Who To Follow Day Three Of Royal Ascot 2023

James Mackie | @JMackieRacing

Wed 21 Jun 2023 09.18

Ascot 15:20

3(12)

Coltrane

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

N/A

Age: 6

Weight: 9-4

OR: 117

Days: 50

The feature race of the entire meeting is the Group One Gold Cup and Coltrane for Andrew Balding looks to be the most progressive horse in the field.

He took his form to a new level last term when finishing a good second in the Chester Vase in May and off the back of that came into the Ascot Stakes at this meeting last year over course and distance and went on to take the event from the well handicapped Bring On The Night off a mark of 98.

He built on that to make it back to back wins in the Listed Coral Marathon at Sandown and then ran another cracker to finish just over four lengths back in fourth in the Group One Goodwood Cup behind Kyprios, Stradivarius and Trueshan.

Seen three more times before the end of the season he was second at York behind the runaway winner Quickthorn in the Group Two Lonsdale Cup and then got back to winning ways in the Group Two Doncaster Stakes, seeing off the smart stayer Trueshan.

Finishing the season off at Ascot in the Group Two Long Distance Cup he was just pipped by the three time winner of the race Trueshan.

Back this season starting at Ascot over two miles in the Group Three Sagaro Stakes he looked better than ever when pulling away from a good field to bolt up.

Now rated 19lb higher than his win over C&D at last years festival, he has done nothing but progress and having unreal form at this track he should take all the beating.

The training partnership of John & Thady Gosden could have a special day on the third day of the meeting with some nice chances up and down the card.

Their first runners of the day comes in King George V Stakes with Burgular, Inquiring Minds and Masai Mara all with chances in the 1m4f event.

The trainers best chance of the afternoon comes in the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes with Al Asifah being supplemented for the event and looking a superstar in the making.

The team have Courage Mon Ami stepping up in trip for new connections in the Gold Cup with the yard having a superb record in the race.

In the Britannia Stakes Theory Of Everything will be looking to bounce back to form but could do that off a mark of 94 but he woul prefer some rain.

The Group Three Hampton Court Stakes sees the Gosden's have two leading chances with Epictetus and Torito for the same connections near the top of the market.

Finally, in the lucky last Unforgotten has put some nice runs together and will be hoping to hit the frame again.

Ryan Moore started the meeting off with three winners and is sure to have more throughout the week and that could come on Thursday with some nice chances.

In the opener His Majesty for Aidan O'Brien looks underestimated in the market having put up two big runs to date and at a double figure price could go close again.

He then rides for Aidan O'Brien again in the King George V Stakes with Bertinelli coming here off the back of a good performance last time out.

Moore then jumps on Warm Heart in the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes with the filly chasing a hat-trick and in the feature Gold Cup the rider will be hoping Emily Dickinson can bounce back to form over this further trip.

One of Moore's biggest prices on day three is Carracci in the Britannia Stakes with Aidan O'Brien trained colt having scope to improve.

Moore finishes off the Thursday by riding Drumroll in the Group Three Hampton Court Stakes and Biggles in the Buckingham Palace Stakes.

Moore is running at a superb strike rate of 31% for the last two weeks managing to land eight winners from his last 26 rides.