Nick Luck’s Blog: Drumroll please for Day 3 at Royal Ascot

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck looks ahead to Gold Cup day from Royal Ascot and picks out his best value bets across the card.

Royal Ascot, Thursday

NOCHE MAGICA looks a worthy opponent to the more highly touted duo in Thursday’s opening Norfolk Stakes (2.30pm) at 13/2. Paddy Twomey’s colt travelled with easily the most panache in the Marble Hill before succumbing to excellent Coventry fourth Givemethbeatboys. This drop to a stiff five furlongs should suit very well, and he looks sharp and ready to make an impact at a high level.

WONDER LEGEND gets the nod in the King George V handicap (3.05pm) at 8/1. There are far more good things than bad to say about the majority of these, but connections came mighty close to pulling this off last year with Deauville Legend before he went on to win the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes, and it seems significant that the selection also has an entry in that Group 2. I loved the way he quickened away from a smart subsequent winner at Donny, and a step up in trip and better ground should suit.

INFINITE COSMOS may represent a little value in the Ribblesdale (3.40pm) at 13/2. Clearly Al Asifah is immensely promising, but I’ll happily watch her win at odds-on, and this might be a stiffer task than the market suggests, particularly with the unusually big field and the potential for a bit of chaos. The selection ran a very creditable race in the circumstances behind the Oaks winner in the Musidora, and should move forward for that experience.

ELDAR ELDAROV is the pick in the Gold Cup (4.20pm) at 4/1. His St Leger form is starting to look a fair bit better than once thought, and similar comments apply to the Yorkshire Cup, in which he ran a satisfactory comeback, staying on hard through the line. I can’t wait to see him now tried over a real marathon trip, and am clearly buoyed by his win in last year’s Queen’s Vase.

NEW ENDEAVOUR can be another for Varian in the Britannia (5.00pm) at 18/1. He’s really found his stride since a gelding operation, and was particularly impressive on the synthetic last time. Albeit he’s been lumped with an 11-pound rise, an extra furlong ought not to go amiss, and he’s not done improving.

DRUMROLL looks a likely one for a red-hot Hampton Court (5.35pm) at 6/1. This should be run at a pretty lively tempo as there are plenty that want a bit further, and what the selection has shown so far is a fair bit of ability and a lot of tenacity. It seems significant that the trainer was talking in terms of the Irish Derby after he was correctly awarded the race at the Curragh last time. Decent ground will suit on pedigree.

ROPEY GUEST is not everyone’s idea of a robust winning selection at 25/1, but there are grounds for thinking you need to get involved at least each-way at his current odds in the Buckingham Palace (6.10pm). Just three higher than when a fine second in this last year, he invariably does well in these big field handicaps and, most importantly, comes here in sparkling form after bossing a modest field at Goodwood. That might have done him the world of good.