Ascot Saturday Shergar Cup Meeting Preview 2022

The first race of the afternoon on Shergar Cup day is the Curtain Raiser Classified Stakes and we think Adjourn for David Simcock could be tough to beat.

Albeit the favourite Amanzoe for William Haggas is dangerous we feel the son of Postponed has a bit more progression in him.

Seen three times this season the gelding was fourth of 14 over 1m2f at Newcastle in a Maiden where the winner Royal Scandal has since franked the form.

Stepping into handicap company for the first time he was a decent third behind the talented Migdam for Sir Michael Stoute and then last time out he got off the mark beating an impressive type for William Haggas.

Up 6lb to a mark of 89 he should go close again.

Another Classified Stakes follows this time over seven furlongs and we think the value lies with Divine Magic for Marco Botti.

A very consistent type this season running four times and not finishing outside of the top three in all of her runs this term.

Starting at York in a Class 3 Fillies' Handicap she was a good third behind Heredia who has turned out to be a very smart horse.

Sent to Newmarket she was again third behind a nice type for Jane Chapple-Hyam and then in a similar event at Leicester she got off the mark for the season in gritty fashion.

Bumped up 2lb in the weights for her latest run at Newmarket she was a neck second behind Dubai Love for Saeed bin Suroor and only 1lb higher she should go close again.

The Shergar Cup Dash over 5f looks a tricky event this season and we have taken a value stab at Manaccan for trainer John Ryan.

One of the most unexposed runners in the field, the three year old has shown some smart form this season since being tried at 5f.

Smart as a juvenile winning over 6f, this term he needed his seasonal debut before heading to Royal Ascot and finishing a close fifth in the competitive 27 runner Palace Of Holyrood House.

Up 1lb to a mark of 101 he was a close second last time out at Chester behind Look Out Louis and off the same mark for this event, he should have more progression in him against theses exposed types.

One of the best events of the afternoon from our perspective is the Shergar Cup Stayers Handicap and Super Superjack for Milton Harris looks to have a bit in hand still.

This season the five year old had been seen three times before Friday, winning over two miles at Goodwood off a mark of 70 in April, he then went to Ascot over the same trip and made it back to back successes off 4lb higher.

Looking for a hat-trick at York when next seen he was a bold second behind the progressive Evaluation off 79 and then next time off the same mark as his run last week he was a very close third at Salisbury.

The gamble said everything we needed to know and having not been hit too hard by the handicapper only up 4lb, he holds every chance.

The Class 2 Shergar Cup Challenge Handicap over 1m4f looks a tough punting event but at the top of the weights Angel Power for Roger Varian could be the class angle.

A very consistent horse earlier on his career, landing a four timer as a three year old including a Listed race in France, Group Three in England and a Group Two in Italy.

Not as good as a four year old, she has returned this season in similar form, but now dropped back into an easier handicap event and up in trip having the pedigree to suggest she will revel in the distance she has become interesting.

Creeping down the weights now to a mark of 97 she has a chance to get back to her best and having performed well in Listed company this term, there could still be ability within her.

Chancey selection but interesting if getting back to the best of her form.

The Shergar Cup Mile sees two horses at the top of the market that are very hard to pick between but we are going with the Nigel Tinkler trained Isla Kai.

A fairly consistent horse for the yard, landing a hat-trick of Class 3 Handicaps at Doncaster and Ascot last year and then rounding off the season with a good second at York at the Ebor meeting off a mark of 94.

Making his seasonal debut this term off a mark of 99 he was fourth of 17 behind Modern News in the Spring Cup at Newbury, but then found a few too good at York in another big fielded event.

Seen three more times since in Class 2 Handicaps over a mile he has ran extremely well in defeat behind some nice horses and now down to a mark of 97 he looks very interesting.

He is a course and distance winner that should run his race.

The penultimate selection of the afternoon at Ascot is the Shergar Cup Classic and Berkshire Breeze for Andrew Balding looks a solid shout.

A very consistent horse in his six runs to date, with the step up to this trip bringing big improvement throughout the season.

Racing five times this season he has not been out of the placings in his last four events, with his latest run at Ascot over 14f being one of his best when a head second in a similar event.

The drop down 12f is no problem being a strong stayer at the trip and he is a more solid contender than most in the field.

Sure to run his race.

The final event of the afternoon is the Shergar Cup Sprint over six furlongs and the William Haggas trained Razenya looks to have the most potential to improve.

Seen four times to date the daughter of Kodiac made an impressive debut in April over 7f at Newbury when winning by a length and then off the back of that went to Newcastle and was third behind a progressive type for Saeed bin Suroor.

Another good third at Chester next time out, she was last seen at Carlisle in a Fillies' Handicap where she got back to winning ways off a mark of 82.

Only 4lb higher for this event she has big scope to keep improving.