Emit 13/2 (5pl) – Ascot 3.40 (Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes)
I would have been interested in the favourite if he was slightly bigger odds, but at 9/2 in a handicap like this, where you're never guaranteed a run, he wasn't for me.
I'm fairly certain I backed Omni Man at Royal Ascot last year, and he would be on the list, but he's massively out of form. Instead, I've opted for the other Joseph O'Brien runner, Emit.
It seems like the owners have asked Ryan Moore to ride their horses in the races that he doesn't ride for Ballydoyle. He rode them a winner on day three, and he looks to have found a nice opportunity in this race. Emit is one of the class angles in the race; he has run more than half of his races at Class 1 level, and was second in a Group 2 last year behind Tennessee Stud in France on testing ground.
We know this horse stays further, but how can you argue against the judgment of Joseph O'Brien? He is having an amazing week and is challenging his father for the trainer's title at Ascot this week.
Balantina 12/1 (3pl) – Ascot 4.20 (Coronation Stakes, Group 1)
This race will be settled between the two Aidan O'Brien runners, who are both at the top of the market. Ryan Moore jumped ship on both of them through the 1000 Guineas in the UK and Ireland, and ended up on the wrong one on both occasions. He finds himself back on Precise, who got the upper hand over her stablemate last time, and is the odds-on shot for this.
If you were to have an EW play in the race, Balantina is surely the one to be on. She was third at Royal Ascot over six furlongs last year, finishing behind Venetian Sun. The form of that race has been franked multiple times since, and could even be franked today.
Balantina caused a shock at the Breeders' Cup when winning a Group 1 on her first attempt over a mile. She didn't get the best of passages through that race, but stayed on strongly to win at big odds. We haven't seen her since, which is a problem, but I doubt Donnacha would have come here unless they thought she was ready.
Donnacha will obviously have a big insight into how good the top two are, and if he didn't think she could put it up to them, she wouldn't be here. Her best form has come on fast ground, and I think there are plenty of encouraging signs to take from her third-placed effort at Royal Ascot last year over a trip which was too short. She was a much bigger price, but people have obviously caught on.
Rosa Inglesa 11/1 (6pl) – Ascot 5.00 (Sandringham Stakes)
When we get to this stage of the week, I always look for Charlie Fellowes' runner in the Sandringham. He won this race two years in a row, and thankfully, I was on board Onassis at 50/1 in 2020 (SP 33/1), so I have a soft spot for the yard.
I was unlucky to bump into Rosa Inglesa last time out at Nottingham, when I tipped up the second. I was fairly confident in my runner that day, and Rosa Inglesa blitzed them. She won by 2.75 lengths and looked impressive when doing so. Obviously, that is quite an ordinary race, and it's a completely different game coming to Royal Ascot.
The interesting fact is that Charlie used that Nottingham race for Thanks Be, who won this race in 2019. Thanks Be didn't manage to win at Nottingham, but finished a close second and put in a good display. Clearly, today's race has been on the mind of Charlie Fellowes, so I expect a nice performance.
Moojeed 14/1 (6pl) – Ascot 6.10 (Palace Of Holyroodhouse)
I found this tricky, because every time I liked the look of a horse, they weren't drawn high. If the advantage of the stands rail is as supreme as it looks, there's a possibility that a big price wins. I'll be hoping that isn't the case, but I'll happily take a 16/1 winner in the shape of Moojeed.
Francis-Henri Graffard has done well with the runners that he has sent across this week. All of them have run well, and I didn't give Moojeed much of a chance, but when I saw the Wesley Ward horse was drawn next to the rail, I thought he could set it up nicely for Moojeed.
Moojeed ran well in a race I had a horse in at Chantilly last time out. He was beaten by Sajir, a good Group 2/1 performer. That was a solid effort, and he was staying on at the finish. I think from a high draw, he might appreciate a bit of cover and a strong pace to aim at. 16/1 looks quite big against a lot of handicappers, even if they are unexposed.
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