Ascot Saturday Preview - 08/05/21

The first race of the day from the Berkshire track is the Fillies' Handicap over a mile and Dreamloper for trainer Ed Walker will not be far away.

The four year old filly has been highly consistent during her short career, racing six times last season and managing to win two smart events whilst placing in another two.

Having placed in a good race on her second start at Doncaster over a mile, she then got off the mark at Redcar in emphatic style, winning the race by close to eight lengths.

She dropped down in trip next time out at Kempton and was a fair third but needed to go back up to the mile and she did that at Ascot when winning the second race of her career.

The daughter of Lope De Vega returned for her seasonal debut in April and finished a good fourth in a valuable handicap at Haydock over seven furlongs and now back to a course and distance she has won it, she looks the one to beat.

Inform Tom Marquand takes the ride.

Next up is the Listed Buckhound Stakes over 1m4f and the Ralph Beckett trained filly Albaflora could have a big say at a nice price.

The four year old was smart in the majority of her five outings last term, getting off the mark at the first time of asking at Haydock over 10f, seeing off some next time out winners.

She then was slightly upped in trip at York for the Group Three Musidora Stakes where she was a good second behind the Mark Johnston trained Rose Of Kildare.

Stepped up to 1m4f at York she was beaten by better horses, but bounced back to form over the same trip next time out when going down by a head in her first handicap.

She was last seen again going down by a head over 1m6f in a Listed event at Ascot, being beaten by the St Leger second Berkshire Rocco.

She has stayers in the family and also horses who appreciate cut in the ground, with the ground set to go soft she could be a big player.

Avoiding the Novice Stakes with it being a minefield for punters, we are moving on to the Victoria Cup over seven furlongs and Acquitted at 9/1 looks to be the each way value.

The four year old was a smart performer as a juvenile winning two of his three races over a mile on both good and soft ground.

As a three year old he did not show much, but back this season a year older he seems to be a different character when finishing a good second on seasonal debut at Doncaster in the Spring Mile Handicap.

He only went down by a neck in March and only 1lb higher for this race makes him a big player once more for the inform Hugo Palmer yard, who is currently running at a 27% strike rate.

The Class 3 Handicap over 1m4f sees some smart horses head to post and if the rain comes as the forecast expects it to then Louganini is a big player.

The four year old for Roger Charlton won his sole event as a juvenile in 2019 over seven furlongs at Newmarket on soft ground.

He then returned for another season last term and on his second start won nicely at Haydock on soft ground again, with it being the key to his success.

on his final run of the term he finished a valuable second of 17 at Haydock in the 1m4f Old Rowley Cup at Newmarket and that was a career best run.

The son of Zoffany made his return in April at Pontefract and was well backed for the 1m2f event, but the quick ground went against him and Waldkonig ran out an easy winner.

The ground is makes this horse the value and he can not be any worse than his seasonal debut run.

The final selection of the afternoon sees the big priced Spanish Star have a big chance in the Class 4 six furlong handicap for trainer Patrick Chamings.

The six year old loves soft ground and will be praying for as much rain to come as possible having been a clearcut winner three starts ago at Leicester.

He had a blip at Beverley on his final run of the season, but in November got back to form at Lingfield when a close second in a decent event, giving weight away to the winner.

If fully tuned up for this event his price of 18/1 looks far too big and the more rain the better for this selection, but he has proven he can go well on better ground.