Romanza 66/1 (4pl) – Ascot 2.30 (Chesham Stakes, Listed Race)
Whenever Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore have won this race, the majority of the time they have been on very short-priced horses. They have a couple in this race, but Ryan Moore seems deadly at picking the right one when it comes to this race, so he has to be the one to beat.
You don't know how good these horses are, as the majority of them have had one run. I couldn't touch the favourite at the price, so I looked down the field for an alternative, and I found Romanza.
I am surprised that he is not a bigger price than what he is currently. I saw that he has been backed in from 150/1, so there's a bit of money around for him, and I can see the angle. He didn't run a great debut, but it's interesting that they are coming to Royal Ascot on the back of that.
His pedigree suggests that he should be much better than what we've seen from him. He is by Frankel, and out of a mare called Con Te Partiro. That mare was trained by Wesley Ward and came over to win the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot. It doesn't always work out how you think it will, but it makes me think that this longer trip and track should suit. James Mac is booked for the ride, and he's up there with Ryan Moore as the world's best.
Hilitany 80/1 (6pl) – Ascot 4.50 (Britannia Stakes)
I could be going off my rocker thinking that Hilitany has a chance in this race as the biggest outsider, but god loves a trier.
I tipped up Moonfall on his return to racing at Chester. Billy Loughnane dodged him to ride the winner, and I thought Moonfall ran a corker from the position he found himself in. Billy isn't on him again, and Zac Lloyd is. I can't see how Billy hasn't had the choice of the rides between Moonfall and Hilitany, as he rode Bow Echo (same owners) to the 2000 Guineas win, and a Royal Ascot win this week. For me, if Billy thinks Hilitany has a chance, he has to be much shorter than 80/1.
Hilitany was a breeze-up horse and won two Windsor races in very good fashion. He was then tried in a Group 1, where he ran okay, but nothing special. They took him over to Meydan over the winter, where he struggled, but Billy said he matured massively. Returning to an easier race at Lingfield, he managed to win a Listed race. On the back of that, George said they were giving him a crack over a mile. Last time out on the back of a small break, he looked in need of the race, and that this was clearly a target.
He is drawn quite high, which seems the place to be. At the prices, I thought why not? We are seeing some horses place at big odds.
Glacius 20/1 (3pl) – Ascot 5.35 (Hampton Court Stakes, Group 3)
The Hampton Court Stakes doesn't tend to have many big-priced winners, with the last double-figure winner being in 2011 at 20/1. I'm going against the grain, and it's a risk because we don't know the fitness level of Glacius.
Ballydoyle dominate the top of the market, and they deserve their spots at the top. I don't think they are bombproof, and apart from Generic looking like he could have a solid chance, the rest is open.
Glacius has only raced three times and hasn't been seen since being third to Hankelow in a Group 3 at the end of last season. The form of all three of Glacius' runs has been franked. On debut, he was ahead of Del Maro, who finished second in the Group 2 Queen's Vase yesterday. On his second run, he was defeated by Bow Echo, and the other horses in the race have franked the form.
Hugo Palmer had him entered in the Derby, but in a stable tour at the start of the season, he said that he had come into his own a little later than they had hoped. He missed the Derby and has come straight to Royal Ascot. It's a concern with the comments, as his fitness is up in the air. However, he looked like he would stay further than a mile, and if he's fit enough, he could find himself hitting the places.
Pillitory 66/1 (6pl) – Ascot 6.10 (Buckingham Palace Stakes)
Another big-priced horse for me is Pillitory in the last race on day three.
David O'Meara always has to be respected in handicaps like this. His strike rate isn't amazing at Royal Ascot, but his horses often run very well, as they do in all the major festival handicaps. He has two in the race, but Danny Tudhope has opted for Pellitory over Mirsky.
This horse was previously trained by James Owen and has only had one start for David this season. Last year, he was kept at a high level and faced tough handicaps. His form was very in and out, but when he was on form, he could run big races. The fifth at York in a Listed 6f race was a very nice run. The form of that race looks solid. The winner is a nice horse, and the third has run some nice races this year. The rating of the top four were 102, 101, 104 and 109.
In his races over six furlongs, it looks like he lacks the gears, so the stiff seven furlongs in a big field should help him. He ran at Ascot on his first run, but it looked like a scouting mission for today's race. His handicap mark has dropped significantly, and he is a lively outsider from a relatively high stall.
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