Day Three Royal Ascot Preview 2023

The first race on Thursday at Royal Ascot is the Group Two Norfolk Stakes over 5f and we are playing two in the race, both with big chances.

The first from a win perspective is the Karl Burke trained Elite Status who is currently unbeaten in both his events to date and he looks a potential superstar.

Seen twice to date the Sheikh Mohammed Obeid Al Maktoum trained two year old is unbeaten heading into Royal Ascot and looks a superstar in waiting.

Making his debut over 5f at Doncaster in May on soft ground he was a three lengths winner showing extreme speed. He was last seen up to Listed level at Sandown on rapid ground and improved for his first run and the new conditions to bolt up five lengths in the National Stakes.

Elite Status looks very exciting for a trainer that thrives with these types.

At a bigger price is the Aidan O'Brien trained His Majesty who has not looked the most straight forward type but if putting it all together could have a say.

Winning the Listed First Flier Stakes over 5f, he looked to need 6f and got that at the Curragh when last seen in the Group Three Marble Stakes when unlucky to finish a neck third.

The 5f at Ascot is very still which should suit him and at a double figure price it would be no surprise for him to give a career best.

The first handicap event of the day on Thursday is the King George V Stakes over 1m4f and we have picked out two runners with each way chances.

The first is the James Ferguson trained Wonder Legend who made his debut last term at Kempton over mile when a good fifth in a race that has worked out well with the first Mostabshir, second Davideo, Fourth Amleto and Wonder Legend all franking the form.

Back in February this year over the same course and distance he bumped into a nice one in Measured Time, but next time out at Wolverhampton got off the mark for his career.

Last seen stepping up in trip to 1m2f at Doncaster on soft ground he went on to bolt up on handicap debut by five lengths with the second since coming out and winning.

Raised heavily for that win to a mark of 94 we are hoping the extra distance on Thursday afternoon brings more improvement and from his pedigree it should do.

At a slightly bigger price is the Ralph Beckett trained Davideo who needed his debut last year in October but improved massively for that next time out when finishing second over a mile in the same race as Wonder Legend finished fifth, only going down to the smart Mostabshir.

Returning this season at Newmarket up to 1m2f he was a very taking winner of a good Maiden Stakes with Vaguely Royal back in second who has since franked the form.

Stepping up in trip making his handicap debut off 92, he could turn out to be on a decent mark.

One of the banker of the day for many comes in the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes over 1m4f and the supplemented Al Asifah could be Shadwell's superstar of the season.

Seen twice to date when making her debut over 1m2f at Haydock she showed her class when bolting up by close to five lengths.

Seen again earlier on this month when upped into Listed class at Goodwood, she again bolted up by close to seven lengths in what visually looked a freakish performance.

With the team looking to strike whilst the iron is hot, they have decided to supplement her for this race and if improving again will take all the beating, with the step up to 1m4f looking to suit her down to the ground.

At a bigger price in the 19 runner race, Warm Heat for trainer Aidan O'Brien should hit the frame with her pedigree suggesting the step up in trip will bring more improvement.

Running once as a juvenile in November last year and finishing a fair fourth at Dundalk when learning a lot for the experience, she was then put away for three year old career.

Returning over a mile on heavy ground at Leopardstown in April she was a fair third behind a nice type for Jessica Harrington, but looked to need a step up in trip.

Upped to 1m2f she got off the mark at Leopardstown revelling in the new trip and next time out she made it back to back wins in the Listed Haras De Bouqetot, outstaying the smart Bluestocking who she takes on again.

Being a well bred daughter of Galileo the step up to 1m4f will be right up her street and at 14/1 she looks big each way value.

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.

An each way alternative in the event is the Willie Mullins trained Echoes In Rain who looked better than ever over hurdles last term and now coming over to the flat can carry that progression on with her sure to stay the trip.

A superb flat performer having form figures of 212 on her last three runs on the level, her latest run on the flat coming at the Curragh in September when a neck second to the well handicapped Waterville in the Irish Cesarewitch.

Seen four times over hurdles since then she has put in three solid runs, winning the Grade Three Limestone Lad Hurdle over two miles at Naas and off the back of that went into the Grade One Mares Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival and ran on well into fourth not liking the soft ground.

