Nick Luck’s Blog: Inspiral can inspire perfect start

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck picks out his best bets in each race on day one of Royal Ascot.

Royal Ascot, Tuesday

INSPIRAL won’t be everyone’s idea of a good favourite, but she can take the Queen Anne for the Gosdens and Dettori (2.30pm) at 2/1. She has a kink – no doubting it – as evidenced by her habitual slow start becoming more sinister on Champions’ Day. But she’s also brilliant when she wants to be, and last year it was only once, at this track and on her seasonal debut. Freshness is the angle here: if that enables her ‘A’ Game, she’ll win with the fillies’ allowance and the stiff straight mile will suit her better than Modern Games.

ASADNA has divided opinion sharply for the Coventry (3.05pm), but his price is plenty big enough at 10/3 considering what the clock told us of his ability at Ripon. I’ve watched that race a dozen times, and his strength at the finish is so striking: this stiff six should really play to that and the race could easily unfold where he’s drawn, with likely pace from Fandom, Army Ethos and Cuban Thunder to tow him into the race.

TWILIGHT CALLS is the each-way play in the King’s Stand (3.40pm) at 16/1. I put up Mannaccan in this last week, but his price has completely collapsed and is no value. The selection was runner-up last year to a truly brilliant Nature Strip, and both runs this time are complete throw outs, on soft at Newmarket and on the worst part of the track at Haydock. Ryan Moore gets back on this tricky customer, and will be riding him cold. Expect him to pass a whole load as they start to wilt at the finish.

GALERON can get a piece of the action at a monster price of 40/1 in the St James’s Palace (4.20pm). Not beaten that far in either Guineas, he did best of those held up at the Curragh, when parked disadvantageously behind a Ballydoyle phalanx. I’d expect James MacDonald to have him handier from a fair draw here and, if he manages that, there’s no reason why he should be too far away from Chaldean and Paddington.

NOVEL LEGEND is the pick at 12/1 in the Ascot Stakes (5.00pm). There are relatively few improvers here, but he certainly is that, and I’d take him to do better than behind White Zinc at Chester, when he looked ill at ease on the track and had a horrible trip. He’s drawn to save ground here on a track that should suit, and he should keep going well. Bring on The Night clearly has a great chance, but he’s parked out wider than when runner-up off three pounds lower last year.

FRANCESCO CLEMENTE is the answer to the Wolferton (5.35pm) at 11/2. He still looked very green at Goodwood on his comeback, but there were parts of his performance that were pretty striking, and he can take a big step forward, particularly with cheekpieces to help. His stablemate Saga will be overbet here with Dettori aboard in the royal colours, but the selection has the talent to upset the applecart.

POINT KING, at 17/2, looks a sporting alternative to the well touted Mullins pair in the finale (6.10pm). The case is pretty straightforward… he looks a genuine Group horse, ran a very solid race on his comeback, loves fast ground and is at his perfect distance. He could land up as a Melbourne Cup type by the end of the year, and can run a bold race here en route.