Royal Ascot Saturday

2.30 Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) 5f

Wes Ward went close in the Queen Mary with Ruiva and has three entered in the Norfolk, a race he’s won with No Nay Never and Shang Shang Shang. Given the focus on speed from that stable, this contest is always more likely for export than the Coventry, and all the more so now the Windsor Castle is over six furlongs.

Ward’s shortest priced runner is EZ Tina, but stall three could be problematic (unless the bias is seen to shift on Friday) and the best drawn of the trio is 40/1 poke Through The Years, a son of Norfolk winner No Nay Never who broke the track record over five and a half furlongs at Aqueduct last month. This is a very different test but stall 15 looks a positive and five furlongs on firmish ground will suit him better than the majority.

3.05 Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2) 1m 3f 211yd

Goliath may not be quite as good as his win in the 2023 King George suggested, but he’s a tremendously consistent sort in Europe, and his record over this trip in the spring/summer reads 11121421511, with his few disappointments tending to come when travelling long distances to race. He again ran up to his recent best when a ready winner of the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly three weeks ago.

He has form in the mud but has proven at his best on quick ground in recent years and looks to have plenty going for him, including a draw well off the inside rail. Kalpana is the one to beat on balance but her berth in stall two means she will need some luck in running, and the selection has a decent chance of getting first run on her. He’s a hard horse to pass in such situations, and looks excellent value on balance.

3.40 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Group 1) 6f

It’s intriguing to note that those best suited by conditions have run well in this race in the past, with Satono Reve going agonisingly close last year and Khaadem winning this race in 2023 and 2024, but the former is seven now and the latter a real veteran at the age of 10 and the big sprints tend to go to younger legs (Khaadem is the oldest ever winner of this at eight two years ago, and was the joint oldest when triumphing the year before).

Flora Of Bermuda fared best of those drawn low when third to Lazzat and Satono Reve in this race 12 months ago and looked every bit as good as ever when beating Rosy Affair in the Listed Ellen Chaloner Stakes at Newmarket last month. That run has been franked by the runner-up, who won next time and ran even better when fourth to Mission Central in the King Charles III Stakes her on Tuesday. On a line through her, Andrew Balding’s mare looks overpriced here and begs to be backed each way.

4.20 Jersey Stakes (Group 3) 7f

Assuming the draw still favours the high draws (strange things can happen at five-day meetings), then Into The Sky looks to have the best of the draw in stall 17 of 17. Jim Boyle’s three-year-old bolted up on debut last year before going down fighting in the Mill Reef Stakes and he showed all that ability was intact when fourth in the 2000 Guineas on his return despite giving the strong impression that the mile stretched his stamina beyond its limits.

The drop in both trip and class gives him leading chances here and his unfashionable stable ensures he’s a backable price. In the hands of a leading trainer, I think he’d be a 7/4 chance here, and Jim Boyle is a perfectly capable trainer who simply campaigns lower-class horses as a rule. I have faith that he can get the best out of Into The Sky and he appeals as the best bet on the card in what is one of the weakest group races of the week.

5.00 Wokingham Stakes (Heritage Handicap) 6f

As covered in last week’s edition, I’m very sweet on the chances of Far Above Dream who brings a really progressive profile to the race. His draw in 17 is high enough that I can press up, for all I’d be happier if he was 10 stalls closer to the stands rail.

Double Rush has always been one that I liked for this and is a big danger, as is Binhareer, but they are well found in the market, and the one I want to save on at the current odds is Flash Harry, who is drawn in 26 and promises to be better than ever now returned to fast turf.

Third in the Shergar Cup Sprint here last summer before winning comfortably at Goodwood, he had excuses on soft ground in the Ayr Gold Cup and again at Salisbury on his return, which looked like a vehicle to put him spot-on for this in truth. He’s around 33/1 and is far from fully exposed as a sprint handicapper, so merits a decent each-way bet from a positive draw.

5.35 Golden Gates Stakes (Handicap) 1m 1f 212yd

Given his run-style, Sahara King will require an end-to-end gallop if he’s to triumph from stall 17 in the Golden Gates but that scenario looks quite likely and coming late, wide, and fast over this course and distance is often a winning ploy. Sahara King ran an absolute blinder to go down by just a head to Lost Boys in the London Gold Cup last time, and that race looked typically strong.

Wathnan’s bloodstock adviser Richard Brown clearly thought so, as he splashed out to buy the first three home in the Newbury contest. One of those was Tierra Del Toro who never really got going in the King George V Handicap on Thursday, but the form was still boosted when Newbury sixth, Al Azd, was beaten just half a length by Enceladus.

I was impressed with the late headway Sahara King made at Newbury as the pace was not breakneck by any means and he can do better still with a strong gallop to pull him into contention.

Recommended:

Through The Years 2.30 Ascot – 0.5pts e/w @ 40/1 (SkyBet, Paddy Power – 4 places)

Goliath 3.05 Ascot – 1pt win @ 11/2 (Hills, Coral, Unibet; 5/1 general)

Flora Of Bermuda 3.40 Ascot – 1pt e/w @ 16/1 (Unibet, 4pl; 14/1 general)

Into The Sky 4.20 Ascot – 2pts win @ 11/2 (general)

Far Above Dream 5.00 Ascot – 1pt e/w @ 18/1 (Skybet, Paddy Power – 6 places)

Flash Harry 5.00 Ascot – 1pt e/w @ 40/1 (BetVictor, Ladbrokes – 5 places; 33/1 general)

Sahara King 5.35 Ascot – 1pt win @ 5/1 (Bet365; 9/2 general)