Royal Ascot Day Five Preview 2021

The first race on the final day of the meeting is the Listed Chesham Stakes over seven furlongs and we can't look past the favourite Point Lonsdale for Aidan O'Brien.

The two year old son of Australia made his debut over seven furlongs at The Curragh and was an emphatic winner of the event, scoring by close to six lengths.

With the performance being extremely taking, it also has big merit behind it when it comes to going for the Chesham next as it was the same race last year that Battleground won before heading into the same race at the royal meeting.

Exciting prospect.

The Group Three Jersey Stakes is up next over seven furlongs and we are giving another chance to the smart Mutasaabeq for trainer Charles Hills.

The three year old was raced once as a juvenile on heavy ground at Newmarket and he ran out a good winner of a Novice Stakes, seeing off some smart rivals.

This season he picked up from where he left off by emphatically winning a Conditions Stakes over the same course and distance as his debut win, seeing off the expensive Noble Dynasty by an eased down six lengths.

Hills then decided to supplement him for the 2000 Guineas and on extremely quick ground he did not handle it well and could only finish mid-field.

Getting back on to a softer surface where he has form he could be the pick of this field.

The Group Two Hardwicke Stakes is always a special event every season and we are sticking with he mud lover Wonderful Tonight for David Menuisier.

The four year old daughter of Le Havre has been a revelation over the last few season for the yard, getting onto soft/heavy ground and revelling in it.

Having landed a Group Three at Deauville in August on heavy ground, he then went into the Group One Prix Vermeille at Paris Longchamp and the good ground went against him.

Stepped up to 1m6f in October he landed the Group One Prix de Royallieu at the Arc meeting on heavy ground and then later that month back that up with a career best performance over 12f in the British Champions Fillies & Mares at Ascot, when landing another Group One on heavy ground.

The rain has lashed down in Berkshire and he looks to have his ideal conditions if being fully wound up on his first start since October.

The feature race of the day is the Group One Diamond Jubilee Stakes over six furlongs and we can't look past the Sir Michael Stoute trained Dream Of Dreams.

The seven year old should be looked back on in his career as being a dual Diamond Jubilee winner at the royal meeting but having been beaten twice in a photo finish, he is one of the hard luck stories in racing.

Saying that both those were superb runs, especially on soft ground where he has shown clear speed to be able to mix it with the best in the sport and he now looks to be heading back to Ascot in June for a third crack at the Group One event.

Last year the sprinter put in some career best performances, when winning the Group Two Hungerford Stakes at Newbury and then backed that up by taking the Group One Sprint Cup at Haydock.

The gelding returned this term in a three runner Listed event at Windsor and ran out an easy winner, with the event used as a pipe cleaner for the big one at Ascot.

He is one of few in the field that holds soft ground form and that could be the difference for him in this race.

The Wokingham Stakes over six furlongs sees a huge field head to post and we think the value lies with the James Fanshawe trained Fresh.

The four year old son of Bated Breath seems to take to 6f round Ascot, especially with cut in the ground and for that reason he could have the edge on some of these.

Back in October 2020 he finished a good second over course and distance on soft ground and then backed that up at Newcastle with another solid runner up performance.

He returned this year needing the run at Kempton, but last time out over C&D he got off the mark for the term when taking an 18 runner handicap.

Having soft ground and big field experience at Ascot he looks an obvious each way bet in this field, also only being 5lb higher for his latest victory, he makes big appeal.

The Golden Gates Handicap over 1m2f looks a very competitive affair and for that reason we have picked out two each way pokes.

The first is the is the Mark Johnston trained King Frankel who is highly consistent and was very unlucky last time out.

The three year old during his seven race career has placed in six events winning one of them and this term has been steadily going up in the handicap having performed well in good events.

Having won at Pontefract in November, he then finished a good second behind the exciting Bay Bridge for Sir Michael Stoute at Newbury.

Last time out he was seen doing everything wrong at the start of the race at Epsom, but late on flew home to just be beaten in a photo-finish.

He has only gone up 3lb for that run and with the rain falling at Ascot and him having performed well on heavy ground, he could be a live player.

At a bigger price in the race is the Richard Fahey trained Pythagoras, who has Listed and Group form and could be a class above dropping into a handicap.

The three year old son of Zoffany was seen five times as a juvenile, placing on debut and then winning three decent events, including a Listed event on his final two year old start.

Pythagoras returned for his seasonal debut at Epsom in the Listed Blue Riband Trial and finished a narrow fourth behind some nice types.

Last time out the colt was seen in the Group Two Dante Stakes at York finishing sixth of 10, with the form of the race not looking all that bad.

This is a much easier event and he could well be well in off a mark of 101.

The final selection of the meeting comes in the Queen Alexandra Stakes over a marathon trip and the favourite Falcon Eight is very hard to overlook with Frankie Dettori in the saddle.

The Dermot Weld trained son of Galileo is a stout stayer from a family that is known for running over longer distances and so far during his career he has shown bundles of staying ability.

Having ran to a fair level last term, this season he gave a career best performance at Chester on seasonal debut when landing the Chester Cup over 2m 2 1/2f with ease.

He has gone up 6lb for that win but did seem to have plenty in hand and having handled soft ground in the past he should be in the mix.