Last seen on a quicker surface at the Punchestown festival she bounced back to form in a big way to bolt up by close to 10 lengths in the Grade One Irish Mares Champion Hurdle.

Primed for this event since then she looks a horse who could fill the places.

One of the toughest punting races of the week is the Britannia Stakes Handicap over the straight mile and like many races on Thursday, with a huge field going to post we have two each way angles into the race.

The first is the Harry Eustace trained Docklands who has been a model of consistency throughout his career so far, making his juvenile debut last term at Haydock when finishing a neck second over 7f.

Making his three year old debut at Wolverhampton in March over 8.5f he bumped into the smart Cicero's Gift who has since franked the form.

Back to 7f at Kempton he got off the mark in good fashion when a short price and when seen last time out upped to a mile over course and distance on handicap debut off a mark of 80, he went on to bolt up by close to seven lengths.

Now racing off 14lb higher he will have to improve again but looks a horse that will just keep improving.

At a much bigger price and one as a more speculative bet is the Hughie Morrison trained Royal Cape who holds a lot of solid form this season.

Starting the term off at Kempton in April when a head second to Lose Your Wad over a mile with it looking an above average Maiden.

He then went to Windsor on soft ground and absolutely bolted up by 10 lengths, with Oisin Murphy making a mockery of the field going for home a long way out and it stayed on strongly.

Last seen in the competitive Silver Bowl Handicap over a mile at Haydock, he ran a cracker off a mark of 88 to finish second to the well handicapped Covey.

Only raised 1lb for that and looking to be drawn on the right side of the track, he could make big appeal.

The penultimate event of the afternoon on Thursday is the Group Three Hampton Court Stakes and the race follows the theme of the day having a big field to go at.

The first horse who takes the eye is the John & Thady Gosden trained Torito who looks to be going from strength to strength this season.

Seen once as a juvenile when third of 14 in a Maiden on debut at Newbury over a mile of soft ground only going down by a length, he was then put away for this season.

Returning at Nottingham in April when getting off the mark in a three runner Novice Stakes over 8.5f again on soft ground, he then stepped up in trip at Sandown when last seen finishing a good second to the talented Artistic Star.

Making his handicap debut off a mark of 95 at Epsom when last seen he looked a Group horse in a handicap and he was just thought going on to win cosily.

He now steps up to more his grade in this event and if on an upward curve could go close.

Another interesting runner in the field is the Jack Channon trained Caernarfon who has taken her form to a new level this season and now dropping into a Group Three could continue her good run.

A winner of a good Fillies' Listed event over a mile at Newmarket on her final run of last season, this term she has been seen on two occasions both to good effect.

Making her three year old debut over a mile when a good fourth of 20 runners behind the likes of Mawj and Tahiyra in the Group One 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.

She was then sent up in trip to 1m4f in the Epsom Oaks and ran another cracker only two lengths back in third behind Soul Sister and Savethelastdance.

Now trying 1m2f it looks as though it will suit and having superb place form in two big Group Ones this term, getting the sex allowance she looks an attractive price at 10/1.

The final event on the third day of Royal Ascot 2023 is the highly competitive Buckingham Palace Stakes over seven furlongs and we have picked out two to keep an eye on.

We like the look of the Ralph Beckett trained Biggles who has gone from strength to strength of late in handicap company and although higher in the weights looks to still be improving.

Highly consistent throughout the last few seasons, last year he saw himself on a mark of 87 at Chepstow in August and put up a good performance to land the Class 4 event by a head.

Upped into Class 3 company at Newbury in October on soft ground he made it back to back wins, easily seeing off a decent handicapper for Richard Hannon giving over a stone away.

Getting his chance in a Class 2 at Doncaster at the end of the season on heavy ground he finished a close second to Baradar for George Boughey, giving him 6lb on heavy ground.

Making his seasonal debut at Haydock on good ground in a decent handicap over 7f he ran a cracker to finish a close third giving weight away to the two in front.

Last time out he was seen at Ascot over C&D when second on soft ground to Rebel Territory off the same mark and drawn in a good position racing off 100 again he could get in the frame.

At a much bigger price is the James Horton trained Rhythm Master who is the third highest rated in the field but he could be a class above some of these.

Making a superb seasonal debut over 7f at Kempton when narrowly being beaten by a smart type in Mount Athos giving 7lb away, he races off the same mark here and could go close at a big price with that form looking strong.