Day Three Royal Ascot Preview 2021

The first race of the day is the Group Two Norfolk Stakes over five furlongs and with such a huge field heading to post we have selected two at each way prices.

The first is the Bryan Smart trained Project Dante, who made his debut at York in May over five furlongs and was a good winner of the event, just seeing off Korker who is another nice type.

That came on good to soft ground and with the rain set to fall on the Berkshire track, the extra bit of juice on the turf should play to his strengths.

Big Player.

Following that form line we are also siding with Korker to run a big race for trainer Karl Burke, with the juvenile showing big improvement from his first run to second.

Having finished well behind Project Dante on debut only going down by a head, he was next turned out at Carlisle in similar conditions and went on to win well.

Gaining that extra bit of experience should put him in contention if coming on once more for his latest run, and like Project Dante the rain will help him.

Each way player.

Next up is the Group Three Hampton Court Stakes over 1m2f and we like the look of Movin Time for trainer Roger Varian, who looks a highly progressive type.

The three year old son of Fastnet Rock made his debut at Newcastle last term when a good second to the smart Rebel's Romance, who has since gone on to win again in pattern company.

He had one more run as a juvenile when finishing runner up again over the same course and distance behind the likeable Mithras for John & Thady Gosden.

From there he was upped up in trip for his seasonal/turf debut at Newmarket over 1m2f and hosed up by four lengths, seeing off the likeable Kemari.

That gelding has since been to Yarmouth and went on to absolutely hose up in a decent maiden, landing the event by an easy six lengths.

This offers a huge boost in form for Movin Time and now it his turn to add merit to that.

The Group Two Ribblesdale sees a superb field of fillies head to post and with a decent number of them going to post we have two selections.

The first is the Aidan O'Brien trained Divinely and she’s one of the most experienced runner in the race with five outings under her belt as a 2yo and boasts group winning form having won the Flame of Tara Stakes (Group 3, 8f) in heavy conditions last August.

The filly stepped up in trip to 12f on her seasonal debut this term and finished a fair fourth in the Lingfield Oaks Trial on soft ground.

She then went to Epsom for the Oaks and was a good third in the event and although along way behind stablemate Snowfall, she stayed on well and was definitely a horse to take out of the race

Divinely is a representative of Galileo, the leading sire in the UK for the past 11 years and record holder for being the most successful source of Group One winners in thoroughbred history, giving her big expectations here.

With the rain set to fall and her best form coming on soft ground, the more the merrier for this filly.

At a slightly bigger price is the John Gosden trained Gloria Mundi who looks to be a very nicely bred filly and if improving for her runs this term could have a big say.

Also a daughter of Galileo, she was seen for the first time in her career at Newbury over 10f in April and ran out a nice winner of the Maiden Fillies' event.

She then went back over the same course and distance in a Listed Fillies' Trial and finished a neck second to the smart Eshaada for Roger Varian.

Going up an extra two furlongs looks set to suit and having ran on good to soft last time out, she should handle any rain that falls.

The feature race of the afternoon is the Group One Gold Cup where all eyes will be on the superstar Stradivarius looking to land his fourth straight renewal of the race.

The seven year old has been the poster boy for the UK staying division for the last four seasons landing 10 races in a row including winning a Weatherbys-sponsored £1million bonus in the last two seasons after landing the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Lonsdale Cup at York.

As mentioned, Stradivarius lost his unbeaten record that stretched back to May 2018, when being pipped in a photo finish on Champions Day 2019 in the Long Distance Cup.

He came back last season and had a prep run in the Group One Coronation Cup where he ran to a good standard finishing third and gave him the run he needed to go and win a third straight renewal of this event.

After joining the likes of Double Trigger and Yeats after landing the Gold Cup, he headed to Glorious Goodwood seeking a fourth win in the Goodwood Cup, which he went on to win.

He was dropped in trip after that in prep for the Arc, where the race did not suit him and that seemed to really mess him about with him only beating one home in the Long Distance Cup.

The mighty veteran came back this season for the Group Three Sagaro Stakes at Ascot and was a superb winner of the event over two miles and having been kept since then he will be fresh for his fourth go of landing the event.

One to beat.

The Class 2 Britannia Stakes Handicap is always a tough one for punters and this year's renewal is the same so we have picked out two each way players.

The first is the Roger Varian trained Raadoberg who has been seen four times during his short career, making his juvenile debut last term when sixth of 12 in a good Novice Stakes event over 7f.

He was waited on for this season and rightfully so winning all three of his events, including in two novice events at Leicester and Thirsk over 7f and a mile.

The son of Night And Thunder last time out was seen making his handicap debut at Haydock on heavy ground and he went on to win well.

Showing he handles both quick and soft ground is a bonus for Thursday.

At a bigger price is another runner for Roger Varian with Dinoo who cost 150,000gns as a foal and then a further 140,000gns as a yearling.

The three year old has only been seen three times to date, making his debut in July last year when finishing a good second behind the smart Dhahabi for Godolphin.

He was then stepped up into the Group Three Solario Stakes at Sandown and although only finishing fifth of seven it was behind some nice horses.

Returning this year the colt missed the break over seven furlongs at Wolverhampton and did well to stay on for third with the winner looking a nice type for William Haggas.

Although needing to improve he showed a lot of ability last time out and if breaking better can run well at a big price.

The penultimate event of the third day at Royal Ascot sees the King George V Stakes over 1m4f and again with such a big field we have two selections.

The first selection is the Ralph Beckett trained Surefire for Juddmonte who looks to be a very smart individual and although under a 6lb penalty can give his running.

Having needed the experience of his debut in November, he has been superb since winning at Newcastle on the all weather over a mile and then after a break on turf debut at Windsor he was a good second behind a nice type.

He was tried on good to firm again at Leicester and got off the mark for the season when a taking winner on handicap debut.

If handling the softer conditions and the extra two furlongs on Thursday he looks a big player

At a bigger price the Mark Johnston trained Kondo Isami looks a big player with the yard known well for winning this race multiple times in the past.

The three year old has been seen five times during his career, making his debut in November when finishing a good second behind the likeable Teona.

He then went over the same course and distance and was another nice third behind two more smart types in Castlebar and Darlectable You.

Next time out in December he was seen at Chelmsford getting off the mark in a Novice Stakes, showing clear stamina to power away in the final stages.

Upped in trip for his seasonal debut he went on to score again, this time at York over 12f on good ground and last time out up another 2f, he nearly landed a hat-trick when just pipped late on by stablemate Dancing King.

He looks a stout stayer and only 2lb higher for that run leaves him on a workable mark.

The final runner from us on day three comes in the Class 2 Buckingham Palace Stakes over seven furlongs and Lord Campari for Roger Varian looks very overpriced.

The son of Kingman is impressively bred, costing 350,000 Guineas as a yearling and having been tried over a mile and slightly struggling, the drop to 7f looks a smart move.

He was seen once as a juvenile in 2019 and finished in behind the likes of Palace Pier and Finest Sound, when learning a lot for the experience.

Back as a three year old he got off the mark at the first time of asking on good to soft at Newbury, but after that slightly struggled in better races.

Back this season, he was last seen in the Group On Lockinge Stakes when finishing a fair sixth behind Palace Pier again and now back into a handicap he could be a big player.