Listed races at Ascot and York

Another busy weekend lies ahead of us and there are unlikely to be any abandonments this time as the weather has changed completely; it has been warm and sunny all week and any non-runners today are likely to be because the going is now getting firm everywhere. Sheikh Hamdan has runners all over today and can start by winning the first two races at Ascot, bióh 2yo events, with Fleeting Smile/ Tagdh O´Dhea) at 15.20 CET and Sharaafah (Ed Dunlop/ O`Shea) at 15.55. His main jockey Paul Hanagan is riding this afternoon at Thirsk and this evening at York. He can win the maiden race at 18.00 at the former track on Charlie Hills´ Qannas for his boss. Back at Ascot, the 2 mile handicap at 17.05 looks interesting and features the most improved handicapper of the season, the Tiger Hill filly Bilidn (Noel Quinlan/ Chris Catlin), who has risen 34 lbs in the weights after winning 5 races in succession and he was only just touched off last week at Ffos Las under his new rating. He should g o close again, but we are not sure that he can give more than a stone to the only 3yo in the field Montaser (David Simcock/ Franny Norton); he is stepping up in trip but runs as if this distance will suit him.

Main event at Ascot is the listed mile race for fillies at 16.30. Some prominent owners are represented here, and in our view the likely winner is Beatrice Aurora (John Dunlop/ William Buick) owned and bred by Benny Andersson of ABBA fame. Opposition comes from Thistle Bird (Roger Charlton/ James Doyle), owned by Lady Rothschild, who is not a good a singer but more successful as a breeder, with Group One winners Nathaniel and Great Heavens to her credit this month. The Queen also has a runner here, Free Verse (Richard Hannon/ Kieren O´Neill), who won a handicap at Newmarket last time, but faces much stronger opponents this time.

If the Queen is to have a winner today, it is more likely to be at 20.30 at York this evening, in another listed race for fillies, this time over 10 furlongs. Her runner Momentary (Michael Bell/ Hayley Turner) ran inexplicably badly last time at Royal Ascot, but her earlier form gives her an excellent chance. She clearly holds Hamdan´s Firdaws (Roger Varian/ Paul Hanagan) and the main dangers would appear to be the consistent Barefoot Lady (Richard Fahey/ Tony Hamilton) and Mid Mon Lady (Sir Mark Prescott/ Tom Eaves).