Ascot Saturday Preview - 01/10/22

The first event of the day at Ascot is the Listed Rous Stakes over 5f and we are taking a bit of a swing at one with the Ed Walker trained Came From The Dark.

The six year old was an expensive 480,000gns purchase as a yearling but has provided some superb days for his connections over the years and this can be another one.

Seen four times last year he started his campaign off at Musselburgh of 5f and was a good third of 13 behind Jabbarockie and Zarzyni who he was giving weight away to that day.

Sent to Newbury next time out he got off the mark for the season, seeing off talented sprinters Garrus, King's Lynn and Tis Marvellous to land the spoils.

Looking to make it back to back wins he went down by a neck to Godolphin's Lazuli at Newmarket, with Appleby's horse franking the form in better races throughout last year.

Came From The Dark rounded off last season by winning the Group Three Coral Charge at Sandown in July from Arecibo and Happy Romance.

This season has not gone to plan running twice and finishing 10th on both occasions, firstly in the Group Three Palace House Stakes at Newmarket which he won last year and then last time out in the Group Two Temple Stakes.

He has not been seen since with May with something obviously amiss but having had wind surgery and giving his best performances around this time of year, he looks interesting at a double figure price.

One of the feature events of the afternoon sees the Group Three Cumberland Lodge Stakes over 1m4f and Hamish for William Haggas looks tough to beat.

A brilliant horse for the yard over the years winning some decent handicaps over staying trips, last year he raised his game winning the Group Three September Stakes beating Group One winner Hukum and then finished a good fourth at Royal Ascot in one of the best renewals of the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes for some years.

Seen twice this season the gelding landed the Group Three Ormonde Stakes at Chester in good style and then last time out chased home Kyprios in the Group One Irish St Leger.

Although dropping back to 1m4f he offers the strongest form on offer and knowing he can stay further makes him a big player if the ground turns soft.

One of our best bets of the day.

Next up is the other big event of the afternoon at Ascot is the Group Three John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes over 6f and this looks an event that will suit Rohaan down to the ground.

Rohaan has been a superb horse for David Evans over the years starting by winning a handicap event off 55 to then winning back to back Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot, Landing the Group Two Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock whilst also placing and hitting the frame in some of the best sprint events in Europe.

Having form on good, soft and heavy ground he is a very versatile character and off the back of what he has done this season alone he can't be overlooked being dropped back into Group Three company.

Needing his first three runs of the season which bought his handicap mark down to 109, he landed his second Wokingham Stakes off top weight and then went into the Hackwood Stakes where he was a close fourth behind Minzaal.

Fourth again in the Group One Prix Maurice De Gheest behind some superstars he was a massive eye-catcher that day but was strangely sent over 7f next time out at York's Ebor meeting and it didn't work.

Last seen at Haydock back to his preferred 6f in the Group One Sprint Cup he was a superb third again behind Minzaal and with the opposition in this field much weaker, this race presents itself as a big opportunity to get back to winning ways.

A tricky handicap to call at Ascot on Saturday is the Challenge Cup over 7f and we are giving the nod to the very progressive Orbaan who has been superb this season.

Raced frequently this term the David O'Meara trained gelding started to knock on the door in good handicap events around June and July at the likes of Epsom, York and Ayr.

He landed his first race of the season off the back of these runs at Glorious Goodwood in the Golden Mile Handicap when bolting up off a mark of 87.

Up 8lbs to a mark of 95 at Ascot next time out over course and distance he made it 2/2 in good style.

Up a further 4lb at York's Ebor meeting he was a good fourth of 18 behind stablemate Blue For You giving weight away and then last time out off the same mark of 99 back at Goodwood he was second behind I'm A Gambler by a short head.

That horse has since won a valuable handicap at Irish Champions weekend and off only 1lb higher Orbaan is a player back at Ascot.

The penultimate selection of the afternoon is Romantic Rival For George Boughey who could have a big say in this Listed event.

Needing her first two runs this season when not beating a horse home albeit being thrown in the deep end, she was dropped back into a handicap at Kempton and got off the mark for the season, beating a nice type for the Gosden's.

Tried again in Group company it did not work out in the Valiant Stakes At Ascot over a mile but last time out in the Sceptre Fillies Group Three she was a much better third behind Bounce The Blues and Umm Kulthum which is good form.

She was very eye-catching that day passing horses late on but was left with too much to do when it came to the leaders.

Now back into a Listed event she is an interesting challenger.

The final event of the day at the Berkshire track is the Class 2 Handicap over 5f and we have had two stabs at the race with some each value on offer.

A winner on debut at Windsor at the start of the season off a mark of 82 he then finished third at Doncaster off 5lb higher, and then going up a further 7lb to a mark of 94 he was a good third again in a 20 runner handicap at Epsom on Derby day.

Slightly losing his way in other big fielded events at Ascot and Goodwood, it saw his mark drop back to 90 and he started to perform again when second at Windsor in the Racing League and then last time off 94 he got back to winning ways in emphatic style at Haydock.

Having bolted up by over three lengths he had gone up to a mark of 104 but having that much in hand last time out he could go close again.

Another horse in the race that takes the eye is the Karl Burke trained Significantly who is interesting back at Ascot on a falling mark and on ground that is slower than what he has been running on.

A winner last year off a mark of 92 over course and distance on heavy ground in good style, he then went back over the same C&D off 4lb higher on good ground and did the same thing.

Having flown up the weights into the 100's he has been well beat not looking threatening in any of his races.

However, now back down to a mark of 94, back over the course and distance he was last seen winning at and soft ground set to be in the description, he is very interesting.