The 1m2f Listed Wolferton Stakes (5:35) on Tuesday of Royal Ascot has attracted a maximum field of sixteen runners and HM The King’s runner, Saga, heads the betting.
Second in last year's Britannia Stakes at the Royal meeting, Saga's form tailed off towards the end of the 2022 campaign and the son of Invincible Spirit was gelded over the winter. He produced an improved performance when runner-up in the 1m1f Suffolk Stakes with first-time cheekpieces applied, despite taking keen hold in the early stages of the race. He has only been tried once over ten furlongs and disappointed, but the four-year-old has shaped as though the additional distance would pose no issue if jockey Frankie Dettori can convince him to settle.
Charlie Appleby's King Of Conquest is unbeaten in three outings this season and had well-fancied runners the aforementioned Saga and Francesco Clemente behind him on two occasions. He shaped better than the winning distance of a neck would suggest in the Listed Festival Stakes at Goodwood and has been an improved horse since a gelding operation last year.
The highly promising Francesco Clemente suffered his first defeat at the hands of King Of Conquest in the Listed Festival Stakes at Goodwood yet seems to be still improving for trainers John & Thady Gosden. A nine-length winner of a ten furlong Newmarket handicap on his final start last year, Francesco Clemente was making his seasonal reappearance at Goodwood and showed signs of inexperience with a slow start before hanging left into the final turn. He has cheek-pieces applied for the first time.
Aidan O'Brien's Bolshoi Ballet enjoyed an international campaign last year, winning the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes before ending the season with a disappointing run in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup. He has been tried over longer distances this campaign, finishing third in the 1m6f Listed Vintage Crop Stakes on heavy ground and another third when beaten only a neck by Haskoy in the Group 3 Aston Park Stakes at Newbury. Three of his four previous victories have come over ten furlongs and a return to these conditions could see him to better effect.
Buckaroo returns to ten furlongs for the first time since his juvenile campaign, having finished a neck back in fourth in the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp on his last start. The Joseph O'Brien trained colt has always shown ability, winning the Listed Tetrarch Stakes over a mile as a three-year-old and commencing his four-year-old season with a victory in the Listed Heritage Stakes on heavy ground. The form of the French Group 1 could be questionable, but his previous Listed successes put him firmly in the mix.
Of the longer-priced runners, Simon & Ed Crisford's Poker Face was unbeaten in three starts as a three-year-old and returned with a good second in the 1m1f Group 3 Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket. He was not disgraced when two-and-a-half lengths fourth in the Listed Huxley Stakes at Chester when attempting to make all and the Fastnet Rock colt deserves his spot in the line-up.
WIN: FRANCESCO CLEMENTE PLACE: BOLSHOI BALLET
