Royal Ascot is finally upon us and Sam King returns with three tremendous selections to get the week off with a bang…
The first juvenile contest of the week kicks off at 3.05 as the colts and geldings take centre stage in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes.
George Boughey's Asadna was immensely impressive on the clock when running out a twelve-length winner at Ripon on debut and must be respected, but I'm expecting Aidan O'Brien to saddle a record-extending Coventry Stakes winner with River Tiber.
He was equally as impressive as the aforementioned colt when spread-eagling the field to score by ten lengths on debut at Navan over five and a half furlongs. The Wootton Bassett colt backed that up with a snug success when dropped back to the minimum trip at Naas second-time-out and the form of that contest has worked out nicely with horses in behind running credibly since.
It's the step up to six furlongs however that really looks the key to this horse. On both outings to date, he's been doing all his best work at the finish and a stiff six furlongs at the Berkshire venue looks to be just what this imposing colt desires.
The Aidan O'Brien team know what it takes to win this contest having saddled the likes of War Command, Arizona, and Caravaggio to score over the last decade and I'm expecting River Tiber to take this before going on to become one of the top juveniles this season.
Selection: River Tiber – General 15/8
Our second wager from Ascot comes in the Group 1 King's Stands Stakes at 3.40 and John Quinn's mare Highfield Princess should take plenty of stopping to ensure the sprinting crown remains on home soil in my opinion.
Australia's Nature Strip took this with a demolition job last season but neither of their contenders, Cannonball nor Coolangatta look to have the star credential that he possessed.
John Quinn's superstar mare Highfield Princess more than deserves her place at the top of the market with the daughter of Night Of Thunder remaining unbeaten over five furlongs on turf. She looked uber-impressive when winning the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York last season and backed that up with a comfortable victory in the Group 1 Flying Five at the Curragh. The John Quinn-trained six-year-old couldn't have done much more when runner-up in the Group 2 Clipper Stakes at York on her return and the drop back to five furlongs looks a major positive. An official rating of 119 makes her the one they all have to beat, and, in all truth, I make her decent value at a general 5/2.
Selection: Highfield Princess – General 5/2
The third and final selection from the Royal meeting comes in what looks like yet another sizzling renewal of the Wolferton Listed Stakes at 5.35.
Saga looks sure to prove popular under Frankie Dettori while stablemate Francesco Clemente is also respected in the first-time cheekpieces. However, both look short enough in the betting to me and the value could lie with Cadillac. He remains very much unexposed for the George Boughey stable and arrives fresh off the back of a smooth success in a competitive ten-furlong handicap on Epsom Derby Day earlier in the month.
He displayed some classy form for previous connections including a Listed victory in the Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown last year.
An official rating of 110 puts him right in the ballpark here and with top Sydney-based rider James McDonald a dab-hand round Ascot the general 9/1 on offer for him to go one spot than in this last season looks more than fair.
Selection: Cadillac – General 9/1
