William Hill ambassador Nick Luck previews Day Three of Royal Ascot, giving his best bets for all seven of Thursday’s races.
William Hill are Best Odds Guaranteed from 8am daily across all UK and Irish racing.
Royal Ascot, Thursday
NAVAL LIGHT might be good enough to win Thursday’s Norfolk Stakes (2.30). He put up a seriously encouraging effort on his debut at Beverley, and might have beaten smart juvenile Old is Gold with a little more race sharpness. This searching five furlongs should suit perfectly and, in a race with relatively little depth, he can lay down a serious challenge to Charles Darwin.
OMNI MAN is a sporting pick in the King George V (3.05). Plenty of the trainer’s runners have excelled themselves this week, and this is another one at big odds that can at least hit the frame. He’s been kept somewhat under the radar over shorter distances, but shot forward when tipped in trip last time and – on pedigree at any rate – there must be a very strong chance that he can improve again with yet more emphasis on stamina.
CATALINA DELCARPIO might be quite hard to beat in the Ribblesdale (3.40). She didn’t waste any time getting moved up to Group company after her maiden win, and was pretty unfortunate not to make an instant impact, getting a rough trip and running into a tough filly who has subsequently run really well in the Oaks. She comes from a top stable amongst the winners, and has the most potential of these.
TRAWLERMAN is the way forward in the Gold Cup (4.20). A repetition of any of his last three runs at this track would get him close, and something like last year’s second to Kyprios would probably do. Conditions are perfect, and he showed himself in excellent heart when dominant on his Sandown comeback. There’s a high likelihood he gets the run of the race, and his stamina is cast iron relative to his market rivals.
RAAFEDD must have a big shout in the Britannia (5.00). He looked burly before his seasonal debut, staying on really pleasingly, before duly bolting up in a little race at Newbury. That now looks seriously strong form, and makes his initially conservative mark of 92 appear pretty generous. He’s drawn up the middle, so has options, and deserves maximum respect with the extra furlong to suit.
TORNADO ALERT looks a spot of value in the Hampton Court (5.35). He’s run really well in the Guineas and Derby, and should appreciate this intermediate trip, better ground, and more conventional track.
HOLGUIN makes quite a bit of appeal in the Buckingham Palace (6.10). He ran in the Chester Handicap won by Myal, with Never So Brave the obvious one to take out in second. That said, Holguin was trapped very wide under a rider with no real Chester experience, and it was a seriously good debut effort in Britain for his new yard. William Buick taking the ride up the stands side rail on a horse in good form all reads well.
