Ascot Tips: Saturday Best Bets from Architect

Age Of Gold, 1pt WIN, 7/2

For Charlie Appleby’s standards, it’s not been the best of weeks, but hopefully the exciting AGE OF GOLD (best price 7/2) can give him something to cheer about in the Listed Chesham Stakes. 

This extremely expensive yearling did plenty wrong on debut at Yarmouth, but I was really impressed with the way he cruised into contention and quickened away from his rivals to score by a length and a quarter. 

The horse who was back in third, Nascimento, was far from disgraced in finishing midfield in the Coventry Stakes earlier this week, which should give a good indication as to the sort of horse we are dealing with here. I think he’s a major player in the opener. 

Brian, 0.5 pts E/W, 33/1, 4 places 

The Chesham Stakes has often seen big-priced horses fill the frame, and BRIAN (best price 33/1) could well be another to do so, having displayed promise in both starts to date, particularly when a close-up second last time out.

He exceeded market expectations on debut at Windsor when finishing fourth (would have won with a clear run) and came within a neck of beating Cool Hoof Luke at Chelmsford, and the winner ran a huge race to finish fourth in the Coventry Stakes earlier this week. 

This is a big jump in grade, but he’s open to plenty more improvement, and, with his form working out well, it would come as no surprise to see him acquit himself in the finest fashion at large odds. Most firms are paying four places.

Continuous, 1.5pts WIN, 13/8

Aidan O’Brien has won the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes four times and has every chance of making it five with CONTINUOUS (best price 13/8), who is the class act in the field and is strongly fancied to make a winning return to action.

This four-year-old did very well to finish second to the classy King Of Steel in the King Edward VII Stakes at this meeting twelve months ago before taking his form up another level. He returned a fine winner of the Group 2 Great Voltigeur before following up in the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster.

He had the reopposing Desert Hero and Middle Earth well beaten in behind that day and then turned in a really solid display when fifth in the excellent fifth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on his final start.

He lacks a recent run, but he’s gone well fresh in the past (debutant winner), and both his form and rating put him clear of these. I put my trust in Aidan O’Brien to have him ready for the big occasion and prove his class. 

Haatem, 1pt WIN, 10/3

HAATEM (best price 10/3) was a place in front of River Tiber when second in the Irish 1000 Guineas, and although the latter will likely be fitter here, I fancy Richard Hannon’s charge to confirm his superiority and take the Group 3 Jersey Stakes. 

This three-year-old made a winning return in the Craven Stakes before running a lovely race to finish third in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, a place behind stablemate Rosallion. He then finished a neck-second to that same rival in the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh. 

He’s three pounds worse off with Aidan O’Brien’s charge here, but he is a much stronger horse now and could hardly be arriving into this race in better form. Rosallion boosted his form by winning the St James’s Palace earlier this week, and this lad can follow suit. 

Night Raider, 0.5 pts E/W, 16/1, 4 places 

NIGHT RAIDER (best price 16/1) pulled far too hard when down the field in the 2000 Guineas, but his handler has expressed how highly he rates this three-year-old, and he makes plenty of appeal at the odds in the Jersey Stakes. 

Karl Burke’s son of Dark Angel was very impressive in winning his first two starts on the all-weather, clocking some big sectionals, and ought to find this easier than last time. The drop-in trip should suit him a lot better. 

Whether he has enough qualities to beat the likes of Haatem and River Tiber is open to debate, but it is too soon to be writing him off after his Guineas run. With four places on offer, he shouldn’t be underestimated. 

Torivega, 0.5 pts E/W, 50/1, 6 places 

Irish raider TORIVEGA (best price 50/1) wouldn’t have the usual sexy profile for a race of this kind, but there have been positives to glean from most of his form, particularly his latest keeping on third at the Curragh. 

Sheila Lavery’s charge was beaten roughly half a length in that race and would have won quite comfortably had he encountered a clear passage. His mark has only been raised 3lb back in the UK, and he could be set to figure prominently in the outcome, with six places widely on offer. 

Wodao, 0.5 pts E/W, 33/1, 6 places 

WODAO (best price 33/1) hasn’t won in more than two years, but he’s been highly tried on several occasions since winning a listed race at Tipperary, and this might be the time to catch him with Spencer booked to ride. 

The four-year-old was sent off just 13/2 for the Windsor Castle at this meeting last year and was far from disgraced, finishing eighth of 24. He placed in a pair of listed/Group races last year, including second to the 113-rated Tenebrism.

As well as that, he finished third at Doncaster in another listed race, when a neck behind subsequent listed winner Aesop’s Fables, so all the evidence points to this horse being very well handicapped off a mark of 100 on stable debut for Jamie Osborne.

He’s drawn high, so I expect Spencer to smother him up behind the pack and bide his time. The fact that he lines up in this race on stable/handicap debut is very interesting, so with the six places on offer, he could outrun his odds. 

Flaming Rib, 0.5 pts E/W, 25/1, 6 places 

The most interesting runner in the Wokingham Stakes is the Hugo Palmer-trained FLAMING RIB (best price 25/1), who should be all the better from a couple of spins this season and returns to the Berkshire venue off a nice mark. 

This son of Ribchester developed into a top-class sprinter a couple of seasons ago, placing in a pair of Group 1s, including when second to Perfect Power in the Commonwealth Cup, which was undoubtedly a career highlight.

If he was able to rediscover that form, he would certainly be a contender for this contest, as it’s the best form available. He was also fourth in the Sprint Cup at Haydock that same season as well, which is top-class form. 

He hasn’t looked the same horse since, but he’s been given a good opportunity for a potential revival here, and the ground will be right up his street. With six places available, he is an attractive proposition at the odds. 

Queenstown, 1pt WIN, 10/3

The Queen Alexandra Stakes looks a belter, with preference for the Aidan O’Brien-trained QUEENSTOWN (best price 10/3), whose form behind Kyprios has worked out well, and he can take the finale under Ryan Moore. 

He is open to plenty more improvement, and this trip could bring the best out of him. He has had Dawn Rising and Run For Oscar in behind the last two times and can confirm his superiority by taking this contest.