ASCOT SATURDAY

12.45 BET WITH ASCOT HERITAGE HANDICAP 5F

He’s clearly not an easy ride, but there is no doubting the talent of Muscika who finally put it all together when winning at Ayr last month. He travelled superbly when fancied to follow up at Nottingham next time, but didn’t have the race run to suit and just failed to overhaul Barrington. Part of that defeat comes down to the fact that he probably needs to have cover until the last possible moment and that wasn’t possible at Nottingham, where he was climbing over rivals, and then hung when initially in the clear.

He disappointed backers again at Thirsk last time, this time forfeiting his chance when diving away to his right as the stalls opened, and he was eased some way out there, the outing a complete write-off. He clearly comes with risks attached, but I feel that he is the type who will always be better served by a big field scenario with plenty of pace and he gets that set-up here. He’s never actually tried five furlongs, which is surprising, but he has a high cruising speed and could well benefit from the cut back in distance given his quirks.

Green Power is another to make some appeal at the odds and John Gallagher’s three-year-old shouldn’t be underestimated with his trainer an excellent handler of sprinters. He ran really well when seventh in a competitive sprint handicap confined to his age group at York last time and the fifth landed a valuable prize at Newmarket on Thursday. That run came over six furlongs, but he didn’t quite see his race out, and will benefit from the drop to five at a stiff track like Ascot.

NEWMARKET SATURDAY

1.05 BET365 SUPERLATIVE STAKES (GROUP 2) 7F

I’m not in a hurry to back either the exposed Blown By Wind or the nascent stayer Cape of Good Hope, and Certain Lad’s Railway Stakes third looks less than solid after Van Beethoven blew out in the July Stakes earlier in the week.

That leaves pickings looking thin, but there are reasons to be very positive about Quorto, who is the first foal of Luca Cumani’s Irish Oaks third Volume. Given his pedigree, the son of Dubawi did well to win at the first time of asking over six furlongs and he’s clearly a good prospect. Entries in both the Gimcrack and the National Stakes later this summer suggest that connections feel he’ll be better than useful in time and this may not be as stiff a transition to pattern company as it might be.

His main market rivals also come here on the back of wins in minor events so it’s not like he’s facing up to proven stakes performers, and that is a significant consideration.

1.40 BET365 BUNBURY CUP HANDICAP 7F

He may have finished only seventh when getting the nap vote in the Wokingham but Gilgamesh remains a horse to be very positive about and he ended up shaping well having not enjoyed the run of things at Ascot. That run in one of the season’s hottest handicaps will have aided his development greatly, and while he no longer flies under the radar, he’s clearly going to be a major force in races like this for a while to come. Conditions will suit, as he is currently best at seven furlongs, for all he may prove fully effective at six another time and fast turf is probably key, with his sole disappointment coming on tacky ground at Newbury on his reappearance.

A race like the Bunbury Cup requires luck in running, and that is never guaranteed, so staking needs to be conservative but he fully deserves his position at the head of the market and it’s not easy to find alternatives applying the same criteria to all.

Firmament once again deserves a mention after travelling well in the Royal Hunt Cup, and while his losing run is mounting up, he is due a change of luck. Whether he will get that from stall three is unlikely given how the racing panned out here on Thursday but he’s not one to give up on and the return to seven furlongs is not a negative. Patience will be rewarded sooner rather than later, and hopefully at rewarding odds.

2.15 DARLEY JULY CUP STAKES (GROUP 1) 6F

I’ve been dead against U S Navy Flag all year on the basis that he is not a true stayer at a mile, but now that he is sensibly returned to sprinting, he can show his true colours.

Aidan O’Brien won this race with Mozart in 2001 and the pair have similar profiles, being beaten in the 2000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown before finishing second at the Curragh and both went to Royal Ascot subsequently.

While U S Navy Flag tried a mile again in the St James’s Palace Stakes, Mozart stepped back in trip and class to win the Jersey Stakes and followed up in the July Cup.

That shows that the switch is possible and the selection has produced his best performances on quick ground at Newmarket, landing the rare Middle Park/Dewhurst double which was last achieved by Diesis in 1983. Those wins marked him down as exceptional but the latter success fueled the false dream that he was a 2000 Guineas contender.

Time has shown that he lacks the stamina to be a top-notch miler and the suspicion is that his brilliant trainer has always been aware of that possibility and of the Plan B that might await him.

RECOMMENDED

MUSCIKA 12.45 Ascot – 1pt win @ 20/1 (general)

QUORTO 1.05 Newmarket – 1pt win @ 11/4 (BetVictor)

GILGAMESH 1.40 Newmarket – 1pt win @ 9/2 (general)

U S NAVY FLAG 2.15 Newmarket – 1pt win @ 11/2 (Coral, BetBright)

WINNER

Rory tipped Awesometank to win at Sandown last week at 6/1