With less than 24 hours to go until Royal Ascot it’s fair to say many people’s attention will be heading in that direction. That said, there’s still some good-quality action to get stuck into this afternoon and Sam King returns with three tips to try to boost your Royal Ascot bank…
We're off to Wolverhampton for the first wager and I'm hopeful I'm Too Tired can wake up our Monday readers by landing the At The Races Expert Tips Handicap at 3.40.
It looks like a fairly competitive affair to be honest but that does give us some value and the odd firm even paying extra places if you opt to go that way.
The gelded son of Ribchester has run nicely enough without threatening the winners' enclosure in three outings to date and his standout effort probably came when keeping on into fourth over course and distance in novice company in December. He was probably ridden with handicaps in mind when fifth at Kempton at the turn of the new year and I quite like connections have taken their time with him since.
An opening mark of 68 looks more than workable if drawing a straight line through that course fourth in January with the front three ahead of him that day all now rated 83, 79, and 89 respectively.
Harry and Roger Charlton have an eye-catching strike-rate at Wolverhampton with 8 of their last 29 (28%) runners finding the winners' circle.
There should be plenty of improvement to come from him now handicapping and at a general 15/2 I think he looks like a decent value bet from a good draw in stall three.
Selection: I'm Too Tired – General 15/2
There's further all-weather action from Lingfield this afternoon and we head to the Surrey venue for our second wager.
I find myself writing about Ed Dunlop's notable strike-rate on a daily basis at the moment, but you cannot deny to figures and he's still operating at a remarkable 32% (10-31) over the last 14 days.
Ed Dunlop and owner Paul Turner teamed up to land the Download Fitzdares For Free Race Streaming Handicap (4.00) last season and I would be entirely surprised if they managed a repeat courtesy of Centerstage.
He didn't run too badly when fifth over the extended mile at Wolverhampton last-time-out. The step up to ten-furlongs should suit and the fitting of a first-time visor looks particularly interesting. Ed Dunlop is an impressive 7-27 (26%) when applying either a first-time hood, visor, or blinkers in the last year and it's certainly possible this lightly-raced three-year-old will sharpen up for them.
The booking of Oisin Murphy is an obvious plus and a further drop in the 1lb will do no harm either.
Selection: Centerstage – General 8/1
Our third and final selection also comes from Lingfield, and I'm surprised Alpine Girl isn't favourite for the Faithorn Farrell Timms Handicap (5.00) at the current time of writing.
Three of James Fanshawe's last six runners have been successful, and the other trio all ran with plenty of credit.
She was trying the minimum five-furlong trip for the first time when winning comfortably over course and distance 13 days ago. The daughter of Acclamation still looks to be improving and should get plenty of cover and pace to aim at from stall four.
A 5lb rise in the weights looks more than fair for a filly going the right way and she looks capable of following up.
Selection: Alpine Girl – General 11/4
