Royal Ascot 2022 - Day 4

 


3:05 Commonwealth Cup (Group 1)

I had a small ante-post play on El Caballo so hope he goes well but I won’t be going in again at odds of 5/1 at the time of writing. I thought WINGS OF WAR, who finished behind Karl Burke’s colt at Haydock, reacted very well to the first time cheekpieces that day and was doing his best work late on after meeting trouble in running. I think it would be a bit of a stretch to say he would have won that day but it did show he retains the promise he showed as a two year old when winning the Mill Reef. He was finished last on his only course and distance start but that was on the back of a long lay off in a small field, I actually think returning here in a big field could be just what he wants with his strong finishing racing style. Cheekpieces are retained and at 12/1 with extra places I make him a decent bet.

At a huge price I can also see RIZG running on into the places in the first time blinkers for Roger Varian. He won his sole two year old start and returned to action this year with a creditable second when racing too keenly, perhaps a bit fresh after the 260 day lay off. Last time out he was behind a few of these at Newbury but was running on well late and that run was a 13lb improvement on his seasonal debut run on RPRs, so he’s clearly still improving. His sire No Nay Never has an excellent record at Ascot and 80/1 with extra places on offer is a bet for me. 

WINGS OF WAR 12/1

RIZG 80/1


3:40 Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap)

AJERO is an interesting handicap debutant here for Kim Bailey after some eye-catching runs in novice and maiden company in his last few starts since switching codes from hurdling. The first of this flat runs came when trying to give lumps of weight to an improving unexposed Haggas three year old and was beaten less than a length. His penultimate run at Sandown came when running well behind a highly regarded Gosden colt (entered in the Arc) to finish second. Most recently he met all sorts of trouble in running and rattled home late on to be beaten less than a length once again, all of those runs came over 1m2f so this step up to 1m4f looks ideal and he sneaks in right at the foot of the weights.

CONTACT is seeking a hat-trick here and I think this race could be run to suit his strong travelling style. He beat a strong field on the Rowley mile at Newmarket two starts back and although he comes here 11lb higher after a win at Haydock in the interim, I think he has been winning more comfortably than his winning margins have suggested. I’ll make the most of the extra places on offer and back him each-way.

AJERO 18/1

CONTACT 8/1

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