Strong Ascot card

Ascot´s 3-day Festival of British Racing meeting starts today, and although the highlights are tomorrow (QE II etc), today´s card is also strong with some large fields and highly competitive racing. Best race on the card is the fillies listed event over 1 1/2 miles at 16.55 CET with 15 runners, which looks wide open. Crystal Capella (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore) is on a roll, having won her last 3 races, but is now stepping up in distance. Joint top-weights Ronaldsay (Richard Hannon/ Richard Hughes) and Sell Out (Geoff Wragg/ Steve Drowne -needs rain)are both proven performers at this level and over this trip, while Ralph Beckett´s Hobby (Frankie Dettori) is also consistent and must be respected. The most interesting runner is possibly Michael Jarvis´ Island Vista (Philip Robinson), who has only run twice but looks very promising. The biggest field of the day(29!) and the most prize-money is in the Watership Ship Down sales race for 2yo fillies over 6 1/2 furlongs at 16.20 . Penny´s Gift (Hannon/ Hughes) looks outstanding here, having twice finished a close second in strongly-contested group races and despite the huge field is bound to be a warm favourite. Chris Wall´s Rafiqa (Alan Munro) was an easy nursery winner at Yarmouth last week, but this is obviously much tougher, while Crystal Moments (Ed Dunlop/ Eddie Aher), winner of 3 of her 4 starts, could also be placed. The 6 furlongs handicap at 15.45 has 18 runners, but again there is likely to be a clear favourite, Michael Jarvis´ Speedy Dollar, who beat better-rated opponents last week at Yarmouth on his first try at this distance.

Betting forecast:
1.Race: Fair Gale - Amanda Carter - Hustle
2.Race: Laddies Poker Two - Speedy Dollar - Masada
3.Race: Penny`s Gift - Foundation Room - Golden Destiny
4.Race: Crystal Capella - Hobby - Ronaldsay
5.Race: Victoria Reel - Cigalas - Thunder Gorge
6.Race: Optimus - Potentiale - Sporting Gesture