Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for the third day of racing at Royal Ascot 2023.
Race 1 NORFOLK STAKES (Group 2)
No4 ELITE STATUS
Trainer: Karl Burke – Jockey: Clifford Lee
Havana Grey colt ELITE STATUS set the standard with his impressive National Stakes triumph at Sandown and is the go-to professional bet to remain unbeaten. River Tiber was a well-supported winner of the Coventry on Tuesday, and ELITE STATUS might well prove a carbon copy entity, as he’s almost certain to start favourite ahead of Wesley Ward’s candidate AMERICAN RASCAL.
The latter’s wide-margin debut success at Keeneland gives the Curlin colt an obvious chance of making it three wins in the last decade in this for his trainer, while the presence of Joel Rosario also adds lustre.
The US challenge is boosted by another unbeaten colt in NO NAY METS who has Frankie Dettori doing the steering and needs to be taken seriously, along with Donnacha O’Brien’s DEVIOUS who is the value play at longer odds.
Prediction: 1st ELITE STATUS, 2nd American Rascal, 3rd No Nay Mets, 4th Devious
Race 2 KING GEORGE V HANDICAP
No6 PERFUSE (Each Way)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Richard Kingscote
My best news in this three-year-old only handicap is for lightly-raced Lope De Vega colt PERFUSE. His two successes have been gained in small fields and one with such limited experience will require luck in running. However in his favour is that he only just does enough, which suggests he might have been let into this first handicap assignment off a lower mark than he should have had.
BERTINELLI was considered a possible Derby prospect in the spring and though going down the handicap route with a game success at Newbury that factor contributes to his claims as a top contender for Aidan O’Brien, in spite of having to give away weight all round.
WONDER LEGEND is really getting his act together and this hat-trick seeker could make a bold bid to compensate his connections for a narrow defeat of Deauville Legend in this race last year.
Charlie Appleby’s TAGABAWA would have been higher on my hit list if his stable was in better form. He could still have a big say in the outcome, but Godolphin runners have been quiet thus far.
Prediction: 1st PERFUSE, 2nd Bertinelli, 3rd Wonder Legend, 4th Tagabawa
Race 3 RIBBLESDALE STAKES (Group 2)
No1 AL ASIFAH (Nap)
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: Jim Crowley
A second professional bet on Ladies’ Day is AL ASIFAH. The beautifully-bred daughter of Frankel impressed on debut at Haydock and was even more so in taking out a Listed contest at Goodwood. She is going to enjoy the trip, the track and underfoot conditions and it will take something very decent to beat her.
BLUESTOCKING lost her unbeaten record at the hooves of Warm Heart at Newbury but might have been a tad rusty for that Listed class comeback. With Dettori doing the navigation she can take away a decent-sized cheque.
INFINITE COSMOS is one to tread carefully with as the one-time Oaks favourite was put in her place in the Musidora at York. It’s true that her conqueror Soul Sister went on to plunder the Classic, but Infinite Cosmos hasn’t perhaps shown enough sparkle in her recent work to make her a betting proposition.
One to pep up the exotic payouts could be LUCKIN BREW, who had some decent form at two, and now makes a belated entrance to the stage.
Prediction: 1st AL ASIFAH, 2nd Bluestocking, 3rd Infinite Cosmos, 4th Luckin Brew
Race 4 GOLD CUP (Group 1)
No6 SUBJECTIVIST
Trainer: Charlie Johnston – Jockey: Joe Fanning
It would be a serious training performance if SUBJECTIVIST could turn back the clock to regain the stayers’ crown he grasped with a stunning display in this race two years ago, but I think he can. Training issues kept the son of Teofilo on the sidelines until he came back to run promisingly in third behind BROOME in the Dubai Gold Cup at
Meydan. Having badly needed a previous spin in Saudi, he stuck to his guns in the gamest fashion in the desert, and everything he’s done at home subsequently indicates he’s close to being the mega force of old.
