Royal Ascot eye-catchers: horses to follow and a 25-1 tip

Charlie Appleby had a frustrating Royal Ascot and came within three-quarters of a length of landing the opening race of the meeting with Opera Ballo, who, as expected, made the running at a good pace, but could not quite hold on at a straight track which favoured those held-up all week.

Given an easier finish, he may well have come home in front, and it is worth remembering that, despite this hugely creditable effort, his three defeats have all come on straight courses.

A race like the Sussex Stakes, around a bend over an easy mile, should be right up his street and the 8-1 for that quoted by many firms after Tuesday’s race did not last long. He is now half that, but there could well be some value in that price too, with Charlie Appleby since confirming the Goodwood day two feature as his next target.

Del Maro has came out on the wrong side of two photo finishes in a row, the most recent of those coming in the Queen’s Vase on Wednesday, where he clocked the fastest final furlong and three-furlong sectionals of the race and the highest Finishing Speed Percentage (FSP) of 107.65%, only to be beaten a nose by Limestone.

Despite his obvious ability, he has somehow only won one of his eight starts, bumping into Derby runner-up Maltese Cross, and then chasing home Pierre Bonnard and Endorsement in the Zetland Stakes at two.

He has placed in all but one of his races and posted a career best performance when stepped up to 1m6f for the first time on Wednesday.

Given his abundant stamina and liking for a galloping track, the son of Camelot looks well overpriced at 25-1 for the St Leger, especially given his Royal Ascot conqueror Limestone is as short as 8-1.

After a 594-day absence, Friendly Soul was fortunate to escape serious injury on her reappearance, pulling up at Haydock where it transpired she had put her leg in a hole in the track.

The daughter of Kingman had better luck on Wednesday at Ascot in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes over the round mile, finishing third, but was short of room at a crucial stage before running on strongly in the final half-furlong.

Though she had won the Valiant Stakes over course and distance two years ago, it was always a concern that this trip would be slightly too sharp, having posted a career best in the Prix de l’Opera over a mile and a quarter, but she shaped with huge promise, finding just Blue Bolt and Jancis too strong.

Unsurprisingly, the RaceiQ data shows us that she recorded the fastest final furlong of the race (12.37 seconds), plus the highest FSP (101.02%).

She clearly retains all the ability she had as a three-year-old and will be of major interest if stepped up to a mile and a quarter next time, though the Falmouth Stakes over a mile, for which she is 12-1, could come next.

One of the major frustrations this week was the draw bias on the straight track with very few horses getting into contention from low numbers. The Royal Hunt Cup was no different, with seven of the first ten home coming from stall 19 or higher.

The only horse in the first six to have been drawn below stall 22 was Indalo, who overcame stall 8 to finish third on the far side, just two and a half lengths behind winner Rogue Diplomat, who was given a great ride by Harry Davies from stall 33.

Roger Varian’s five-year-old finished a nose behind Boiling Point in the bet365 Cambridgeshire when denied a clear run in September, was beaten just a neck when looking the winner at Newbury on his reappearance (third-placed Mezcala won the Buckingham Palace Stakes on Thursday) and was similarly out of luck on Wednesday.

It is surely a matter of time before he lands a big pot.

David Simcock’s four-year-old was sent off at 66-1 for the Kensington Palace Stakes over the straight mile on Wednesday and the daughter of Sea The Moon outran her odds to finish just over three lengths behind the winner Alobayyah.

She should have finished closer, too, with Nicola Currie forced to sit and suffer approaching the closing stages, with most of the field congregated in front of her towards the stand side in search of the most favourable strip of turf.

At least a dozen fillies were still in front of her at the furlong pole, but she managed to overtake half of those rivals in the final 200 yards, finishing a fast-finishing sixth after clocking the fastest final furlong of all 24 runners bar the winner.

Running from 2lb out of the handicap on Wednesday, she is officially rated 79, a mark that looks favourable on this evidence, and although she is yet to win in eight starts, she has gone close to scoring on several occasions.

Her best efforts had previously come over a mile and a quarter, and she can have a big say up in trip and down in grade next time out.

Another frustrating one for the team at Moulton Paddocks. Maho Bay appeared to be responding well to William Buick’s urgings, only to find a wall of horses in front of him with a furlong left to run in the Hampton Court Stakes.

Though he only managed fifth, he was beaten just a length and a half by the winner Generic and just half a length by runner-up Endorsement, and Charlie Appleby’s colt continues took a step in the right direction after losing his unbeaten tag when fourth in the Lingfield Derby Trial behind Maltese Cross.

Rated 104, he is entered in the National Stud Handicap over the same trip of a mile and a quarter at Newmarket’s July Festival and this looks his distance. Keep him on your radar for when the stable is back firing on all cylinders.

Shadwell homebred Touleen fared much better than the result when sixth in the Betfred 1000 Guineas and continued her steady progress with a fine second in the Coronation Stakes on Friday.

The daughter of Lope De Vega was given plenty of cover by Saffie Osborne but had to be switched after meeting trouble in running and flew home to finish second with the fastest final furlong and highest FSP of the race and split Aidan O’Brien’s two Guineas winners.

She is not the biggest filly but that has not stopped her improving with each run and it would be a surprise if she does not land a Group One on this evidence. She is a best priced 8-1 for the Falmouth Stakes at the July Festival, though it is worth pointing out she has not looked in love with the dip on her two visits to the not too dissimilar Rowley Mile. 

She is, however, entered in the Prix Rothschild over a flatter mile at Deauville on August 8 which could be more to her liking.

Simon and Ed Crisford's son of Violence followed up on his Ripon debut win with an excellent fourth-placed finish in Saturday's Group Two Norfolk Stakes and looks the one to take out of the race.

Given plenty of cover, he picked up well from the rear for William Buick and was one of just two horses to record a FSP higher than 100 per cent, flying home to record a final furlong time of 12.16 seconds, the fastest of the race.

A late foal, he is out of a Mineshaft mare and a full-brother to a Group Two-winning miler, so should appreciate a step up in trip on pedigree (though it is worth noting he has a high stride frequency) and is open to plenty of improvement.

William Haggas enjoyed a fine week at Royal Ascot, saddling four winners, and Princling looks worth adding to his long tally of big race scorers before long after shaping better than his fifth in the penultimate contest of the meeting, the Golden Gates Stakes.

The son of Kingman is out of Frankellina, whom Haggas trained to finish second in the Musidora, and shaped well stepped beyond a mile for the first time in this mile and a quarter handicap.

Tom Marquand's mount was trapped widest of all towards the rear throughout the race and once angled out towards the centre of the course in the home straight, ran on well, but just lacked the required turn of foot to reel in the leaders.

Rated 91, he still looks well treated on his juvenile form and can land a big handicap this season if things fall right.

There were close finishes to both Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes and Tuesday's King Charles III Stakes, and the Commonwealth Cup was not won by far either, with Venetian Sun scoring by a head, but Karl Burke's filly is six from six over sprint trips and could take all the beating in next month's July Cup.

The daughter of Starman is a course and distance winner having landed the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at the July Festival last season and is likely to get her ground again at Newmarket.

She is a strong stayer at the trip (a shade unlucky in the Moyglare over 7f last season) and, in receipt of her weight-for-age and fillies' allowance, I would make her a strong fancy for the blue riband sprint on July 11 against a crop of older sprinters who are from a vintage bunch.

Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup: VENETIAN SUN at 11-4 with Unibet.

Qatar Sussex Stakes: OPERA BALLO at a general 4-1.

Betfred St Leger: DEL MARO at 25-1 with SkyBet, Paddy Power and bet365.