Jane Mangan
Jane Mangan’s William Hill blog: Royal Ascot Day Four Best Bets
William Hill ambassador Jane Mangan is here to preview the fourth day of Royal Ascot.
Friday, Royal Ascot
The Albany Stakes (2:30pm) kicks off the action, and although Aidan O’Brien has won a number of two-year-old stakes races this week, I think he has saved his best for this race in Sun Goddess. She was brilliant on Guineas weekend at the Curragh, running out a ready winner, and being by Sioux Nation, she has plenty of speed. She’s the one for me.
The Commonwealth Cup (3:05pm) is the headline contest on Friday, and I’m very strong on Venetian Sun. I thought she was the best sprinting two-year-old around last year, and she confirmed that with a very dominant display in the Sandy Lane at Haydock after failing to stay in the 1,000 Guineas. She eased through to beat the colts quite impressively, and I can see the same result here. She’s a beautiful filly and quite uncomplicated – I’m very confident that she’ll run well here.
In the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes (3:40pm), I like Joseph O’Brien’s Emit. He placed in Group Two company in France last year, and I believe his runs this season suggest that this has been the plan for quite a long time. I think he’s better than his recent form suggests, and the booking of Ryan Moore is a real advantage. He’s the one to be with.
In the Coronation Stakes (4:20pm), I cannot see past Precise. It’s not the most adventurous selection, but I can see this stiff mile suiting her far better than her stablemate, True Love. We saw how well she quickened at the Curragh on good ground, and I believe Ryan Moore is finally on the right one of the two. I expect Touleen to run a big race, given how she performed in the Guineas, but she won’t be getting past Precise for me.
Water To Wine will be a very short-priced favourite for the King Edward VII Stakes (5:35pm), but I really like Causeway. He’s a horse that I think would be competitive in an Irish Derby if they decided to go that way, but they’ve opted to come here instead. He was very determined when winning the Gallinule Stakes last time, beating Zia Zabel. I think he is going to be a real danger to the favourite, and I’m backing him to grind it out.