Broome wasn’t able to back that up in the Yorkshire Cup behind Giavellotto but I think he is a serious player back at the scene of his 2022 Hardwicke Stakes victory.
I make Broome a gilt-edged each-way bet and need to recommend a market check on joker in the pack COURAGE MON AMI. Though making a big jump up the class ladder from handicap to Group 1, the Frankel gelding greatly impressed on that first outing on grass and is being minded by a man who will have him ready for the ultimate test in spite of his inexperience.
COLTRANE rates a percentage call choice for a minor frame finish after his Sagaro Stakes triumph here and is preferred to ELDAR ELDAROV, who though running well at York has not been without his issues.
Prediction: 1st SUBJECTIVIST, 2nd Courage Mon Ami, 3rd Broome, 4th Coltrane
Race 5 BRITANNIA HANDICAP
No24 METAL MERCHANT (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
Value seekers should latch on to METAL MERCHANT on the extended place market for the most competitive three-year-old handicap of the season. The son of Make Believe was taking on a potential Group horse when third to Covey at Haydock and has thrived in his work for Jack Channon since then.
He needs a high draw to prove favourable, which is in the lap of the gods, and my second choice QUANTUM IMPACT in contrast breaks from stall six. Frankie Dettori’s mount has good form to bring to the party and that comment also applies to the Joseph O’Brien-trained JUST AN HOUR who is berthed in the middle.
The Justify colt dug deep to open his account at Killarney, and is a likely improver. STARNBERG has got his act together with a couple of recent successes for Richard Hannon and needs respecting, while one at a huge price that could surprise is BENACRE. Hat-trick seeker DOCKLANDS should also form part of your exotics skeleton.
Prediction: 1st METAL MERCHANT, 2nd Quantum Impact, 3rd Just An Hour, 4th Benacre, 5th Starnberg
Race 6 HAMPTON COURT STAKES (Group 2)
No16 CAERNARFON (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Connor Beasley
It might be that twice Classic-placed CAERNARFON is overlooked in the betting as she steps back to a mile and a quarter and from Group 1 into Group 2 company. The Cityscape filly was in front at the quarter pole in the Oaks and is a versatile individual who takes her racing well. She has a sheen on her coat and the right jockey in Connor Beasley to get the job done in this first match-up with the colts.
If there’s a Group horse that’s been masquerading as a handicapper it could be the John Gosden-trained TORITO, who impressively took out a mile and a quarter race at Epsom on Derby Day and might have any amount of improvement in him.
WAIPERO finished sixth in the Derby and may easily boost that Classic form for Ed Walker. He ran a cracker against Military Order in the Lingfield Derby Trial, bringing strong form to the table.
DRUMROLL is of obvious interest for Coolmore as a Deep Impact colt out of the top class Maybe. His form is closely linked to stablemate and St James’s Palace Stakes winner Paddington, and on only a fourth career start he will surely have more to offer.
Prediction: 1st CAERNARFON, 2nd Torito, 3rd Waipiro, 4th Drumroll
Race 7 BUCKINGHAM PALACE HANDICAP
No14 BIGGLES (Each Way)
Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Ryan Moore
The toughest race on the card can see BIGGLES continuing his appealing earning habit. He fields recent figures of 3112-32 and has five successes in competitive handicaps on his CV. With Ryan Moore in the plate, he should attract plenty of each-way support.
RHYTHM MASTER is with his third trainer but could outperform his lengthy odds from a high draw while RHOSCOLYN is very well handicapped but needs to raise his game following a poor effort at Epsom where he probably didn’t act on the track.
I shall put him in all permutations as well as ROPEY GUEST, who frequently turns up at this course, and the William Haggas-trained MONTASSIB. He will be a popular pick.
Prediction: 1st BIGGLES, 2nd Rhythm Master, 3rd Rhoscolyn, 4th Montassib, 5th Ropey Guest
