Expert Punter
Loading ...
As we roll into Day 4 of the Royal Ascot meeting I have NAP and next best selections ready for you. I’ve been in pretty good form this week, but just because we are ahead of the bookies doesn’t mean we want to give anything back.
My NAP of the entire Royal Ascot week comes in the Commonwealth Cup and this is a horse I have fancied for months. So now it’s crunch time, and I am expecting a huge run from him in this Group 1 contest.
Meanwhile, my next best pick is an each way poke in the 33-runner Cavalry charge that is the Sandringham Stakes. This is one for the fillies, and there’s no denying that there are plenty with chances, but I think I’ve spotted one that’s destined for greater things, and at a big price.
Friday isn’t the easiest day to unravel, which is why I’m sticking with just the two selections, but hopefully my selections can both give us a good run for our money, and we can enjoy another good day.
Day 4 at Ascot is a tricky one for sure, but you could make things easier for yourself by picking up some free bets. New customers at Bet365 can currently get their hands on this
bet £10, get £30 in free bets
offer. Take on the favourites, or go for the outsiders, you can use your free bets as you please.
My NAP selection of the day comes in the Commonwealth Cup and this is a race I have been looking forward to all week long. Inisherin holds strong claims off the back of his Sprint win at Haydock and on the face of it, he looks to have improved for the shorter trip, but I would have concerns about him backing that up. He had previously been running over a mile and travels like a smart horse. However, I don’t believe he will get away with front-running tactics against his rivals here. Jashour holds fair claims, and bounced back from a disappointing finish to his two-year-old campaign with a win in the Group 3 Pavillion Stakes over course and distance. He probably hasn’t finished improving just yet, but with another big step up in class, he would need to find a lot more to be in with a real shout here.
The winner I see here is Karl Burke’s Elite Status. He broke the course record at Newbury last month on his three-year-old debut, and still looks to have plenty of untapped potential. He loves a fast surface, and despite not running his best in the Norfolk Stakes last year, he had plenty of excuses that day and has clearly come out this season as a different horse. He did have the tendency to be a little keen last season, but he settled very well at Newbury and his performance there is the best piece of form on offer. He won with almost three lengths in hand and I think he is a class above his rivals, making him my NAP of the week.
My next best pick runs in the fiercely competitive Sandringham Stakes, which is one for the fillies. The current favourite is Indelible, for Ralph Beckett, and she is undeniably a nice filly who is open to improvement. However, this is her first attempt in Group company, and also her first run on a fast surface, which is plenty to put me off at her current price.
The filly I will be siding with is actually Indelible’s stablemate Forever Blue. And she looks like the ideal candidate to win the Sandringham Stakes this year. She won nicely on debut over six furlongs on heavy going, and then ran a blinder to finish three lengths back in a Group 3 to finish off her two-year-old campaign.
The performance that really got me though was her seasonal debut at Haydock earlier this month, where she beat Upscale by a very decent margin under a 7lb penalty. Forever Blue did take a while to get fully wound up that day, but the fact she won so convincingly suggests that there is much more to come from this filly. Her pedigree confirms that the mile trip is well within her range, and I expect her to do her best work late on. The 12/1 on offer is a huge each way price here, so make the most of it.
🎥
GJ on Youtube
#️⃣
GJ on Twitter
🫰
Join GJ's expert Discord Channel
Users must be 18+. If you are having trouble with gambling then help and advice can be found at begambleaware.org. Please Play Responsibly.
Trading financial products carries a high risk to your capital, especially trading leverage products such as CFDs. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.