furlongs from home and although a little short of room in the closing furlong when mounting his challenge, he responded well when ridden in the closing stages to hold on by a neck, showing a really nice attitude in running.
Runner-up that day was Francisco's Piece, who was already a winner when heading into the York race, and has since gone on to land a Listed contest over in France and could have a good opportunity in the Coventry on Tuesday (keep an eye on how he gets on). Also in that York Novice contest won by Shadow Army, there were a few in there who had won on debut before the York race, so the fact that Richard Fahey's son of Showcasing beat them suggests he could be a very nice type now with that run under his belt.
A 35-day break to overcome here on Wednesday, but I think that will be perfect for the horse in assuring he will be fresh and ready to go come the finale on Wednesday. I think we could have another pretty nice Wathnan Racing horse on our hands here.
- Selection - Shadow Army (9/2 Win)
Royal Ascot Day 2 selections:
2.30 - Miss Rascal
3.05 - Illinois (NAP)
3.45 - Rogue Millenium
4.25 - Inspiral
5.05 - Metal Merchant (14/1 Each Way) & Streets Of Gold (16/1 Each Way)
5.40 - Elim
6.25 - Shadow Army
All prices are from Planet Sport Bet and are subject to change
All previews and tips provided by @ Jake Russell