Today’s horse racing preview comes from two meetings, with selections from Ascot and York.

 

13.50 Ascot – Princess Margaret Juddmonte Stakes (Group 3) (6f)

Mark Johnston’s Nyaleti comes off the back of a one and three quarter length defeat to Clemmie which is looking excellent form. This daughter of Arch is still under consideration if she will go on this softer ground, but is definitely the most improved filly in the field and on her pedigree I would not be surprised if she is versatile on any going.

She will not have it all her own way though with the likes of Listed Empress Stakes winner Dance Diva who is proven on good ground, but once again can she adapt to this softer surface? Being by pattern winning sire Mayson, she looks to win the ground superiority over Nyaleti and gets the nod to make it 4-4 in her career.

DANCE DIVA : 2pt Win @ 3/1 (BOG)

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15.35 Ascot – King George V1 & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Group 1) (12f)

This looks a match race between Khalid Abdullah’s double Oaks winning filly Enable and Ballydoyle’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner Highland Reel. Enable has been impressive in both Oaks this year and takes on a strong field here, however I think she is vulnerable, despite getting a stone from the selection in Highland Reel, also not sure if the softer ground will play into her favour.

Highland Reel has been better than ever this season when landing the Coronation Cup and more recently the Prince of Wales’s Stakes where he was mighty impressive when pulling away from the field, with Ulysses and Jack Hobbs well beaten I cannot see that form being reversed.

But I feel there is still more to come from Benbatl who could be over priced at 18/1 after landing the Hampton Court Stakes at the Royal meeting, She ran a good race when runner up in the Dante when behind Permian who is an absentee this afternoon.

BENBATL : 1pt each way @ 18/1 (BOG)

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16.10 Ascot – Wooldridge Group Pat Eddery Stakes (Listed)  (7f)

Four of the past seven renewals of this race have gone to the favourite and this years Tigre Du Terre gets the early status. Won a fairly competitive stakes race over course and distance two weeks ago and returns to keep his 100% record in tact. He would not want much more rain to get into the ground and the only result he recorded on this surface, he was defeated with authority.

I have opted though for Mark Johnston’s Ventura Knight who can grind out another win, I was quite taken in the attitude he showed when winning a good nursery at Leicester last time, still more to come despite taking the step up in class. Being There got off at the second attempt at Newmarket, but has been beaten on this type of ground on debut.

VENTURA KNIGHT : 2pt Win @ 11/2 (BOG)

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15.15 York – Sky Bet York Stakes (Group 2) (10.2f)

Willlie Haggas’s Hathal deserves a crack at what looks a very open renewal. The penny dropped late when staying on into third in the Summer Mile Stakes at Ascot. However he also has Victory Bond who ran a good third here in the Listed Hambleton Stakes, he then returned to run midfield in the John Smiths Cup a race that does throw up some good horses.

Pat Cosgrave drops Victory Bond for Hathal this afternoon, and who better to take over than Philip Makin who landed this race back in 2014 for Andrew Balding. Its hard to see which one of Haggas’ entries has come out of their races well, they are both equally matched on what I have seen of their past two runs, but I am going to just give Victory Bond the nod here.

Best of the rest looks to come in Autocratic who won nicely when landing the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown, however has to prove oneself on softer ground. Mondialiste is the dark horse for team O’Meara and Tudhope, with the two pairing up at York. you have to respect whatever they place in races like this; Runner up to Time Test in last years correspondent race, and has failed not to hit the frame on both visits to the course, but overall even though this is a very open renewal I am going for Victory Bond to improve on his John Smiths Cup run.

VICTORY BOND : 1pt Each Way @ 8/1 (BOG)

 

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Today’s horse racing preview comes from two meetings, with selections coming from Ascot and York. Once more I will be at my favourite haunt at the Knavesmire soaking up the Pimm’s and lemonade.

 

15.20 Ascot – Carraig Insurance British EBF Valiant Stakes  (Listed) (8f)

Sir Michael Stoute’s filly Mittens has taken little time to get going from her transition from 2-3, but things are starting to come together for this daughter of New Approach who has notched up two good wins at Newmarket and more recently over course and distance when winning a 0-90 Hcp against her own sex.

Held up off the pace, she made smooth headway to lead inside the final furlong putting over three lengths between her nearest rival impressively, I would expect her to progress even further than this and could be one of the fillies to watch for the rest of the season. if there were any concerns, it would have to be the ground as she was beaten on good to soft at Goodwood last month, but that was over a furlong and a half further than today’s index, back over a mile she will be hard to defeat.

Richard Spencer has certainly become a trainer for the big occasion after seeing Rajasinghe land the Coventry Stakes here at the Royal meeting, represented here with Rebel Surge who has a habit of being placed over winning. 0-5 over today’s trip, you have to think she would be a lay more than a possible shock winner, but her consistency brings her to the level of possibility and would not put anyone off backing her each way at a price.

The unknown quality in the race is John Gosden’s three-year-old Whispering Bell who made a pleasing transition when winning in style at Windsor just over three weeks ago. She will get further than this being by Galileo, but having Exceed and Excel genes you would have to take the move in the market serious if money comes for her.

Overall, I would like to think there is more to come from Stoute’s exciting filly, with at present no pencilled big entries in the pipeline we have to see if she has come on again, Whispering Bell is the main danger I feel, she is well bred and should make her presence felt.

MITTENS : 2pt Win @ SP (BOG)

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19.30 York – British Stallion Studs EBF Lyric Fillies Stakes  (Listed) (10.3f)

The advantage of living in York is to get one step ahead of the weather, the ground has been forecast as Good – Good to firm in places. We have had a fair bit of rain over the past few days here in York and I would like to think we will get good ground, maybe soft in places.

This could play into the hands of Sir Michael Stoute’s Playful Sound who won on her penultimate start when winning at Chester on good ground as a three-year-old when winning a 0-95 handicap, she won on seasons debut when landing the Spring Lodge Stakes at Newmarket over 9f, but failed to build on that when well beaten in the Listed Nottinghamshire Oaks back in May. Not seen for almost six weeks, I would like to think she can mix it up here in what looks a winnable contest.

Amjan Princess and Singyoursong have been consistent this year, with the latter winning twice at Lingfield and Goodwood. If the rain keeps up, I would have concerns that she will take part here, Singyoursong won well on seasons re-appearance at Brighton on good ground and ran well back in May when runner up at Nottingham in the same race as Playful Sound. With five lengths between them that day, she also had Entsar behind her, they all meet off level weights once more, Jamie Spencer gets shipped off to be replaced by Oisin Murphy and she should be on the premises once more.

Overall, both Singyoursong and Amjan Princess will be knocking on the door, but I am going to give an each way shout to Playful Sound to at least get into the placings under Danny Tudhope.

PLAYFUL SOUND : 1pt each way @ SP (BOG)

 

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