ITM PLUS- Pro Punter Rob Dove's Royal Ascot Analysis - Day 1 Tuesday, June 17th
Top 10 U.K. Pro: Rob Dove gives ITM Plus his thoughts all week for Ascot
Queen Anne (1 mile straight, Group 1)
The Key piece of form coming into this race is the Lockinge with the first 4 in the betting all coming out of that race & the 2 3 year olds that finished 3rd and 4th should come on for the run (both on seasonal debut), there shouldn’t be much between them this time and it may come down to who gets the best trip, I don’t think they’re that strong a bunch though and at the prices I’m going to look a bit further down in the market. Another tricky aspect of the race is the lack of pace & a headwind is forecast so getting your horse settled and some cover is the main thing I’m looking for here. Notable Speech is well drawn in the middle and is a hold up but he can be keen and I don’t love his 3 year old form. The improving Sardinian Warrior has got a chance he looked the winner in France last time but got outstayed by Sosie and the drop back to a mile should suit him here, he’s normally been ridden prominently though and that’s enough for me to pass at the prices. Lake Forest should get a hold up ride but he’s going up in trip and not sure a stiff mile into a headwind is what he wants. Diego Velazquez has the ability but in his prep run for this on 11th May he got very upset in the stalls and was withdrawn, it’s hard to know what shape he will be in for this. Docklands has a good record over the Ascot straight mile, finishing 2nd in this race last year, his reappearance run behind Sardinian Warrior was solid enough and his last run at Epsom was a messy affair, coming back here he should get a nice hold up ride and could go close again. The other one I’m interested in at the prices is Carl Spackler he didn’t have a good trip in the Breeders’ Cup mile from his wide draw and think he’s been a bit underestimated by the market in what might not be the strongest Queen Anne.
Coventry Stakes (6f Group 2 , 2yo)