Selections for Wednesday 19th of June 2024
2.30 Ascot
1 point each way Miss Lamai (28/1 Bet365/ William Hill/ Boylesports, 5 places)
Very little form to go on here and it is hard to know how much of a step forward a lot of these will take for their first run. Trainer Karl Burke has a good record in this race and I like the chances of Miss Lamai hitting the frame at nice odds. She won on debut over 5 furlongs at Thirsk and followed that up with a fine run at York again over 5 furlongs only this time on good ground, finishing second after looking the likely winner up to the last 100 yards. She was left in front and had to do a lot of her own work in that race but battled the whole way through the line so a faster pace today could help her and hopefully she can run a big race.
3.45 Ascot
1 point each way Sea The Lady (16/1 Generally, 4 places)
Sea The Lady changed trainers in France over the winter and is now trained by Christopher Head. She was third of nine on her stable and seasonal debut at Longchamp on soft ground at the end of April and this would have been the target since. She was second in a Group 3 at Longchamp last season and also finished third in the German Oaks. If she can handle the early pace she has plenty of stamina to be staying on at the finish and might just sneak into the places.
5.05 Ascot
1 point each way Coeur Dor (12/1 Bet365, 6 places or else 8/1 Paddy power/ Betway, 7 places)
Coeur Dor has his ideal conditions as he loves good ground and could run a big race in this ultra competitive Hunt Cup. I favour those drawn mid to high so from stall 22 Chris Hayes has the best of both worlds and can settle him behind the early pace setters. He had a busy year last season winning the Colm Quinn BMW mile at the Galway festival off a mark of 92 and he followed that up by winning the Irish Cambridgeshire at the Curragh off a mark of 97. He disappointed on his final two runs of which one was at Ascot but you can make the excuse that a hard season had left its mark and he has been freshened up since. He fairly caught the eye on his seasonal reappearance at the Curragh over an inadequate 6 furlongs last month and should be primed for a career best today.
1 point each way Sean (40/1 Paddy power, 7 places or else 33/1 Skybet, 8 places)
Sean ran some fine races in Dubai after joining trainer Jamie Osborne from Karoly Kerekes. He was fourth in a Group 2 at Meydan on his stable debut and followed that by very nearly winning a Group 3 again at Meydan. He finished a short head behind Warren Point on that occasion. He was fourth of eight on his latest run at Epsom but I would imagine that was a pipe opener for this and he would have needed the run. He is a Stakes horse running in a handicap and hopefully he has a class edge over most of these.
5.40 Ascot
1 point each way Rajindri (16/1 Skybet, 7 places or else 16/1 Paddy power/ Betfred, 6 places)
Rajindri is a solid filly who has only been out of the first three once from ten starts. She was second on her seasonal reappearance at Yarmouth over 7 furlongs on good ground and won on her latest start again over 7 furlongs at Kempton. That was off a mark of 82 and the handicapper bumped her up 2 lbs to a career high mark of 84. However she is still progressive and is very uncomplicated. She is proven over the 1 mile trip and could run into the places at a nice price. The only doubt is whether she will settle enough to see out the mile strongly but if she does she has a lovely racing weight of 8-10.
1 point each way Rowayeh (14/1 Skybet, 7 places or else 16/1 Paddy power/ Betfred, 6 places)
Rowayeh caught the eye straight away here and has a lovely weight 8-13. Her stand out piece of form was when finishing third at Goodwood over 1 mile. Choisya won that day and is now rated 10lbs higher, Novus was second now rated 21lbs higher and Royal Dress was fourth now rated 16lbs higher. Rowayeh would have needed her come back run this season at Newmarket and should be perfect for today. Hopefully Jim Crowley can keep her held up for as long as possible before making his challenge. She is my strongest fancy of the day.
6.15 Ascot
1 point each way Vingegaard (33/1 Bet365/ Coral, 5 places)
I am rolling the dice again with the Archie Watson and Hollie Doyle combination and hopefully we can be rewarded. He won on his only previous start in a maiden at Chepstow over 5 furlongs. That was on soft ground and he did well to win easily while hating the softer surface. He is not a big horse so should be plenty forward for this time of year and is meant to have a brilliant temperament which can ruin the chances for many of these 2 year olds on such a big occasion. He is drawn in stall 17 with a lot of the more fancied horses drawn around him. At 33/1 he is worth an each way poke.
**Date & Time of next Selections Wednesday 19th of June at 9pm..