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Royal Ascot Day 3 summaries - latter half

BRITANNIA

Another candidate for toughest race of the week and hence the reason bookies donate all profits to charity for this one.

Starlore was desperately unlucky at Goodwood recently behind Qirat, everyone saw it which means he's probably a little shorter than he should be, but it's ok for now around 8/1. 

I don't really know how the Irish handicap form measures up against the UK races but Follow Me's last win needs to be seen to be believed. He squeezed up the rail bouncing off a couple of checks and blocks to win his second Irish race on the bounce, having been bought over the winter out of France. Might still have more scope to improve from a small stable.

Dashing Darcey looked a very good type winning at Haydock recently, he must be seriously considered. Volterra and Skukuza come out of the same race at Newmarket in early May. Skukuza ran second but has since won and gets the services of William Buick today, while Volterra won nicely and looks to have scope for plenty more.

STARLORE, Dashing Darcy, Volterra, Skukuza but cases can be made for most of them.

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HAMPTON COURT

Good race this, we have the rising star King's Gambit who dominated the London Gold Cup, a 3yo handicap which traditionally throws up some very good ones. All those who finished behind him went to the King George V instead. Coming from another direction is First Look, a French colt who ran second in the Prix du Jockey Club. Don't dismiss that form.

I liked Al Musmak in the Dante at York but he flopped dismally, first-up from the winter break. I'll trust the trainer here, if something was amiss he wouldn't be here, and his 2yo form was at least as good as any of these. Bracken's Laugh beat King's Gambit on debut last year and has progressed nicely. He gets an upgrade from Finley Marsh to Danny Tudhope here.

KING'S GAMBIT, First Look, Al Musmak, Bracken's Laugh

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BUCKINGHAM PALACE

Percy's Lad ran a nice sixth in this race last year, off 2lbs less, but is now in much better form, winning a handicap at Chester last time out despite a car park draw. English Oak won like an odds-on shot should at Haydock last time and still has scope in his rating to improve, even after a 9lb rise.  Good luck unpicking the rest, Kings Time, Gorak and Divine Libra for the minors.

PERCY'S LAD, English Oak, Kings Time, Gorak


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