The first race of the afternoon from Ascot on ITV is the Group Three Princess Margaret Stakes over 6f and Symbology looks interesting.
Seen just once to date when winning well at York over six furlongs with the further she went the more she got the hang of things.
She is sure to improve for that run and being a daughter of Havana Grey she should handle the softer conditions better than most.
Next up from Ascot is the Group Three Valiant Stakes over a mile and at an each way price the unbeaten Cadeau Belle makes big appeal for trainer Johnny Murtagh.
Making her debut on soft ground over 7f at Gowran Park in a Fillies Maiden she went on to win impressively, leaving her connections excited for the future.
Last seen stepping up to Listed class at Navan in the Kooyonga Stakes over a mile, she made it 2/2 again comfortably beating a nice type for Willie McCreery.
Stepping up again into this Group Three getting plenty of weight off the majority of the field, she looks a big player being one of few in the field that will revel in the softer conditions.
The big handicap event of the afternoon at Ascot is the International Stakes over 7f and we have picked out two runners that can go close.
A horse that did not do a lot for Johnny Murtagh over in Ireland but moved to George Boughey in October last year he made his debut over 7f at Doncaster in November on heavy ground.
Showing completely different form to his time in Ireland he went on to win comfortably by over a length, with the heavy ground bringing huge improvement.
That win came off a mark of 93 and only 4lb higher in the Lincoln Handicap on seasonal debut he ran a solid event to finish a good third behind winner Migration out of 22 runners.
Tried at Ascot when next seen in the Victoria Cup over C&D on soft ground off the same mark of 97 he ran another credible race to finish sixth of 22.
Last seen at the Royal meeting again over the same C&D of this race the quicker ground went against him and he ran no race at all.
Dropped 1lb for that getting back to softer conditions he looks a player showing already he handles the track to a good level.
At a bigger price in the race and another horse who won't mind the softer conditions is the Richard Hannon trained Tacarib Bay who has his first run since a gelding operation.
Last winning back in July at Haydock on soft ground off a mark of 103, he has then ran to a fair standard off a slightly higher mark with one of his better performances coming at Ascot in October when a good third of 20 runners in the Balmoral Handicap over a mile.
Being tried at a mile on his three other starts since he has always struggled to get home over the distance, with his run at Doncaster in the Listed Doncaster Mile showing he needed to drop back to 7f.
He got that next time out at Newmarket when 1lb lower and getting juice in the ground he had every chance of going close but for some reason did not run his race.
He has since been off for 102 days and has been given a gelding operation and hopefully that sees him focus on the job more.
Back to his last winning mark, on soft ground back at a track he has ran well at in the past he looks an each way player.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11/11/23 | NCS | 6 | St | 9-5 | 1 |
| 06/11/23 | KEM | 7 | St/Slw | 9-8 | 5 |
| 04/08/23 | GOO | 8 | Sft | 9-8 | 17 |
| 29/07/23 | ASC | 7 | Gd | 9-8 | 6 |
| 18/04/23 | NMK | 7 | GS | 9-8 | 6 |
The feature event of the afternoon at Ascot is the Group One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 1m4f and Hukum for Owen Burrows has been primed for this event.
The six year old has been a special horse all the way through his career taking races like the King George V Stakes as a three year old at Royal Ascot, Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes on two occasions, Group Three Cumberland Lodge Stakes, Group Two Dubai City Of Gold Stakes in Meydan and his best success to date in the Group One Coronation Stakes at Epsom last year.
Not seen for almost a year after that success picking up a big setback injury, he returned this term over 1m2f in the Group Three Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown and showing an almighty turn of foot he went on to see off Derby winner Desert Crown to take the race.
After so long off it was a superb performance overcoming a slight bit of trouble in running and he was then set to head back to Royal Ascot for the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes but with the ground being too quick for him, he was withdrawn from the contest won by Pyledriver.
Getting juice in the ground a nice break since his seasonal debut win, he will primed to go close at a track he performs extremely well at with figure of 131 in his three runs.
The penultimate selection of the afternoon comes in the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes over 6f and Sunway for David Menuisier having his first start on softish ground looks interesting.
Making his debut at Sandown on good ground in June, it took some time for the penny to drop but when he was switched out he flew home to land the event by over three lengths.
Being a French bred horse and related to top horses that performed well with juice in the ground he should enjoy the conditions on Saturday.
The final selection of the afternoon comes in the Betfred Handicap over a mile and the horse that takes the eye is the bottom weighted Lowton.
Third on debut at Doncaster over 7f on soft with the second since winning at Chester, he then got off the mark next time out at Leicester on soft ground again, getting the job done in good fashion.
Last seen at Newcastle under a penalty, he gave almost a stone to the second Gotta Show Me and still landed the event by a short head.
Now heading into the handicap sphere off a mark of 89 which sees him bottom weight in this event gives him a big chance to land a hat-trick on ground he handles well.
