By Ed Culham
AS HAS become the norm at Royal Ascot, the five-day meeting gets underway with the Queen Anne Stakes (2.30pm) and this year’s renewal, on paper at least, looks a cracker.
The market is finding it hard to split Inspiral and MODERN GAMES, but while I respect the former hugely, I’m firmly in the latter’s camp.
For a horse that has won five Group Ones, Modern Games doesn’t really get the credit he deserves and perhaps that’s because the British public haven’t seen an awful lot of the son of Dubawi, particularly over the last couple of seasons.
There’s also the fact that only one of his Group One victories have come in this country – the Lockinge at Newbury when last seen.
I was impressed with how he won that, particularly given one of his rivals tried to take a chunk out of him on the run-in.
He’ll love the conditions and with race fitness on his side, I think he’ll take all the beating at 15/8 with Star Sports.
A quick word on market rival Inspiral, who will have plenty of supporters.
She was due to begin her season in the Lockinge, so it was clear connections were keen to get a run into her before this, and although she won the Coronation Stakes impressively on her seasonal bow last year, this is a much harder task against the boys.
With the World Pool in action for every race this week, I’ll be looking to back Modern Games in a Quinella with CHINDIT and BERKSHIRE SHADOW.
Chindit tends to save his best for Ascot having won three times at the Berkshire track and he’s very effective on fast ground.
He ran a cracker to finish second to Modern Games in the Lockinge last time and I don’t see any reason why he can’t be there or thereabouts again.
A gelding operation seems to have worked wonders for Berkshire Shadow as we’ve seen a horse much closer to the one that won the 2021 Coventry so far this season.
He backed up two wins with a great third in the Lockinge last time and I can see him outrunning his odds, with conditions likely to suit.
He’s ridden by Oisin Murphy and I expect the former UK Champion Jockey to have a good opening day as I like the look of BUCKAROO in the Wolferton Stakes (5.35pm) later on the card.
Joseph O’Brien’s colt has always been well-regarded and has already tasted success twice in Listed company.
The most recent of those came on his seasonal reappearance at Leopardstown where he just held off the highly-talented Homeless Songs.
That’s rock-solid form, as is his neck fourth in the Group One Prix d’Ispahan when we last saw him, so he should go really well in this.
There has been lots of money for Frankie Dettori’s mount, Saga, but I wonder if that’s more as a result of the fact he’s ridden by Dettori and the fact he’s owned by The King as opposed to his overall level of form.
He’s a talented animal, but it slightly depends what side of the bed he gets out of, and he looks short enough at 7/2 with Star Sports.
Buckaroo does have a three-pound penalty, but I still think he looks a very solid each-way play at 13/2 with Star Sports.
POINTERS
Modern Games 2.30pm Royal Ascot
Modern Games, Chindit, Berkshire Shadow (World Pool Quinella) 2.30pm Royal Ascot
Buckaroo e/w 5.35pm Royal Ascot
