Royal Ascot tips: Ross Millar's bets for the juvenile races

The most competitive race for two-year old fillies of the week.

Carla’s Way was impressive in her debut win at Doncaster, when despite failing to settle in the early stages she was still able to finish off her race well. The form of that race has been franked, as the runner-up Star Of Mystery was an emphatic winner on her next start.

The Roger Varian-trained Jabaara also made an impressive debut when winning at Newmarket. She had to overcome any amount of trouble in running but thanks to an electric turn of foot was still able to run out a cosy winner.

However, the form of that race has taken a few knocks. Fourth-placed Oops was well beaten on her next start, while Miss Roberts, beaten under a length, was 8½ lengths behind Carla’s Way at Town Moor.

My main selection will be SOPRANO. Before she had set foot on the racecourse her trainer, George Boughey, was quoted as saying she was his best two-year old this season.

She didn’t let him down, as she showed ample speed and a strong finishing effort to win comfortably over 5f. William Buick only needed to push her out hands and heels, very much giving the impression that there would be plenty more to come.

Her dam, Lealas Daughter, was unraced but is from a family that have predominantly shown their best form at a mile. I fully expect this track and trip to see an improved performance and against some hot opposition she can prevail.

I can’t leave Navassa Island unbacked. She featured as a winner in waiting after finishing to good effect behind Porta Fortuna in a Group Three at Naas.

Surprisingly, for a debutant from the Michael O’Callaghan yard, she showed signs of greenness through the mid-part of the race but once getting organised she flew home and would have been the winner in another stride. Her trainer is not afraid to aim high with maidens and I’m confident she’ll reverse the form with Porta Fortuna.

Selections: Soprano and Navassa Island

For my money this is the hardest juvenile race of the week to make sense of.

Fillies take up the top three positions in the market. I can see the appeal of Pearls And Rubies as she showed plenty of speed to win over 5f at Navan and her pedigree – by No Nay Never out of the Group One, ten-furlong winner Diamondsandrubies – suggests this trip should be in range. But her price factors in her world-class trainer and jockey and so, with limited evidence, I’m happy to look elsewhere.

Like most of Richard Hannon’s two-year olds, LA GUARIDA took a big step forward on her second start when staying on grittily to win at Goodwood.

She travelled smoothly through the race and relaxed well. Pat Dobbs was typically sympathetic in the finish but she found generously for him. The form of that race has been boosted with the second, third and fourth all winning next time.

At a bigger price, Matnookh is also worth keeping onside. This son of Sea The Stars completely blew the start at Windsor on his debut but showed huge ability to run on into third place without being hard ridden by William Buick – who retains the ride here.

Out of a Dansili mare his pedigree assures that this stiff 7f will suit. Richard Fahey has been in excellent form with is two-year olds and while he does have the shorter-priced Golden Mind in the line-up, it’s Matnookh who I prefer.

Selections: La Guarida and Matnookh