TO have one unlucky run at Royal Ascot, Mr Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune. To have two looks like carelessness.

That was King’s Lynn. He came near side in the King’s Stand Stakes, and ran into a cul de sac. He only finished seventh in that race, over three lengths behind Oxted and, while he may not have beaten Oxted even with a clear run, he would definitely have finished closer than he did.

Sent off as 3/1 favourite for the Wokingham four days later on the back of that run, Andrew Balding’s horse raced in the far side group in that race, one of the most competitive sprint handicaps on the calendar.

Again, he didn’t have a lot of racing room between the two-furlong marker and the furlong marker. Switched to the far side on the run to the furlong pole, he finished off his race well to get up for third place behind Rohaan.

It was just one of those things, multiplied by two. It was two of those things. The gaps didn’t open for him in either race. In the Wokingham, he started his run in front of the winner Rohaan. Rohaan went to his left and had clear sailing, King’s Lynn went to his right and didn’t.

Winning trail

King’s Lynn gets the opportunity to get back on the winning trail in the Group 3 Bet365 Hackwood Stakes at Newbury this afternoon, and you can see why they have put him in as favourite. He may well win, but he is a fashionable horse now, amplified by his ‘unlucky loser’ status, and, in Diligent Harry and Tabdeed, he faces two talented adversaries.

There wasn’t much between that pair when they met last time in the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle on Northumberland Plate day. Diligent Harry raced from stall two that day, on the far side, and he did a lot of running on his own out in the centre in a race in which the first and second, Chil Chil and Good Effort, raced from stalls 10 and 12 respectively and came down the near side.

In the circumstances, Diligent Harry did well to keep on as well as he did to finish third.

He finished three-quarters of a length in front of Tabdeed, and Tabdeed raced from stall eight, closer to the stands’ side. But Owen Burrows’ horse had to move to his left on the run to the furlong pole, out towards the centre, in order to deliver his challenge. He picked up well before his effort flattened out a bit close home.

It was still a fine run by the Shadwell gelding on his seasonal debut, and it is a run that should bring him forward nicely for today. It is probable that connections have had this race in mind for him for a while, given that he won it last year, beating The Tin Man with the pair of them coming clear, and putting up the best performance of his career in the process. He is one for one at Newbury.

Interestingly, he made his seasonal debut last year too on Northumberland Plate day at Newcastle, he finished second to Glen Shiel in the six-furlong handicap on the card, before going to Newbury and winning the Hackwood Stakes. It is probable that he will be primed for today.

Earlier in the day, Solid Stone looks a little over-priced in the Steventon Stakes at 11/2. The Shamardal gelding is a typically progressive older mile-to-middle-distance horse, the type with whom trainer Sir Michael Stoute excels.

Stone’s best

A dual winner last year as a four-year-old, Solid Stone put up a career-best performance when he won a listed race at Windsor in May by two and a half lengths from Stormy Antarctic. He and the astute Ryan Moore stayed towards the near side in the home straight that day as the rest of the field went to the far side, so it is possible that he was a little flattered by the ease of his victory, but he backed that up with a fine run last time to finish third in the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot.

It appeared as if he got a little out-paced when they quickened at the top of the home straight that day, but he kept on admirably to take third place behind Juan Elcano and Patrick Sarsfield, conceding 3lb to the pair of them.

And the form of that race has been enhanced already, with fifth-placed Euchen Glen running out an impressive winner of a listed race at Sandown on Eclipse weekend.

Classy Derab

This is a high-quality race, Derab is a classy three-year-old, he did well to finish as close as he did in the Prix du Jockey Club last time from his draw in stall 14, and Real World won the Royal Hunt Cup last time by almost five lengths.

If Real World can be as good on Newbury’s turf as he is on all-weather or on Ascot’s straight track, then he should run a big race, but there are fewer unknowns about Solid Stone and, at a bigger price, he may represent better value.

Recommended:

Solid Stone, 1 point win, 1.50 Newbury, 11/2 (generally)

Tabdeed, 1 point win, 3.00 Newbury, 11/4 (generally)

Winner

Donn recommended Starman, who won the July Cup at Newmarket at 9/2 last week.