Rest of Ascot

The rest of the Ascot card is also very high class, featuring two top races for 2yo´s. The Fillies Mile (Group One) at 16.05 CET could go to Godolphin´s Long Lashes (Saeed bin Suroor/ Frankie Dettori), but Aidan O´Brien´s You´ll be Mine (Johnny Murtagh) is an obvious danger, while Hibaayeb (Clive Brittain/ Neil Callan), although still a maiden, has excellent form to her credit and may beat the both of them. The Royal Lodge Stakes (Group Two) at 15.30, also over a mile, also features a Godolphin - Coolmore clash, with each fielding two runners and Frozen Fire (Frankie Dettori) and Mikhail Glinka (Murtagh) looking the pick of their entries. High Twelve (John Gosden/ Jimmy Fortune) and Godolphin´s second string Vale of York (Ahme Ajtebi) are also not out of it. The card opens with a listed fillies´ handcap over a mile at 14.55 with 18 runners; almost anything is possible here, but top-weight Damaniyat (William Haggas/ Dettori) ran a great race in Turkey last time and should be i nvolved, while Shamwari Lodge (Hannnon/ Hughes) and Applause (Jeremy Noseda/ Shane Kelly), so far unbeaten in 2009, are two of many dangers. The 7 furlongs handicap at 16.40 has 29 runners and looks even more difficult. Marching Time (Sir MichaelStoute/ Ryan Moore) and Golden Desrt (Terry Mills/ Alan Munro) have won their last 2 races and are still improving, while we have not forgotten Giganticus´ win at Royal Ascot over this trip, and although he is up in the weights, we expect him to run another big race. Peter Chapple-Hyam´s Shalaal, who would have been Frankie´s mount here, is a non-runner. After the big one, Frankie then rides Red Dune for Michael Jarvis in the 7 furlongs listed race for fillies at 17.50; two fillies with German form could be the stumbling block here, Penny´s Gift (Hannon/ Hughes), winner of the German 1,000 Guineas, and Chantilly Tiffany (Ed Dunlop/ Jimmy Fortune), who won twice in Germany last year. The concluding 2 mile handicap at 18.25 is also ver y open but possibly front-runner Tungsten Strike (Amanda Perrett/ Martin Dwyer) can last home this time. Frankie rides top-weight Sagredo for Jonjo O´Neill; this hurdler is having his first flat race for 2 years and it is hard to imagine his playing any role in this company.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Applause - Annabelle`S Charm - Aspectoflove
2. Race: Frozen Power - Mikhail Glinka - Vale Of York
3. Race: Long Lashes - You`Ll Be Mine - Hibaayeb
4. Race: Marching Time - Redford - Swift Gift
5. Race: Rip Van Winkle - Delegator - Aqlaam
6. Race: Tropical Paradise - Glowing - Please Sing
7. Race: Sweetheart - Relative Strength - Woolfall Treasure