Ascot provides a typically competitive card on Saturday and opens with a seven-furlong handicap at 1.55. Many of these horses have been running against each other all season, taking it in turns to scoop the big prizes. Galician bolted up in the International Stakes here whilst Glen Moss landed a huge gamble at Newbury last month. Field Of Dream had his turn in the Bunbury Cup whilst Excellent Guest won the Victoria Cup in the spring.
At present, the rain seems to be largely confined to the north so the going could remain on the fast side. The bookmakers have opened up at 7-1 the field and it is difficult to be confident about any of these. Glen Moss won so easily for us at Newbury that I had to follow him at Goodwood despite an unfavourable draw. Frankie Dettori bounced him out smartly but he was a spent force inside the final furlong and back-peddled quickly. He could be worth each-way support at 16-1.
There are some nice two-year-olds about at the moment but few can boast a finer pedigree than Andrew Balding’s Casual Smile. She is by the Guineas, Derby and Arc winner Sea The Stars out of Oaks winner Casual Look. She made her debut in a good maiden at Newmarket last month and stayed on very nicely into second over seven furlongs. She has only three opponents over a mile in the 3.00 race and I’d be disappointed if she can’t see them off.
Café Society has been well backed ante-post for the Ladbrokes Mobile Handicap and there certainly looks to be plenty more to come from this colt by Motivator. He was having only the fifth start of his career when just failing to catch Bold Sniper here last time. Spencer had him locked away on the rails and drove him out with hands and heels only to lose out by a neck. He had previously won going away at Salisbury and looks weighted to win this.
Sir Michael Stoute’s Plover has not managed to add to her victory in a Kempton maiden so far but she shaped promisingly at Newmarket last time. She is stepping up from seven furlongs to a mile and did nothing but stay on in the race won by Malekat Jamal from Ghasabah. The runner-up in that race is a filly that I like a lot and Plover could be good value in a race that shouldn’t take a lot of winning.
Balding has double prospects with Dungannon in the last. He never saw any daylight in the Sandown sprint won by Burning Thread but came through strongly to finish fourth. He shaped as though he could be ready for a big run and must have each-way claims.
Glen Moss 16-1 Stan James
Casual Smile 3-1 Bet365
Café Society 6-1 Paddy Power
Plover 8-1 Bet365
Dungannon 5-1 Bet365
Betfair:
Bet on Henrik Stenson to become the BMW PGA Championship Winner.
Paddypower:
Back Australia to take the Ashes home with them.
Betway:
Back Rafael Nadal to become the Mens French Open Winner.
Coral:
Back One For Arthur to win the Grand National.
Bet365:
Back Mexico to win the Confederations Cup.
