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Royal Ascot Looms

June 13th, 2019 | Marten's Current Racing Diary

Hi there!

Well what a contrast to last year, when we were enjoying record-breaking temperatures soaring into the high 30s!

By contrast I am writing this soon after news that Uttoxeter and Haydock have been abandoned, with standing water at both tracks having endured more than an average month’s rainfall in 48 hours.

The big question is, of course, how will this affect Royal Ascot, which starts on Tuesday?

The ground at the moment, writing on Thursday, is given as ‘good to soft’ but light showers are predicted there for the rest of today and Sunday followed by a couple of brighter days until the rain returns on Wednesday and Thursday.

What we can say for certain is that the ground will not be riding fast, with underfoot conditions likely to suit the soft-ground specialists.

The possible return clash of Irish Guineas winner Phoenix of Spain and Too Darn Hot, who will be joined by ‘dark horse’ King of Comedy, in Tuesday’s St James’s Palace Stakes will be well worth watching, while Lord Glitters will have the ease in the ground he’s always needed if he runs in the opening Queen Anne Stakes.

The highlight on Wednesday is the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, with Magical up against Sea of Class, Crystal Ocean, last year’s Derby winner Masar and French raider Waldgeist. The state of the ground could have a big bearing on the outcome of this race.

The extraordinary Stradivarius has Dee Ex Bee and Cross Counter to contend with in Thursday’s Gold Cup while Ten Sovereigns returns to sprinting in the Commonwealth Cup on Friday. It will be interesting to see how dual-Guineas winner Hermosa gets on with the progressive Jubiloso if they meet in the Coronation Stakes.

As usual I am writing an Online Preview for each of the five days, available to view the night before. Please refer to the shop on this website for further details.

Bye for now

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