Ascot Wednesday Preview - 27/04/22

The first race of the afternoon at Ascot on Wednesday sees the Apprentice Handicap over a mile and with a decent sized field heading to post we have picked out two horses.

The first is the Richard Hannon trained Tahitian Prince who last year started to put everything together in handicap events winning four of his seven events and going on to place in two other events.

Mixing between the all weather and turf, the five year old saw his handicap mark rise from 70 to 89 throughout last year, progressing with each run.

The faster the ground the better for this horse and with a handy 5lb taken off in this event effectively seeing him race off 84, he is only 1lb higher than his last winning mark.

Big player having a decent record going well fresh.

At a slightly bigger price and very interesting in the market is the Andrew Balding trained Good Birthday for King Power Racing.

The top weighted, experienced six year old is another horse like Tahitian Prince that progressed steadily last term and went up to a mark of 93 from being off 86 at the start of last term.

Winning at Newmarket and Redcar in May in good handicap events was the best of his form last term, also winning at the back end of July at Doncaster off a mark of 91.

He was last seen at York in October finishing third behind the smart Bay Bridge and Platinumcard in a good handicap event.

He drops back to a mile for this event which is no issue having won at the trip and with talented 7lb claimer Harry Davies taking much needed weight off he is effectively 6lb lower than his last winning mark.

Big player if fully tuned up.

One of the feature events of the afternoon is the Group Three Sagaro Stakes over two miles that will hopefully give us a big guide for the Gold Cup at the royal meeting.

Enemy could be tough to beat in this event if progressing for his win last time out in the Queens Cup at Musselburgh.

Being a smart horse over shorter trips in his career he now looks to be going over these sorts of trips and looks to have big improvement in him.

In February at Meydan in the Group Three Nad Al Sheba Trophy over 1m6f having his first try at the trip he was a good fourth of 15, finishing behind the smart Manobo.

Last seen in Scotland taking on 1m6f again he bolted up against a field of experienced runners in a good handicap event and he now deserves his chance in this race tackling a new trip that looks to suit.

Unknown entity that could spice up this division with Buick in the saddle.

A cracking event on the Ascot card on Wednesday is the Group Three Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes over six furlongs and Ehraz for Richard Hannon can go close at the prices.

The three year old Shadwell Estate owned colt was seen three times last term having been bought for 180,000gns and on debut was a huge eye-catcher at Newmarket finishing second behind the smart Noble Truth, flashing home late from off the pace.

He was bought back to 6f off the back of that run over course and distance at Ascot and went on to bolt up in Maiden company, breaking his duck.

Seen once more last term he was a strange fifth at York in the Group Three Acomb Stakes, with the race truly falling apart.

Hannon's horses seem to be slightly more forward than others and if progressing during the winter he could be a remarkable talent.

The finale event on the card sees the Class 4 Handicap over five furlongs and like the opening race we have two horses at decent prices that could hit the frame.

The first is Yazaman for Robert Cowell who was a nice horse for William Haggas earlier in his career, finishing second in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes a Royal Ascot, G2 July Stakes and G2 Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

Never really fulfilling his potential as three year old, at the back end of last term he was sold to Tje Racing and given to trainer Robert Cowell.

He has been seen four times for the handler who goes well with his sprinters and he has looked to need the run on all three occasions, with his latest run at Newmarket seeing him lose his chance at the start but stayed on well.

The four year old is now down to a career low mark of 82, having previously been as high as 106 and with the trainer knowing how to get horses like this winning.

At 6/1 he looks big each way value.

At an even bigger price of 20/1 Han Solo Berger for the same trainer Robert Cowell has to be taken seriously on his back form.

The seven year old has been struggling of late but 9lb lower then when third in the race last year makes him very interesting getting back to a track he acts well on.

It could be a good race for this handler.