Black Caviar at Ascot

the Royal Ascot meeting ends today with another headliner - after the world´s best horse Frankel won on Tuesday, today we have the world´s second best horse (according to official ratings) Black Caviar (Peter Moody/ Luke Nolen) running in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes over 6 furlongs at 16.45 CET. The Australian mare is unbeaten in 21 starts, 11 of them Group Ones, and it is brave move by connections to travel half way across the world to run here. Theoretically she has to win, but she is not a good bet at the likely odds of around 6-1 on. With thousands of Australians expected today at Ascot, and all of them burning to bet on her, the odds are not likely to lengthen by much. She has a stone in hand on the ratings, but the outside draw is certainly no advantage, while she has never run on ground as soft as this - although connections do not seem bothered on that score.

If you can get decent each way odds, we recommend Moonlight Cloud (Freddie Head/ Thierry Jarnet) and Society Rock (James Fanshawe/ Johnny Murtagh) as alternatives. The latter has a good record here, won this race last year and was runner-up in 2010 (no Black Caviar then of course), while the former has a good draw and is probably the best French runner over this distance, as shown by her Deauville victory last year. We do not really expect Black Caviar to be beaten, but should this happen, Moonlight Cloud is the most likely winner. These big sprints often throw up a surprise winner, but we shall be amazed if another horse other than the three mentioned wins today; if you really want to go for a complete longshot, try Es Que Love (Mark Johnston/ Silvestre de Sousa) at 100-1.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Move To Strike - Tha`ir - Lovely Pass
2. Race: Sea Moon - Memphis Tennessee - Aiken
3. Race: Black Caviar - Moonlight Cloud - Society Rock
4. Race: Mac`S Power - Alben Star - Medicean Man
5. Race: Camborne - Anatolian - Fiery Lad
6. Race: Simenon - Overturn - Zuider Zee