Tanya Stevenson
Medicean is the man at Ascot
23 June 2012
Today's selections:
2.55 Ayr: BACCARAT
4.25 Royal Ascot: MEDICEAN MAN (each-way)
5.35 Royal Ascot: OVERTURN
Hats off to Her Majesty! Estimate has been the highlight of the meeting so far for me. Frankel may monopolise the clock and have the superlatives flowing but for sheer sentiment and a rousing good winner to warm the country, let alone the course, Estimate had it all. Those with me stood at Newmarket were transfixed by what was happening at the Ascot, willing and urging the Royal runner home and across the line.
A fair muster gathered at Newmarket as the Madness concert really appealed to the masses. With the weather hideous, monsoon conditions at one point, full marks to those who braved the conditions. Lucky me, as I was typing this blog in an outside broadcast vehicle and preparing for the Morning Line and afternoon show.
I was a bit gutted that the cricket was abandoned at Headingly, but it’s only seven days to go until the boys – Aussies that is, rack up at Lords. They destroyed Leicestershire and seem up for the task against England. While I’m distracted by eleven Australians, the rest of the nation’s attention has been grabbed by Aussie wonder mare Black Caviar. She will more than likely turn the Diamond Jubilee into a procession at 3.45pm, well the hope is she will. Priced up at present at around 2-7 that is massive when you consider she is normally 1-20!
I’m loving the 7-4 available Moonlight Cloud without Black Caviar. She’ll handle the softening ground and is sure to relish chasing after Black Caviar while the others may lose heart.
Medicean Man certainly ran above himself in the King’s Stand Stakes with a strong finishing fourth, off level weights. He has to be an each-way pick in the Wokingham Stakes.
Then there is Overturn. I wanted him to run in the Ascot Gold Cup as I fancied his chances in that. Instead he runs in the last race of the whole meeting; the Queen Alexandra. The softening ground won’t play to his strengths though he coped well enough at Chester giving tons of weight to his stable companion. Fingers crossed for this most wonderful horse.
Here’s to an interesting two evenings of football, first up on Saturday night Spain, then Sunday its Italy v England. I’m not going to make any predictions, just instead sit back and enjoy.
Tanya’s pointers:
Nine of the last ten winners of the Wokingham Stakes were aged four or five
Eight of the last ten winners of the Wokingham Stakes finished in the first four on their most recent start
Eight of the last ten winners of the Chesham Stakes came from the first four in the betting
Seven of the last ten winners of the Hardwicke Stakes came from the first three in the betting
Sir Michael Stoute has won the Hardwicke Stakes three times in the last six years
Since 2000 only one favourite has won the Diamond Jubilee Stakes
Only two favourites since 1990 have won the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes
Hughie Morrison has won with both his runners in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes
Seven of the eight winners of Newmarket’s 2.05 carried 9st 3lbs or more
Jamie Spencer and William Haggas have teamed up for three winners from eight runners aged four and over
Five of the last seven favourites have won Newmarket’s 3.10pm
Seven of the last ten winners of Newmarket’s 3.10pm came from the first three in the betting
Tony Culhane has ridden Love Your Looks seven times to three wins, two seconds and a third
Ariyfa has never finished out of the first two in five races
Favourites are 0 from 8 in Newmarket’s 3.40pm
Hazelrigg has had 14 different jockeys but David Allan is the only one who has won on him
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War poet? Not running today?
Russell Gibbs | 10 months ago