Who To Follow At Ascot On Saturday - 23/07/22

James Mackie

Thu 21 Jul 2022 15.08

Ascot 14:35

6(3)

Emily Upjohn

J: Frankie Dettori

T: John & Thady Gosden

N/A

Age: 3

Weight: 8-9

OR: 117

Days: 50

The final event on ITV and the feature race of the afternoon in the UK is the Group One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and a strong field of six heads to post.

We are siding with the John & Thady Gosden trained Emily Upjohn who is getting weight off the entire field and has the potential of being a superstar filly.

Making her first start last year at Wolves over 9.5f she saw off a nice challenger for Godolphin in Secret Image, who then went onto frank the form.

Put away for this season, Emily Upjohn made her sole start this term at Sandown over 1m2f and in one of the most impressive performances in the division this season, she went on to win by close to 10 lengths under a penalty.

Stepping up into black type company for the first time in her career last time out she went to York for the Group Three Musidora Stakes and made it a hat-trick of wins, when dominating a good field by close to six lengths.

It was all systems go for the Epsom Oaks and going off the strong favourite many expected her to get the job done, however having lost ground at the start not coming out the stalls well, she did extremely to battle back to get close to winner Tuesday, only going down in a photo finish.

Set to run in the Irish Oaks last week but having travel problems she has now been rerouted here and being fresher than the favourite Westover and also getting 3lb off him, she looks the value.

Form: 1112View

Date	Course	Distance	Type	Weight	Position
03/06/22	EPS	12	Gd	9-2	2
11/05/22	YOR	10.5	Gd	9-2	1
22/04/22	SAN	10	Gd	9-7	1
23/11/21	WOL	9.5	St	8-11	1

Leading trainer Ralph Beckett could be set for a big day at Ascot on Saturday with some hot favourites and a big chance in one of the handicap events.

In the opening race of the day the Group Three Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes he fields the favourite Lezoo who holds some serious form, but alternatively Palm Lily could run a big race for the yard aswell.

Beckett's arguably biggest chance of the afternoon could be Westover in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes with the Irish Derby winner looking for back to back Group One wins.

In the International Stakes Star Of Orion has been dropping down the handicap to a mark of 96 and could bounce back to form.

The handler enters the weekend with a strike rate of 23% for the last two weeks, managing to land seven winners from his last 30 runners.

Frankie Dettori has three rides at Ascot on Saturday and all three of them have big chances of being in and around the frame and that makes him the man to follow.

In the opening event of the afternoon he sits on the Ralph Beckett trained Lezoo who looks to be a very, very smart horses that holds some serious form.

In the King George Dettori gets back aboard Emily Upjohn who was supposed to race in the Irish Oaks and now takes her chances against the boys.

Finally, the Italian teams up Mark & Charlie Johnston with Finn's Charm who was a good fourth in the Listed Chesham Stakes last time out and could go close in the Listed Pat Eddery event.