NOW the dust has settled on Royal Ascot we can turn our attention to a whole load of big races coming up this summer.
With Newmarket’s July Festival, Glorious Goodwood and the York Ebor quickly approaching, now is the time to strike in the ante-post markets.
GettyAlmaqam saw his form boosted massively when Ombudsman, seen here trailing behind in second in the Brigadier Gerard, bolted up in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes[/caption]
Here, I take aim at three of the bigger contests and reveal my thinking behind the selections.
Coral-Eclipse (July 5)
The Coral-Eclipse is bubbling up to be a cracker with Ombudsman putting himself firmly in the picture by winning the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal meeting.
He showed a sharp turn of foot once getting a clear run and he won without too much trouble.
The bookies may have overreacted a little by making him 7-4 favourite for the Eclipse.
After all, second home Anmaat doesn’t seem the greatest in a battle.
At current prices, ALMAQAM looks a better bet.
He had no trouble in dealing with Ombudsman when they met in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in late May.
The latter clearly improved for that run but Ed Walker’s colt seemed to have a lot left in the tank.
His liking for a little bit of cut in the ground is a slight worry but his liking for the track is a plus and the British summer could easily deliver a deluge or two which would make the current 10-1 very tempting indeed.
Of course if Field Of Gold turns up they are all probably playing for a place.
July Cup (July 12)
I hope connections of MORE THUNDER stick their neck out and supplement their speedster for the July Cup as he’d have a massive chance.
He’s not in the betting at the moment but his performance in just missing out in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot last week was blistering.
He clocked one of the biggest speed figures I have ever seen for the final half of the race after he took a little while to get going.
He is 100 per cent a Group horse and looks like he could well be a Group 1 horse at that.
William Haggas’ flyer needs to be backed wherever he turns up next.
If he stays in handicaps and takes up his entry at the BUNBURY CUP at Newmarket on July 12 he deserves to be closer to 2-1 than the general 4s that’s kicking about now.
York Ebor (August 23)
I would love to see FRENCH DUKE turn up in the Ebor at York after his solid comeback run in the Duke Of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot last week.
He was very well backed into 4-1 but got caught up in traffic and didn’t have enough time to get into the race coming around the final bend.
I think stepping up a quarter of a mile in the Ebor would be the perfect race for him with this under his belt.
He’s had just seven starts and shapes like a real stayer who could see his handicap mark of 99 come down a little after this run.
There are lots of other options and I’ll be looking out for him wherever he goes – but I hope it’s to the Knavesmire on August 23.
He could go off at a big price and run very well indeed.
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