An open looking start to the meeting with each-way odds the field for the Queen Anne Stakes over the straight mile.
Esoterique has a Group I victory over the straight mile at Deauville on ground listed as "very soft" and she finished runner-up to Solow in this race last year. Beaten two lengths behind Attendu in the Group III Prix du Palais Royal (1400m) on June 4, she looks well suited here.
French-trained Ervedya won the Coronation Stakes here last year and ran well on her seasonal reappearance when runner-up to Vadamos in the Group II Prix du Muguet over 1600m on May 1. The four-year-old has won on good ground but has won five of her six starts with soft in the description.
The Lockinge Stakes is the proven form line for this race and Belardo looked good scoring on May 14 with the lightly raced Endless Drama in third. He has won on all types of going and finished runner-up to Solow in the Champion Stakes last year on his only start at Ascot. Toormore was beaten 4-3/4 lengths into fourth in the Lockinge, ran well in the Queen Anne last year and will not be inconvenienced by soft ground.
Arod defeated Lightning Spear winning the Summer Mile at course and distance last year. He was beaten two lengths over one mile at Ascot when resuming on April 27. Cougar Mountain finished third in this race last year but he is one which looks unsuited by soft ground - unplaced in his four starts when rain affected.
North American mare Tepin is clearly very good however she has a few things against her here, notably the straight, undulating course and racing without Lasix.
Selections: Esoterique to defeat Belardo and Ervedya.
Best roughie: Toormore.
No. |
Horse |
|||||
1 |
AROD (5) |
$31 |
$29 |
$29 |
$26 |
$26 |
2 |
A SHIN ERWIN (11) |
$61 |
$67 |
$51 |
$61 |
$67 |
3 |
BARCHAN (4) |
$301 |
$201 |
$501 |
$251 |
$201 |
4 |
BELARDO (2) |
$5.50 |
$5.50 |
$4.80 |
$5 |
$5 |
5 |
COUGAR MOUNTAIN (6) |
$31 |
$29 |
$23 |
$26 |
$29 |
6 |
ENDLESS DRAMA (10) |
$7 |
$7 |
$6.50 |
$6.50 |
$8 |
7 |
KODI BEAR (3) |
$12 |
$13 |
$10 |
$11 |
$13 |
8 |
LIGHTNING SPEAR (13) |
$31 |
$29 |
$23 |
$23 |
$26 |
9 |
MONDIALISTE (8) |
$31 |
$29 |
$29 |
$26 |
$26 |
10 |
TOORMORE (14) |
$17 |
$17 |
$17 |
$16 |
$17 |
11 |
AMAZING MARIA (7) |
$21 |
$21 |
$21 |
$20 |
$21 |
12 |
ERVEDYA (12) |
$5 |
$5 |
$5 |
$4.60 |
$5 |
13 |
ESOTERIQUE (1) |
$8 |
$8 |
$8 |
$7 |
$8 |
14 |
TEPIN (12) |
$6 |
$6 |
$6 |
$5.50 |
$6 |