The Irish horse racing broadcaster has picks out his best bets for the first day of the Royal Ascot meeting.
16:25
I’ve thought for a while that Rosallion could get a lot closer to 2000 Guineas hero Notable Speech here but the inside draw tempers enthusiasm for a horse who is likely to be ridden from off the pace. He did really well to overhaul stable-companion Haatem when going one better at the Curragh last month but the relatively short straight at Ascot means stall one could be a real stumbling block. It goes without saying that Notable Speech will be very hard to beat but I’m prepared to give another chance to HENRY LONGFELLOW
9/2
.
Last year’s National Stakes winner lost his unbeaten record in the ‘Poulains’ on his seasonal bow but Aidan O’Brien admitted afterwards that he had given Ryan Moore the wrong instructions, meaning he was never able to land a meaningful blow in what was a messy enough contest. There is a definite case for the winner on that occasion, Metropolitan, being the value bet today but the beautifully-bred Henry Longfellow looked a top prospect as a juvenile and will hopefully be able to do a ‘City Of Troy’ and leave his reappearance well behind under what is likely to be a much more positive ride.
18:15
Another strong Irish challenge for a race dominated by Vauban twelve months ago, and the thoroughly likeable MY MATE MOZZIE
17/2
appeals as comfortably the pick of the raiding party at the prices. A smart jumper who is at his best on a sound surface, the eight year-old has already run with great credit in several valuable flat handicaps and represents a yard which currently boasts a 100% strike rate at this meeting.
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