Wednesday 19th June 2024
Author: Jordan Yates (@jordan_yates)
2.30: Queen Mary Stakes: We kick things off on Day Two of the Royal Meeting with the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes for fillies over five furlongs. I’m going to try my hand with Miss Rascal here for for Paul & Oliver Cole and Tom Marquand. She progressed notably from her debut run to win impressively over course and distance last time out. She won by three lengths that day and if she comes on again from that effort she could well have a serious say in this. Miss Rascal – 8/1 (Each-Way)
3.05: Queen’s Vase: Next up it’s the Queen’s Vase at 3.05 which is Group 2 action over a mile and six furlongs. I’m strong on Illinois here for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore. He finished third in a French Group 1 at the end of last season and has since come out and finished second behind the Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly last time out. He kept on that day despite hanging and this step up in trip looks sure to suit. I think he’s a massive player. Illinois – 9/4 (Win) (NAP)
3.45: Duke Of Cambridge Stakes: Moving onto the 3.45 which is the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes for fillies & mares over a mile. I’ve sided with last year’s winner of the race here in Rogue Millenium for Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle. She posted a solid effort on her stable debut in a Curragh Group 2 last month when finishing third of eight, and was arguably unlucky not to get closer. She should come on for that run and looks like a rock-solid option here. Rogue Millenium – 11/4 (Win)
4.25: Prince Of Wales’s Stakes: It’s Group 1 action at 4.25 with the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes taking centre-stage over a mile and two furlongs. I’m with Inspiral here for the team of John & Thady Gosden who’s the mount of Kieran Shoemark. She was underwhelming on her seasonal reappearance in the Lockinge at Newbury last time out when finishing fourth behind stablemate and shock winner Audience, however, she should be a lot more tuned up for that run here. She won at the Breeders Cup on her only start over today’s distance, with that success also coming on fast ground. She also gets the allowance off her market rivals here and if she’s anywhere near her best she should go very close. Inspiral – 5/2 (Win) (NB)
5.05: Royal Hunt Cup: We move into handicap company at 5.05 which is a Heritage Handicap contested over the straight mile. This is always an incredibly difficult puzzle to solve, however, in this year’s renewal of the race I’ve come down on Beshtani for Hamad Al-Jehani and James Doyle. He ran a fine race on his stable debut at Epsom earlier this month when a nose second to Two Tempting, with that rival coming out and winning again since. He’ll run off the same mark here and if getting some luck in the run I think he can have a very big say if he turns up in the same kind of form. Beshtani – 10/1 (Each-Way)
5.40: Kensington Palace Stakes: It’s more handicap action at 5.40 with the Kensington Palace Stakes which is a fillies handicap over a mile. I’m taking a chance on Elim here who represents Ed Bethell and is the mount of Jamie Spencer. He returned from a layoff in May to finish fourth in a Redcar handicap and gave the impression he should come on a great deal for that run. Jamie Spencer is a master of this huge field handicaps and if he gets this one right I think this filly could get involved at the business end of things. Elim – 8/1 (Each-Way)
6.15: Windsor Castle Stakes: The concluding race of the afternoon on Wednesday is the Windsor Castle Stakes at 6.15 which is Listed action over five furlongs. I’m with Shadow Army here for the team of Richard Fahey and James Doyle. He beat Francesco’s Piece at York on his only start to date and that rival has since gone out and won a Listed race in France. Fahey has been on record saying that this is his best two-year-old and the form of that debut run speaks for itself, he’ll still need to progress but if he does he’s got to be considered a big player. Shadow Army – 11/2 (Each-Way)
