Royal Ascot 2022: best bets for the early two-year-old races

Sadly, an unsatisfactory blood picture has robbed us of the opportunity to see the impressive Noble Style, who created a striking impression when winning his debut at Ascot.

Even with Gdolphin’s Kingman colt missing out, this looks a high-class edition with seven of the runners looking to maintain an unbeaten record.

Selection: I suggested after the Brocklesby that Persian Force could be more than just an early ‘flash in the pan’ and that certainly looked the case when he subsequently comfortably accounted for Holguin, himself a debut winner, at Newbury.

He took the step to 6f in his stride, galloping strongly through the line. He’s been handed a nice draw in stall 12 and can get the week off to a winning start for Amo Racing, who will be hoping to go one better than when Go Bears Go was narrowly beaten in the Norfolk last year. Persian Force is a general 3-1.

Big price chance: Harry Time was a taking winner of a Navan maiden in mid-May, beating an Aidan O’Brien-trained newcomer, Broadhurst, into second with Beauty Crescent in third. This is a key line of form as Beauty Crescent was just half a length behind Crispy Cat on debut, and that horse was himself just half-a length behind Blackbeard, disputing favouritism for this, when they met. Michael O’Callaghan is an excellent trainer of two-year olds and the general 25-1 is too big to ignore. Sky Bet go 22-1 and offer six places.

The international runners at Ascot this week certainly add to the excitement, but the presence of a Wesley Ward runner in Love Reigns means some guesswork is required.

You can be certain that her trainer’s record and reputation has been factored into her price and in addition she will be partnered by Irad Ortiz Jnr, who wouldn’t be used to a stiff track like Ascot. They’re admittedly small negatives but I never need much persuasion to take on a favourite!

Selection: Karl Burke is enjoying yet another excellent season with his crop of juveniles and is operating at a healthy 17% strike rate with them this season. Dramatised was slowly away on her debut at Newmarket but quickly found her stride and powered to the front. She could be called the winner a long way out and despite hanging left in the closing stages she ran out a wide-margin winner from Malrescia, who has since considerably boosted the form by winning her next two starts. Stall 17 should be ideal as it will hopefully allow her jockey, Daniel Tudhope, to grab the stands’ side rail, which will prevent her from hanging. She looked to have bags more to give and can keep the US raider at bay. Dramatised is a general 5-1.

Big price chance: Amo Racing run four in this and I like the chances of their perceived fourth string One More Olly, as big as 22-1 and 20-1 with Sky Bet, who are offering seven places for each-way backers. She won a run-of-the-mill all-weather maiden at Chelmsford at the end of May and, while it wasn’t a deep race, impressed by travelling strongly before seeing out the trip well under fairly tender handling from Rossa Ryan. She flashed her tail and showed signs of immaturity in the closing stages, but will surely improve for that experience. Richard Hughes resists tilting at windmills so I feel it noteworthy he is running her in this. The booking of Ryan Moore increases enthusiasm and she can outrun her big odds.

No Nay Never is starting to establish himself as an important stallion at Coolmore in the post Galileo era. He’s responsible for Blackbeard, the Coventry favourite, plus and Little Big Bear, the market leader for this. However, I’m confident that Little Big Bear will need ground with a bit more cut than he’s going to get here to be seen to best advantage.

Selection: Andrew Balding has scooped three two-year-old races at Royal Ascot in the past two years via Tactical, Berkshire Shadow and Sandrine and can plunder another with Chateau. This son of Havana Gold, available at 10-1, suffered a troubled passage when an eye-catching third on debut and duly won on his next start when capturing the bet365 Two Year Old Trophy at Beverley. The winning margin was only a neck but can be significantly upgraded as once again he didn’t enjoy the smoothest of runs. He showed a good turn of foot in the closing stages and the stiff track at Beverley suited, which bodes well for this course. Hopefully, William Buick can plot a trouble free route on the far side from stall 7.