There are just two weeks to go until the feature meeting of the British Flat season at Royal Ascot and Racing Post tipster Graeme Rodway returns with his early fancies.
Graeme Rodway's tips
3.40 Tuesday 20th June, King's Stand Stakes - Mitbaahy @ 66/1
4.20 Tuesday 20th June, St James's Palace Stakes - Cicero's Gift @ 6/1
2.30 Friday 23rd June, Albany Stakes - Carla's Way @ 8/1
3.40 Saturday 24th June, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes - Art Power @ 8/1
Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.
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King's Stand Stakes - Mitbaahy @ 66/1
The King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday at Ascot might be more open than it looks at this stage and it’s worth taking a chance on the classy MITBAAHY bouncing back from a below-par run last time.
Mitbaahy was progressive last season when winning three times and improving through the ranks to land a Group 3 at Newbury in September.
He ran on strongly from the rear that day, looking certain to be suited by a stiff test of stamina at this 5f trip, and he will get that here.
He has disappointed twice since, but on both occasions he was drawn out of it. He had no chance from stall 15 in the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp last October and then did best of those in single-figure stalls when fifth behind Dramatised in the Temple at Haydock last time.
That race was dominated by those who raced on the stands’ side, just like the Sandy Lane on the same card, and Mitbaahy did well to finish only four and a half lengths behind the winner.
He could bounce back granted more luck with the draw and has a Group 1 like this in him.
Graeme Rodway's tip:
Mitbaahy @ 66/1 - 1pt each-way
St James's Palace Stakes - Cicero's Gift @ 6/1
Chaldean heads the market for the St James’s Palace Stakes and is the one to beat.
However, the form of his 2,000 Guineas win doesn’t look strong given Royal Scotsman was well beaten in the Irish equivalent and hot favourite Auguste Rodin clearly didn’t show his best on the day.
He might have had his big win for the season and Irish 2,000 Guineas scorer Paddington doesn’t look outstanding either.
With that in mind it’s worth taking them both on with the highly regarded CICERO'S GIFT, who is unbeaten in three starts and looks like a top-notcher.
Cicero’s Gift quickened up smartly to beat Kolsai by five and a half lengths on his last start at Goodwood and the form was franked when that rival finished third in the Diomed at Epsom last Saturday against his elders.
That is enough to convince me that Cicero’s Gift is top class.
He had easily beaten subsequent winner Docklands at Wolverhampton previously and his form stacks up well. Provided conditions aren’t too quick for him, Cicero’s Gift should win.
Graeme Rodway's tip:
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Albany Stakes - Carla's Way @ 8/1
Connections went to 350,000gns at the breeze-up sales to secure the purchase of CARLA'S WAY and she looks capable of repaying that faith judging on her easy debut win at Doncaster.
Carla’s Way went off a well-backed 5-2 favourite for that maiden fillies’ event on Saturday and she dismissed several rivals from top stables with the minimum of fuss in a good time.
She ran the best figure on a card that featured several races for older horses and that is all the more impressive when you consider that she did everything wrong.
She pulled hard throughout, failed to settle, and ran green in the closing stages, but was well on top at the line.
Carla’s Way was no stronger than at the finish and should improve significantly for the run for the Simon and Ed Crisford team, whose horses usually progress plenty with experience.
Graeme Rodway's tip:
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes - Art Power @ 8/1
The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes is the feature on Saturday and it’s worth giving ART POWER one more chance to prove that he can reproduce his smart Curragh form at Ascot.
The Tim Easterby-trained grey always looks like a world-beater when he runs at the Curragh and it was a similar story on his return to that track last month when he ran away with the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes in a good time.
That was the performance of a Group 1 horse.
That took his record in Ireland to 4-4, but he does act at Ascot and was a track winner over 5f in 2020.
He has also twice finished in the first four in the Champions Sprint over course and distance and was third in this race two years ago behind Dream Of Dreams when a 7-2 shot.
He has been gelded this season and maybe that will be the making of him. His recent Curragh win certainly suggested he has more to offer and this looks like an outstanding opportunity.
Graeme Rodway's tip:
Graeme Rodway's tips
3.40 Tuesday 20th June, King's Stand Stakes - Mitbaahy @ 66/1
4.20 Tuesday 20th June, St James's Palace Stakes - Cicero's Gift @ 6/1
2.30 Friday 23rd June, Albany Stakes - Carla's Way @ 8/1
3.40 Saturday 24th June, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes - Art Power @ 8/1
Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.
View the latest Horse Racing Odds
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