Five days. 35 races. Five articles.
Royal Ascot 2023 is upon us and despite my sheer excitement for the first flag fall, the nerves for my daily articles are in the back of my mind.
Over the last five weeks, from 32 points stakes, 28.65 points of profit have been achieved at a return of investment of just under 90%.
That is a lovely feeling, but the Royal meeting is the true acid test and I’m taking it in my stride, approaching the challenge head-on.
So, let’s dive into Tuesday’s The Top Three article on Royal Ascot Day 1.
Coventry Stakes (3:05) – Bobsleigh @ 20/1 with William Hill – 0.5pts EW
I feel almost like an uninvited guest to an ultra-exclusive party by talking about a horse that isn’t Asadna or River Tiber in the Coventry Stakes.
The story of the week on Racing Twitter has been the debate surrounding these two horses involving some of the biggest profiles on the app and of course, a few people took liberties in creating some funny tweets.
If Asadna lines up in the Coventry, you’d have to wonder if his performance will be affected by being the subject of a Racing Twitter civil war.
— Mark Walsh (@MarkWalsh) June 17, 2023
But steering away from this and the top two in the market, I believe BOBSLEIGH at 20/1 with William Hill offers up a little bit of value.
Like River Tiber and Givemethebeatboys, the two-year-old by Elzaam is unbeaten in two runs and already has the experience of performing on the biggest stage, winning the opening contest on Epsom Oaks day.
BOBSLEIGH as cool as ice in the opener 🧊
An impressive winner of the British EBF 40th Anniversary Woodcote Stakes 👏#DerbyFestival pic.twitter.com/fg4U7obDAt
— Epsom Downs Racecourse (@EpsomRacecourse) June 2, 2023
Although Haatem’s misfortune at the starting stalls benefited him, Richard Hannon’s thrice-raced colt headed for home first over Bobsleigh yet found himself comfortably passed in the final furlongs.
Jockey Charlie Bishop was always confident on his mount despite being six lengths off the pace at the three-furlong pole and I think that a first start on an arrow-straight track could see him continue to progress as at both Epsom and Brighton, he showed inexperience around a bend.
There are bigger talking horses in the race who could have a bigger potential, but as for right here, right now, Eve Johnson Houghton’s runner could be one to cause a small upset in the first two-year-old race of the meeting.
St James’s Palace Stakes (4:20) – Indestructible @ 50/1 with BetVictor – 1pt EW
If you thought 20/1 was big about Bobsleigh, the 50/1 about Indestructible in the feature race of the day is massive in my eyes.
When you consider that, Kevin Stott, his rider, admitted that “nothing really went his way in the 2000 Guineas as he was bumped out of the stalls, got in behind horses, and he didn’t love the ground” in his latest William Hill blog, I think forgiving his last run is acceptable.
Then just a small look back to his win in the Craven Stakes victory shows that both The Foxes and Mostabshir won on their next start with the latter now a general 9/1 shot for the same race.
🙌 Amo Racing strike again on the Rowley Mile as INDESTRUCTIBLE wins the bet365 Craven!
💫 Twice second to Chaldean last season, the Kodiac colt makes a winning debut for trainer @karl_burke in the hands of Kevin Stott.pic.twitter.com/etO5mVUMMD
— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) April 20, 2023
Although Chaldean beat him twice as a two-year-old, soft ground contributed to his second loss and the other saw them separated by just half a length, so the price difference is too big.
In that same article quoted above, Stott went on to say: “I think Indestructible has got a massive race in him at Ascot – I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets very close.”
Bold words for a 50/1 shot and it’s something I can’t get enough of on Royal Ascot Day 1.
Ascot Stakes (5:00) – Calling The Wind @ 12/1 with Boylesport – 1.5pt EW
My final fancy of the three on Royal Ascot Day 1 comes in the big handicap of the day.
Without recycling words from Friday’s Ante-post Analysis piece, CALLING THE WIND provides a good betting angle in the Ascot Stakes Handicap.
Some ride from @OsborneSaffie! Metier wins the Tote Chester Cup! @ChesterRaces @HarryFryRacing1 pic.twitter.com/qw79oJ6BnZ
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 12, 2023
The one piece of information that I didn’t have on Friday is the draw from this Authorized gelding and out of stall 13, there should be no worries about him getting a fair trip through the 2m4f contest.
Once rated 105, Richard Hughes’ seven-year-old runs off 99 on Tuesday and with Billy Loughnane’s claim on his side as well, that’s a mark of 96, six pounds below his second in the valuable November Handicap at Doncaster in November 2021.
Back at a fairer track of Ascot and on better ground, the chance of Calling The Wind is obvious with his falling handicap mark and having been as big as 25/1 ante-post, it seems the market also agrees.
