Royal Ascot Prep Notes

Sack what I said last week, despite the weather, despite work, despite the back of exposed dressage, I am uber uber animated about the next 5 days. The line ups look immense and there will be fireworks. I am in two minds whether to follow Segal or not. Seem to be doing okay without him. In fact I’m nearly £400 down with him, but we’ll see. Had a few cheeky antepost bets today, but nothing major. I am keen to use some stats on top of form this year. Let's hope the ground does not destroy the fun. Notes I gleaned from last year and the press this year…

·         Pipe - for staying races

·         Hannon - Second string horses. 2yr olds. Partnership with Hughes, non-handicaps, not above 1m2f and those that have come via Newbury, ridden by Dobbs or Hughes last time out. Not Moore

·         Fanshawe – Back all of his older horses

·         O’Briens horses who didn’t perform well last time at 2m tend to bounce back but not if over 17/2. Group 1 horses

·         Stoute – Avoid runners over 1m

·         Johnston – 1m2f-2m, lay if below, Group 3 horses best rated 96-103

·         Gosden – Lay handicaps, but look at Group 2s, fillies and mares Ribsdale and Sandringham

·         Bell - fillies and 3yr old handicaps

·         Morrison – handicaps especially those under 16/1

·         Wachman – 2 yr olds

·         Murtagh - over 1m, Group1, with Noseda, Fanshawe and Bell and partnered the horse before

·         Fortune - previous rides on a horse

·         Spencer - straight track only, lay on round track

·         Check previous Epsom form as a good indicator

·         Clear/Joint favourites coming from Curragh, Newmarkte, Newbury and Chester in non-handicaps only for Group 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 yr old only. Lay the other favourites

·         Royal Hunt Cup - Previous 5 winners got their RPR on polytrack- Dimension 10/1

·         Wokingham – winners have decent course form

·         All handicaps: Don’t back horses going from graded/listed down into handicap C1 and C2. Banded ‘ideal’ 8st8lb to 8st10lb band handicaps

·         All handicaps and 3 yr old handicaps from Haydock last run do well

·         3 yr old handicaps - those who stepped up in class do well

·         Group 1 - up/down 1 furlong, clear favourites do well, but lay runners who step up in class

·         Group 2 - those who contested previously in Group 2 don’t do well

·         Group races - Avoid runners from Goodwood and Windsor

·         Jersey Stakes, Queen Alexandra, Sandringham – Big price winners just outside top 2 in market

·         Buckingham Palace Stakes – Look for outsider

·         Draw – check impact after Day 1

·         Ribblesdale – Epsom Oaks favourite gone on to win 5 times – The Fugue

·         p.s. rain, rain go away