RACING fan Gaurav Chaddah (@GauravChaddah) shares his NAP, his best each-way bet and the market leader he suspects is most vulnerable on Day 2 of Royal Ascot on Wednesday.
NAP: 5:35 – Magical (2/1 William Hill)
Magical has had a busy campaign but has ran in some easy enough races over in Ireland, most recently winning the Tatterstalls Gold Cup and faces a different class of opposition here but I think she can pass the test.
She came onto the scene late last season, winning the Group 1 Fillies & Mares here on Champions Day before running a career best to get within a length of Enable in the Breeders Cup. She’s been campaigned with this race in mind and I think she has a great chance.
Sea of Class (11/4 Unibet) is a massive threat and was rather unfortunate perhaps not to win the Arc but she met Enable when she was not fully fit and I’m not convinced that a mile-and-a-quarter is quite her trip, as well as the fact this is her first run of the season.
She comes up against race fit horses, including Crystal Ocean (9/2 Bet365) who is searching for his first Group 1 but he was touched off here last season by Poet’s Word in the King George and I think he may just not have the class to win this and may also need a mile-and-a-half.
Waldgeist (11/2 Ladbrokes) rarely runs a bad race and was fourth in the Arc, ahead of Magical, and won the Ganay last time but this is a different test and Magical I feel has trained past him, and at five years-old may just be a little exposed.
Each-Way: 5:00 – What's The Story (20/1 Paddy Power)
A difficult puzzle to solve and I’m happy to take an each-way punt on What’s The Story who was fourth in this last year off two pounds lower, but watching that race back, should of finished higher had he not had trouble in running.
He is up four pounds from winning at York last month – that form looks solid, with the second, Firmament winning at York on Saturday whilst the fourth, Love Dreams, won at Beverley. He is drawn in 26 and 11 of the last 13 winners have come from a double-figure draw and I’m confident he can at least place.
New Graduate (6/1 Ladbrokes) has been all the range in the ante-post betting and is as short as 5/1 with William Hill. He won easily at Ripon last time and is up 15 pounds from that, with many of the horses in behind franking that form and a lightly raced four year-old with Frankie Dettori on, there should be more to come but is a skinny price and drawn in 1.
LAY: 5:00 – New Graduate (6/1 Ladbrokes)
As mentioned above, he has been one of the gambles of the week so far but it is an incredibly skinny price for such a competitive, big field handicap.
New Graduate was an easy winner at Ripon at last time and that form must warrant a lot of respect with a lot of the horses in behind franking the form. But he has a 15 pound rise in the weights to deal with and will also be relying on luck in running, which makes his price ridiculous.
He does have the services of Frankie Dettori. which is a massive bonus and is a four year-old who may have a lot to come but he is drawn 1, which stats suggest isn't great, with winners often coming from a high double-figure stall, and I think due to his price more than anything else, he is definitely worth opposing.
Best Bets
5:35 Royal Ascot – Magical to win (2/1 William Hill)
5:00 Royal Ascot – What's The Story each-way (20/1 Paddy Power)
5:00 Royal Ascot – Lay New Graduate (6/1Betfair)
