Updated 8.30 - all selections online
Happy Royal Ascot Eve Eve!
I have been busy enjoying the build up to the biggest week in racing, and you can catch my horse-by-horse guide for the Gold Cup later in the week on the At The Races Royal Ascot microsite. I also had the pleasure of covering the five-day meeting on both Weekend Winners and the Royal Ascot Preview show with Kevin Blake, Sean Boyce and Matt Chapman, with both available on the ATR YouTube channel.
Anyway, before we get to the fancy dresses and top hats, we have action to enjoy this Sunday from Doncaster - live on Sky Sports Racing - Salisbury, Cork and Downpatrick.
The 1m 2f confined handicap at Salisbury (4:22) is for horses yet win on turf this calendar year, and as such we have a few in here that have been knocking on the door in recent runs. The early market has made Criminal the favourite, and based on his second at Lingfield in April you would be keen, but I’m just not sure he is consistent enough to depend on judged by some of his other efforts.
Jack Morland’s Primo Lara was beaten just a neck at Nottingham last time out, while the Dylan Cunha-trained Huggable is also of interest, but both stables could be in slightly better form. As a result, I am going to hope James Owen can work his magic on SUHUB (4:22 Salisbury).
The four-year-old was previously with William Haggas, and the market suggested the run might be needed on her stable debut earlier this month. It turned out to be a good effort to finish runner-up at Wolverhampton, and I expect her to go one better here on her return to turf.
I think the closing bumper at Downpatrick (5:05) contains a standout runner in CHURCHFIELD ANNIE for trainer Emmet Mullins. The five-year-old returns to both a sounder surface and easier company here, with her previous run in November seeing her pulled-up in Listed company at Navan on soft ground.
The case for backing her today is based on her achievements prior to that outing. Churchfield Annie’s first run saw her finish third at Tipperary, and the form of that contest looks more than fair in the context of this race, with the winner having won again since. Of those in behind, the fourth has since gone close in a Sligo bumper, while the fifth won a Punchestown bumper on New Year’s Eve.
The mare then went one place better at Galway when going down by just a neck to Alliteration, with her jockey having also had his whip knocked out of his hands in the closing stages. Today, with good ground and a race featuring a few newcomers, she can make the most of her experience and ability.
Kate's Best Bets (scale 1-5 points):
4.22 SALISBURY
1pt win SUHUB (15-2 general)
5.05 DOWNPATRICK
2pts win CHURCHFIELD ANNIE (10-11 bet365, 5-6 & 4-5 general)
