We had a good start to this year's Royal Meeting with our NAP Ribchester landing yesterday in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes as well as the impressive Lady Aurelia taking the G1 King's Stand Stakes.
Day two of Royal Ascot again looks another superb card and here are Danny Archer's selections...
G3 Jersey Stakes (2.30pm) - Dream Castle 4/1, Taamol 25/1 Each Way and Escobar 25/1 Each Way.
Advert
Godolphin have made a bright start to the meeting and Dream Castle is taken to also go close. He was fine fifth in the 2000 Guineas last time with the form of that race franked in no uncertain terms in yesterday's St James's Palace Stakes. Dropping into Grade Three company and back down to seven furlongs, the son of Frankel is of strong interest.
Sir Michael Stoute's Taamol knuckled down well to score in a Listed event at Newmarket last time and he battled tenaciously on that occasion. He seems to relish this trip and looks to be improving with racing.
Hugo Palmer's Escobar is also interesting. I was at Sandown last time when he was a narrow second in a Listed event having looked the likely winner entering the final furlong. The drop back in trip is a major positive and with Pat Smullen booked, he could outrun his odds.
G2 Queen Mary Stakes (3.05pm) - Happy Like A Fool 11/10, Mrs Gallagher 12/1 Each Way and Formidable Kitt 14/1 Each Way
Advert
The word has been strong on track this week that Happy Like A Fool can emulate stable companion Lady Aurelia and provide her trainer Wesley Ward with a third consecutive success in this contest. An impressive four length winner at Keeneland on the dirt in April, she has been touted as the American banker for the week and she should go very close.
The form of Mrs Gallagher's win over course and distance on her debut is very strong with a host of fillies in behind winning next time out. She was very tenacious that day and just held on. With SDS in the plate and with strong form-lines, she looks a great each-way shout.
Tom Dascombe's Formidable Kitt landed a few bets when making a winning debut at Newmarket in April. The daughter of Invincible Spirit knuckled down well that day and whilst the form of that race could have worked out better, she knew her job and should be even more experienced today.
G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (3.40pm) - Qemah 9/4 NAP and Mix And Mingle 9/1 Each Way
Advert
Qemah is a class act who won the Coronation Stakes at the Royal Meeting in 2016. She pulled far too hard at Lingfield in a Group Three event on her reappearance and did very well to finish second given how fresh she was. If she settles better, she has the class to win this race and I fancy her strongly.
Mix And Mingle beat Qemah at Lingfield last time and whilst some have questioned the strength of that form, the four-year-old daughter of Exceed And Excel knuckled down to her job really well and had also been impressive at Newmarket the time before which makes her look a great each-way bet.
G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes (4.20pm) - Highland Reel 9/4 and Ulysses 4/1.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Highland Reel is one of my most favourite horses in training and he produced a demolition job to land the G1 Coronation Cup at Royal Ascot. He will relish the conditions for today's race, enjoys this trip and can serve it up to his rivals from the front.
Advert
I was very taken by Ulysses' comeback win at Sandown, in which he travelled smartly into the race and put the event to bed in a matter of strides. He likes this ground and whilst he has to take another step forward to feature here, the form of that race was franked by Deauville's fine third in the Queen Anne Stakes yesterday and he is therefore high on the shortlist.
Royal Hunt Cup (5.00pm) - Fastnet Tempest 10/1 Each Way, Banksea 12/1 Each Way and George William 11/1 Each Way
I'm a big fan of Fastnet Tempest who took advantage of a low weight to score nicely in the Victoria Cup over course and distance last time. He goes up 5lb and must cope with the return to one mile but he looks a talented individual who has not stopped improving.
Banksea essentially ties most of this field in on his winning form in the Spring Cup at Newbury. He was given a lovely ride that day and despite a 4lb rise in the weights, I don't think he has stopped improving. He looks a horse who is improving as he gets older and should go very well in this event.
Advert
George William has a decent draw and was quite unlucky to only finish second in the Victoria Cup at this track last time as he suffered trouble in running. He remains open to potential and should be making good headway in the closing stages.
Sandringham Handicap (5.35pm) - Sibilance 10/1 Each Way, On Her Toes 10/1 Each Way and Bean Feasa 14/1 Each Way
Sibilance won her first two starts on the All Weather and then was third in what looked a decent Listed event at York last time. She was too keen that day and if settling better would have a good chance of going close here.
On Her Toes was ahead of Sibilance at York last time and had a troubled passage through the race and was unable to catch the winner in the closing stages. She remains open to further progression.
Jim Bolger is a dab hand with fillies and this three-year-old daughter of Dubawi was an impressive two and three-quarter length winner of a 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown in May before finishing a creditable fifth in the Irish 1000 Guineas last time. If she has got over the excursions of that race then she could take a leading hand here.
Featured Image Credit: