Naughton's Notebook: Big-priced Royal Ascot fancy plus horses to follow

Before reflecting on last week, here's a tip for Royal Ascot next week.

BOLETO is fancied to go well at likely big odds in the Windsor Castle Stakes on Wednesday. Clive Cox's well-bred son of Wootton Bassett overcame greenness to make a winning debut at Pontefract two weeks ago. 

Drawn wide in stall eight but in touch with the leaders, he made headway before the furlong pole but drifted markedly right in the last 100 yards. Owned by Middleham Park Racing, Boleto could repeat connections' success of Song Of The Clyde in last season's Harry's Half Million sales race at York's Ebor meeting. 

In the shorter term, this £105,000 purchase out of a half-sister to Group One winners Broome and Diego Velazquez is expected to be suited by the new qualification criteria for the Windsor Castle.

Big Hitter made a big impression when a close second on debut in the 5f fillies' maiden at Chepstow on Saturday. 

Saffie Osborne's mount was held up in rear and switched left to make good headway two-out.  

She went second under hands-and-heels riding and pressed the winner all the way to the line; front two clear.  

Big Hitter is held in very high regard and will benefit from Osborne's thoughtful ride.  

The runner-up cost 65,000 euros as a yearling and is out of a 6f two-year-old winner, who won a Group Two.

The same day, Golden Palace deserves plenty of credit for her close third to older fillies in the 7f Listed Queen Of Scots Stakes at Musselburgh.  

Barry McHugh's mount was keen on the heels of the leaders and unbalanced when switched left over a furlong out.  

She rallied gamely inside the final furlong and might have won had she settled early.  

Golden Palace is an unexposed three-year-old daughter of Palace Pier, who was seventh in the Nell Gwyn 52 days earlier.  

At Epsom, Ziggy's Triton finished mid-division from a very poor draw in stall two in the Dash.  

David O'Meara's capable four-year-old showed good pace but was always away from the stands' rail action.  

In addition, the son of Profitable wasn't suited by rain-softened ground, so deserves credit for finishing only six lengths behind well-drawn winner Arklow Lad.  

Ziggy's Triton has been dropped 2lb to 87 and will be very interesting on better ground at Redcar on Saturday week, or Newcastle the following Friday.

Also in the Dash, Betsen ran a mighty race from a bad draw in stall five.  

He was beaten only three lengths having been prominent in the centre of his group.  

He showed enough pace to be second over a furlong out and can remain competitive in other valuable sprints, especially granted a better draw.  

Betsen won on similarly testing ground at Chepstow last time.

Across the card, Binmalk moved a step closer to a lenient opening mark when a close fourth in the 7f three-year-old novice at Doncaster.  

The Crisfords' well-bred son of Kingman dwelt at the start and ran green in rear but made headway from over two-out.  

He ran on to take fourth behind hot favourite Shipbourne.  

Binmalk had been well beaten at big odds at Newbury on debut but this was better and he's bred to improve again.

I presented Racing TV at Thirsk on Friday and witnessed Without Flaw being well backed in the 5f handicap.

Jo Mason's mount was drawn away from the front three but ran well on the wing from stall one; she finished a close fourth behind high-drawn rivals geldings  Without Flaw acts on any ground and was unlucky at Beverley last time.  

She has dropped to a winning mark.

The same day at Goodwood, Cristo was produced with a winning challenge in the 1m apprentice riders' handicap but clipped heels and fell two-out.  

The son of Havana Grey was suited by the solid gallop and acts on most ground.  

He is handicapped to win.

On Thursday, Reigning Queen landed a touch (5-1 into 6-4) in the three-year-old fillies' novice over an extended 5f at Wetherby. 

Oisin Murphy's mount was prominent, pressed the leader over two-out and led before the furlong pole-she went clear for a ready success.  

Reigning Queen is by Night Of Thunder, so bred to improve, and will start handicapped off a fair mark after success in this moderate race.  The dam Queen Jo Jo won a Group Three as a juvenile.

Havana Touch was heavily backed in the 1m handicap at Ripon on Wednesday last week but didn't enjoy a clear passage.

John Butler's five-year-old was slightly awkward at the start but in touch with the leaders and keeping on when short of room against the rail inside the final furlong.  

Havana Touch was beaten less than three lengths and can remain competitive. He won a similar race at Kempton on Wednesday evening, but is one to keep on side.