Kevin’s at Ascot on Saturday for Sky Sports Racing and here reveals three best bets on the King George undercard.
Published 9:37 & 17:33 – 24/07
The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, live on Sky Sports Racing, at Ascot on Saturday is one of the highlights of the summer season. Ascot is just a glorious place to go racing in general, but when it hosts world-class racing there really is no better venue.
The main event takes place at 3:35 and it truly is a tremendous contest. I have gone through it in detail via a runner-by-runner preview elsewhere on our dedicated microsite and you can read that here. With that race covered off, I will focus on the supporting card.
Watch every race from King George Weekend at Ascot live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 512) on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th July.
The Longines Valiant Stakes (2:20) is a fascinating race and while most of the attention is likely to be on the Owen Burrows-trained , my preference is for the Willie McCreery-trained SKYDANCE.
The daughter of Night Of Thunder kept exceptionally strong company last season and acquitted herself well, finishing in the frame in both Group 3 and Group 2 company prior to running a fine race to be beaten just 3¾ lengths in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.
Stepped up to a mile for her seasonal return in a maiden at Leopardstown, she took a very notable scalp when getting the better of Thundering On by a short-head. She may have help a slight edge on the day by coming down what might well have been a favoured outside line, but the merit in what she achieved has very much been advertised by the winner since, with her having won the Oaks.
This round mile should suit her well and while she has obviously had a little hold-up since her winning return, her connections wouldn’t be travelling her over for this contest bar they felt she was in top order. She is a very interesting contender.
There are some unexposed three-year-olds in the Moet & Chandon International Handicap (2:55) that are likely to be very popular in the market, but my preference is for more hardened contenders and the one that makes the most appeal to me is the Harry Charlton-trained COMPLETELY RANDOM.
The five-year-old was trained to peak for the Wokingham at Royal Ascot and ran huge on the day, arguably being a little bit unlucky not to win, with him ultimately coming up a head short of Double Rush.
He responded really well to first-time cheekpieces that day and he looks as though he is ready to carry the best of his form up to seven furlongs now. He appeals as being drawn in the right part of the track and while a career-best effort will be required off a 4lb higher mark, he might well be capable of delivering it.
The concluding Whispering Angel Handicap (5:20) is a typically competitive sprint handicap for this track and cases can be made for most. The one I’ve landed on is the Geoff Harker-trained SIR YOSHI. The four-year-old was a smart sprinter for David Marnane and has taken his time to find his feet since joining Harker, but he has been slipping down the ratings quite quickly and there was distinct promise of a return to form in his latest outing at Pontefract.
Having attracted market support, he made up significant late ground from the rear. This course and distance promises to suit him well and while he would ideally be drawn higher, his run style might well allow him to switch towards the middle of the pack before launching a late bid.
Kevin Blake’s Best Bets
2:20 ASCOT, SATURDAY – LONGINES VALIANT STAKES
SKYDANCE (10-1 William Hill, 17-2 bet365, 8-1 general)
2:55 ASCOT, SATURDAY – MOET & CHANDON INTERNATIONAL HANDICAP
COMPLETELY RANDOM (8-1 bet365, William Hill, 15-2 Paddy Power, Sky Bet, 7-1 Betfair Sportsbook, 13-2 general)
5:20 ASCOT, SATURDAY – WHISPERING ANGEL HANDICAP
SIR YOSHI (9-1 Betfair Sportsbook, Betway, Paddy Power, Sky Bet, 17-2 general)
Watch every race from King George Weekend at Ascot live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 512) on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th July.
