Ascot Wednesday Preview - 28/04/21

The first race of the day at Ascot sees the Class 3 Apprentice Handicap over a mile and Zwayyan for Andrew Balding is looking to role back the years under Bradley Harrison.

The gelding is highly experienced being a super performer throughout the years over a mile and although not winning since 2019, his last victory came off a 6lb higher mark.

He came back for his first run of the season at Wolves in a the Lincoln Handicap Trial and having won the race in 2019, he was thought by many to have a chance, but ultimately needed the run.

With that now under his belt he should be much fitter and the return to turf, especially Ascot, should bring improvement.

The small fielded five furlong Two-Year-Old Trial Conditions Stakes looks a highly competitive affair, but Gubbass for Richard Hannon could be something special.

The two year old son of sprinter Mehmas cost £26,000 as a yearling and made a highly impressive debut at Leicester over 5f, when winning fairly easily.

The third from that event and since gone out and won and although this race is a step up in class, his pedigree suggests he will go on to do big things in better races, especially over this trip and ground conditions.

The Fillies' Conditions Stakes over a mile sees a smart field of unexposed talents head to post and the William Haggas trained Ready To Venture looks to be the most appealing to back.

The three year old filly made her debut as a juvenile at Newmarket in August and finished a good second behind a nice type for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin.

She then went to Yarmouth in September on much quicker ground and revelled in it to get off the mark in good fashion.

The daughter of Kingman will get the mile no problem on pedigree and with the trainer and jockey Tom Marquand being in striking form, she can't be overlooked.

The first of the big races on Wednesday at Ascot is the Group Three Sagaro Stakes over two miles and although favourite Stradivarius looks tough to beat, Nayef Road for Mark Johnston is the value pick.

The five year old son of Galileo was stepped up to the staying division last season having finished a close third in the Group One St Leger back in 2019.

In June 2020 the 100,000gns purchase made his seasonal debut in this race at Newcastle and went on to take it in fine style.

He then went into the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and he finished a good second behind Stradivarius, with the superstar stayer giving arguably the performance of his career.

It was a case of playing second fiddle to Gosden's staying star once more in the Goodwood Cup and he ended the term at York in the Group Two Lonsdale Cup when a close third behind Enbihaar.

Nayef Road seems to go well fresh and it might be the best chance he has all season of beating Stradivarius.

The penultimate selection on the day is the Clive Cox trained Supremacy who will be very tough to beat in the Group Three Commonwealth Cup Trial over six furlongs.

Cox's three year old laid down a big gauntlet for the rest of the sprinting division last season by landing the Group Two Richmond Stakes by four lengths at Glorious Goodwood, following in the footsteps of his sire Mehmas.

This came on just his third run in his career, where before he had landed a nice event at Windsor and after that Cox was dreaming big with the pacy youngster.

Having skipped the Prix Morny and Gimcrack Stakes to be fresh for the Group One Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, it paid off as he ran out a smart winner of the event.

Cox is now looking for him to follow in the footsteps of his stable star Golden Horde and head into the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot in June and he will be looking to hit the ground running in this trial.

He is now unbeaten in his last three events and gets his perfect conditions once again today at Ascot.

The final runner of the afternoon from us comes in the Listed Queen Anne Stakes Trial over a mile and Solid Stone for Sir Michael Stoute will not be far away at a nice price.

The five year old last season started off by landing a handicap over a mile at Sandown, but when then put into a big field at York over 10.5 furlongs in The John Smith's Cup, he did not perform.

Dropping back to a mile at Kempton he was a fair third and then backed that up by winning for the second time this season at Chelmsford.

The son of Shamardal on his penultimate start of the term went into the Balmoral Handicap over course and distance and it saw him finish a good second behind Njord.

He was last seen back up at 1m2f at Chelmsford in a good handicap and finished a fair third behind the Owen Burrows trained Dawaam.

Although this race is a step up in class, he is a very consistent performer and Sir Michael Stoute has a superb record in this race winning it three times, the last time in 2019.