Royal Ascot Day One Tips – CopyBet

A major day in the life of Colin Keane as the six-time Irish champion jockey partners with FIELD OF GOLD on this grand stage. Keane has won big races at home and abroad and is very experienced, but he’ll feel an extra layer of pressure so soon after being appointed as retained rider for the Juddmonte operation.

This is the first of some big mounts he has this week and, thankfully, he has positive experience on the Kingman colt. Their emphatic success in the Irish 2000 Guineas confirmed Field Of Gold to be a top-class miler.

He was widely considered an unlucky loser in the Guineas at Newmarket, finishing fast behind Ruling Court. They meet again now and on the Curragh evidence, Keane’s partner is well placed to turn things around.

A plethora of Irish-trained horses are lingering atop the market for the Ascot Stakes, with Willie Mullins saddling Reaching High and Poniros, but James Owen can trump them with EAST INDIA DOCK.

He was nailed late on by Poniros in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, but has since won the Chester Cup in good style last month back on the Flat, picking off the progressive Caballo De Mar late on with some of these rivals behind.

The runner-up franked that form soon after at Haydock and while he’s rated 8lb higher now, James Doyle’s partner may have more to come up at this sort of trip and can go in again.

There could be some value in forgiving AESTERIUS a poor comeback run in the Listed Westow Stakes last month at York (5f, good to firm).

He was all too keen in the early part of that race and the petrol light duly flashed some way from home, after which William Buick allowed him to complete the race without giving him a hard time.

The Wathnan Racing-owned Mehmas colt won four times last season from his first six runs, including the Group 2 Flying Childers at Doncaster (5f, good) in September.

His comeback from 195 days out may have been needed and he could run a big race now. This is his first crack in Group 1 company but Lady Aurelia and Bradsell have won this as three-year-olds in recent times and James McDonald takes over now for trainer Archie Watson.

He’s a big price and perhaps too much is being read into last month’s comeback effort.