Ryan Moore delivered another dazzling Royal Ascot performance with an opening-day double and MAGICAL (Ascot, 3.40) could continue the Ballydoyle domination on Wednesday afternoon.
Vintage victories aboard Arizona and Circus Maximus saw Moore share the day-one riding honours with Danny Tudhope, but with a number of fancied mounts this afternoon, the former champion will be targeting another successful day.
In Magical, the English maestro appears to have a willing and reliable ally for a fascinating renewal of the Group One Princes Of Wales’s Stakes which has the potential to be the race of the meeting. Arc De Triomphe runner-up Sea Of Class and the highly talented Crystal Ocean provide stiff opposition, but Magical is fancied to conjure up another stunning performance.
Jockey Ryan Moore can score again on Magical in the Group One Princes Of Wales’s Stakes
ROYAL ASCOT
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
2.30 Final Song (nb)
3.05 Norway
3.40 Magical
4.20 I Can Fly
5.00 Raising Sand (nap)
5.35 Southern Hills
GIMCRACK
2.30 Flippa The Strippa
3.05 Nate The Great
3.40 Mag ical (nap)
4.20 Pretty Baby (nb)
5.00 Chilean
5.35 Better The Devil
2.30 QUEEN MARY STAKES
Forecast rain could make conditions fairly testing if it materialises and that could play to the strengths of FINAL SONG given the manner of her course and distance debut victory.
Displaying a professional attitude, the daughter of Dark Angel travelled powerfully before quickening to put six lengths between herself and toiling rivals in a matter of strides. Drawn alongside the two American speedballs (Anna’s Fast and Kimari), Final Song should enjoy a good tow into the race and looks capable of delivering another big performance.
John Quinn sprang a 25-1 surprise in this race last year and Liberty Beach looks overpriced on her Beverley win, while the ground will be no issue for Partridge, who could outrun her tasty odds.
SELECTION: FINAL SONG
DANGER: LIBERTY BEACH
3.05 QUEEN‘S VASE
With four victories in the past six runnings, trainer Aidan O’Brien has been the go-to man for this race and Western Australia and NORWAY appear to give him another excellent chance of success.
The former appreciated the step up in trip to score well at Navan last time but his stablemate is narrowly preferred as he was far from disgraced in the Derby when aggressively ridden and looks the type to improve again for a stiffer test of stamina.
Norway previously had no answer to the turn of foot displayed by Sir Dragonet at Chester but he didn’t enjoy the smoothest of passages and looks capable of confirming placings with Dashing Willoughby, who also emerged with plenty of credit that day.
SELECTION: NORWAY
DANGER: DASHING WILLOUGhBY
3.40 PRINCE OF WALES'S STAKES
The presence of star fillies MAGICAL and Sea Of Class combined with classy male counterparts Crystal Ocean and Waldgeist could ensure this is a race for the ages.
Figures followers will note that Magical has recorded two of her best three career runs this season, an achievement which appears to vindicate her trainer’s view that she is in the form of her life this term. Admittedly, she has beaten the same horse in Flag Of Honour three times — on the last two occasions at very short prices — but the victories have been recorded emphatically and Latrobe, twice beaten by the selection this spring, ran a fine race in defeat yesterday in the Wolferton Stakes.
Trainer William Haggas will be buoyed by landing the aforementioned day one finale with Addeybb, his first Royal win for some years, and Sea Of Class is reported to have been trained to the minute on her seasonal comeback.
On a line through the majestic Enable, there isn’t a great deal to separate the two fillies, but
