Expecting a big run from improving Benvenuto Cellini

Ascot: Race 2 | G3 Princess Margaret Stakes

DEE’S FUNNY GIRL is having her first run since moving to Donnacha [O’Brien]. 

I thought her run in the Albany, where she finished sixth, was very respectable. She had Dark Issue in front of her that day but remains open to improvement. 

It looks a good race, with Alta Regina, who wasn’t beaten far in the Queen Mary, and the Windsor Castle runner-up, Moonrise, obvious contenders. 

Ascot: Race 3 | G3 Valiant Stakes

I’ve not ridden KON TIKI before. She started off her career well last year with three wins including in Listed company at York.  

Though she hasn’t won this season, she’s been beaten by Blue Bolt on both occasions which I think is very solid form. 

She ran well when fourth over course and distance in the Duke of Cambridge and can hopefully take another step forward. 

Touleen is likely to be a short-priced favourite. Her second to Precise in the Coronation is a good piece of form and she’s probably the one we all have to beat. 

Skydance is also an interesting runner. She won on her seasonal reappearance back in April but hasn’t been seen since. 

Ascot: Race 4 | 3yo+ Handicap

I won a couple of races on the all-weather with COMPLETELY RANDOM earlier in the year and he then ran a massive race to finish second in the Wokingham at the Royal meeting. 

His best form has been over 1200m but he looks like he’ll get 1400m. 

It’s a very strong handicap and I think Extremely Zain is going to be hard to beat – he looks like a Group horse to me. 

Mezcala, who won the Buckingham Palace over course and distance at the Royal meeting, and the first two home from the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket – Aalto and Back In Black – are the other obvious ones in here. 

It’s not as big a field as this race sometimes is but it’s a very good race and I’d say the favourite will be very hard to beat. 

Ascot: Race 5 | G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes

We’re still learning about  BENVENUTO CELLINI and he’s open to further improvement. 

I think the 2400m on quick ground at Ascot will suit him well and we’re in receipt of 12lbs from the older horses which is a significant chunk of weight. I’m expecting a big run from him. 

We also run Minnie Hauk, who ran a great race to be second in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. 

Stepping back up to 2400m will give her really strong claims here. Though she was slightly disappointing on her second start of the year at the Curragh, she’s back going well now and I can see her running a big race. 

Calandagan looks the likely favourite. He won the race last year and has put together a really impressive race record, with his only defeats in the last year coming at Epsom. He sets a high standard. 

Masquerade Ball re-opposes him having finished second in the Japan Cup. He was then second to Romantic Warrior in the QEII CUP at Sha Tin, where I don’t think he was suited by the way the race panned out. We might see better from him stepping up to 2400m. 

The second and third from the Hardwicke, Kalpana and Goliath, are also in here. Goliath looked a bit unlucky that day as Christophe [Soumillon] lost his irons, and we know he goes well at Ascot having won this race two years ago. 

Kalpana also has a good record at Ascot and has a chance too. 