Racing
Royal Ascot 2023: Five Horses To Follow
It’s part 2 of 6 in the Royal Ascot Series and I have picked out five horses to follow, who have decent chances should they line-up in their respective races in a couple of weeks’ time.
Artistic Star
The first one the Ralph Beckett-trained Artistic Star, who made a smooth winning debut at Nottingham and debutant winners at that course tend to be quite decent as well. However, it was his next start that signalled my attention into picking him for this specific list.
He then comfortably remained unbeaten by beating subsequent winner Torito by a length and three quarters and the second has advertised the form in a significant way since, bolting up on Derby Day at Epsom.
This son of Galileo didn’t disgrace himself on the same card in the main event, finishing a respectable seventh of 14, where he looked a touch inexperienced as he was outpaced before staying on strongly inside the final couple of furlongs.
That was a decent effort considering it was only his third start of his career against horses who had stronger form and more experience going into the race and if he lines up in the King Edward at Royal Ascot, it will represent an ease in grade.
I think he’s a very smart horse, who’s best days are ahead of him and is strongly fancied to run a big race wherever he ends up at the Royal Meeting, most likely in the King Edward on the Friday, the fourth day of the Festival.
Mawj
Next up, we have the 1000 Guineas Mawj, who is likely to meet subsequent Irish 1000 Guineas winner Tahiyra again in the Coronation Stakes and it’s the former who makes the list for the boys in blue with Oisin Murphy probably in the saddle again.
The former champion jockey gave her an absolute peach at Newmarket, where she was up with the pace throughout and despite Dermot Weld’s charge challenging her over a furlong from the finish, she battled very bravely to take the spoils by half-a-length.
This Godolphin-owned filly, who is trained by Saeed bin Suroor, has won five of her eight starts, including all three of her starts this year and has clearly trained on a lot from last season. I loved the way she knuckled down last time to get the job done as the pair pulled clear of the remainder.
The runner-up lacked a run that day but I reckon this filly will have improved from that career-best effort at Newmarket as well and she’s a lot stronger and tougher since finishing second in the Albany Stakes at this meeting last year her recent form supports that case.
She is fully effective under good and soft ground and has the experience of this course to her name. There doesn’t appear to be many chinks in her armour and she’s improving all the time, so I would like to think she will take some beating at Royal Ascot in just a couple of weeks. A definite for the following list.
Elite Status
One youngster who certainly booked his ticket to Royal Ascot was Karl Burke’s Elite Status, who maintained his unbeaten record with a demolition success in the Racehorse Lotto National Stakes at Sandown Park when last spotted and has plenty more to offer with the potential to reach the highest of heights.
He had previously impressed on debut at Doncaster but this was a step in grade and while beforehand the race looked wide-open with a host of previous winners all crossing swords, this potential high-class two-year-old turned the race into a procession, showing a bright turn of foot to win by five lengths.
His success earned him favouritism for the Norfolk Stakes and it is undoubtedly going to take a well-above average prospect to lower his silks. Described by his connections as a potential “superstar”, he is a worthy favourite on the back of that performance and must be followed.
Bluestocking
Coincidentally, another trained by Ralph Beckett, who could be set for a big week at the Royal Meeting. This daughter of Camelot, Bluestocking, has the possibility of running in the Arc but connections decided to skip that race and instead take aim at the Ribblesdale.
She won on debut at Salisbury and was then marginally denied by a head at Newbury in a Listed event, where she fared best of those held-up off the pace and cruised into contention before being made to work harder than the initial plan.
The winner was gutsy but she kept pestering Aidan O’Brien’s Warm Heart all the way to the line and will have learnt a lot from that experience. She remains a filly held in the highest regard and has plenty more to come, so she is another youngster worthy of consideration.
Hukum
Finally, I have to side with Hukum, who returned from a long absence and a near career-ending injury when beating the Derby winner Desert Crown on his return in a Group 3 at Sandown.
He did very well to get the job done considering he was held in a pocket at a crucial stage, whereas the eventual second had clear daylight on the outside of the field when the taps were turned on.
Last season’s Coronation Stakes winner at Epsom is sure to strip much fitter from that reappearance and has bags of Ascot experience with two wins and a third from three outings and was third in the Hardwicke Stakes last year.
He is a much better horse now, who’s a Group 1 winner since and probably hasn’t finished improving either. I think he is the one to beat for this intended assignment and should be a lot shorter in the betting as well. He’s a major contender and has a great chance of more success.
