Royal Ascot Portfolios

On the back foot after Day 1.

Just playing the Queen Mary on Wednesday. A couple of fillies in this have done me a favour recently (Jadanna, Lady Phill), but they're passed over in favour of the once-raced Upward Spiral. She ran a great race at Sandown, showing loads of dash but staying on strongly, she's bred to get get further too. The jockey booking is encouraging. It's also interesting to see Hughes opt to ride the horse that finished second to her, as the stable has a couple of other credible candidates. I appreciate that Hannon's 2yos tend to improve for their debut, but Jubilee Diamond had the best draw at Sandown (Upward Spiral the worst) and it will be disappointing if the form is reversed.

2pts Upward Spiral @ 6/1

Good luck.

1

Tom Dascombe rates UPWARD SPIRAL the best filly he's trained.  There will be long faces at Manor House Stables if this one gets beat.  GL.

Like you MW, I am also playing catch up after a dismal first bet on Power yesterday. I will be opposing So You Think today with Carlton House. If SYT is in the same form as last year he will be very tough to beat but I'm always keen to be against horses age 6+ at the very highest level when possible. Carlton House obviously needs to improve but I can well see him doing that. I rated him very fast for his maiden win on the softening ground at Newbury 2 seasons ago. For me, he didn't really build on that last year despite going close in the Derby. His first run this year didn't reveal a great deal as it was a slowly run race but he did it well enough. I think it's very likely he will make belated improvement this season and is in the right hands.

Carlton ran well enough. Farhh looked like a fast finisher.

Bad luck, MW, beaten by the draw - all the pace was on the far side (low numbers).  Upward Spiral is a better filly than the winner and is one to follow over 6f+.

runner-up was the unlcukiest imo

I agree about Hoyam.  She must be the best juvenile filly maiden in training.  Should be capable of winning a sprint Group race this season.

Hoyam

Not going to plan so far!

Best bet of my week goes in the Norfolk tomorrow.

2pts Cay Verde @ 3/1

How did you rate Ahern time wise? I've backed him as the second ran well yesterday. All in On red also has form with Jadanna through Judy of Disguise which would Ahern and Jodanna closely matched. Should go close with improvement. Cay Verde is obviously solid too.

It doesn't look a vintage Norfolk.  I would have fancied Mister Marc, but he probably had quite a hard race last time behind Dawn Approach.  At the available odds I thinks it's worth having a punt on Reckless Abandon, who looked a smart prospect when beating a big field at Doncaster.

Agree James, just reviewed the race and he was quite impressive. Stable form is a concern, but both Ascot runners have ran well. Had a small ew bet 11/2.

Cay Verde was disappointing tbh.

Clawed a bit back yesterday with my only bet being a 0.25pt rev f/c in the Albany which came up (apologies for after-timing). However, small stake combined with miserly dividend still sees me well down.

2 bets today. Move To Strike probably deserves to be favourite for the Chesham, but it was dodgy ground when he won lo so I'm treating the form with a little caution. Instead I'll have a small bet on another soft-ground winner, Tha'ir, who could cap a wonderful week for New Approach.

My other bet is my only one that doesn't involve a 2yo. I was mightily impressed with Maarek at HQ and with the ground in his favour he could do a 'Petong'.

0.5pt Tha'ir @ 7/1 (Chesham)
1pt Maarek @ 12/1 (Wokingham)

Good luck.