Royal Ascot kicks off on Tuesday and it will be interesting to see how it competes with the World Cup in Brazil. It will certainly lose some valuable column inches and I think Channel 4’s viewing figures will be down but none of that concerns the true racing fan.
The highlight of day 1 is undoubtedly the clash between Irish 2000 Guineas winner Kingman and his Newmarket conqueror Night Of Thunder. After Kingman’s effortless Newbury win in the Greenham I fully expected to collect on my 16-1 ante-post tip but 40-1 shot Night Of Thunder came to the bookies rescue.
With the benefit of hindsight, Night Of Thunder ran a perfectly good trial at Newbury but was no match for Kingman. He should not have been 40-1 but I have to favour Kingman to gain his revenge on Tuesday. Much has been made of the draw on Guineas day being a factor but Night Of Thunder did hang badly in the closing stages but still got up to win.
Tactics will play a part but there is only a small field and I’m guessing that Toormore will be allowed to dictate the pace with Kingman and Night Of Thunder held up behind. It should be a great race but Kingman can establish himself as the best miler of his generation.
Last year, Dawn Approach appeared to have done exactly that when holding off Toronado in the same race. Toronado finally got the better of him at Goodwood in the Sussex Stakes before flopping over a mile and a quarter at York. He reappears here and is the class horse in an otherwise modest renewal. He has not raced for 300 days so even money does not offer great value but he should win if sharp enough.
War Command was a brilliant winner of the Coventry Stakes 12 months ago and I doubt very much whether anything will win as easily this year. Adaay looks a nice colt and beat a speedy type in Mind Of Madness at Yarmouth. My only worry is that he may be run off his legs a bit early on and you can get some funny results in big fields here. I’m going to have a saver on Godolphin’s Portamento. He was well beaten on his debut but was slowly away and put up a much better show at Goodwood. He slammed a subsequent winner with ease that day and 16-1 is too big to refuse.
I’m not a great fan of the sprints at this meeting but the King’s Stand looks top class tomorrow. Sole Power, Shea Shea and Pearl Secret are all entitled to respect but Hot Streak won with a little in hand at Haydock and could have the legs of them. Oisin Murphy rode him that day but Jamie Spencer is back on board and just gets the verdict in a very tight race.
Toronado 2.30 Royal Ascot at Evens Paddy Power
Adaay 3.05 Royal Ascot at 6-1 Boylesports
Portamento 3.05 Royal Ascot at 16-1 Totesport
Hot Streak 3.45 Royal Ascot at 9-2 Paddy Power
Kingman 4.25 Royal Ascot at 11-10 Bet Victor
