20 June 2023 , 05:30
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It's great to be writing for the Daily Mirror during Royal Ascot week, and I hope I can steer you in the direction of a few winners - and tell the odd tale from what’s going on behind the scenes.
With the former in mind, my biggest fancy of the opening day is ISAAC SHELBY in the St James’s Palace Stakes (4.20).
The market is dominated by Guineas winners Chadean and Paddington, but Brian Meehan’s colt looks overpriced.
He did beat Chaldean in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury - admittedly, the 2,000 Guineas winner didn’t have a jockey on at the time! - and he showed he’s a top-class miler when worn down only late on in the French Guineas.
Everyone in racing, perhaps with the exception of his fellow jockeys, will be desperate for Frankie Dettori to have a successful Royal Ascot before he retires in the autumn. And I take Frankie to score aboard INSPIRAL in the opening Queen Anne Stakes (2.30).
Oisin Murphy secures ride in £1.25 million race on return from 14-month ban
She hasn’t run this year, but it was the same story when the Cheveley Park Stud’s filly scorched to victory in the Coronation Stakes last year and Inspiral impressed work-watchers in Newmarket with a recent piece of work.
Someone's kicking off ITV's coverage jumping out of a plane - but it won't be Oli (itv) Elsewhere on the Tuesday card, I fancy ARMY ETHOS to upstage market leaders River Tiber and Asadna in the Coventry Stakes (3.05), but I think the betting has got it right with the Willie Mullins pair BRING ON THE NIGHT in the Ascot Handicap Stakes (5.00) and VAUBAN in the Copper Horse Handicap (6.10).
We had an ITV meeting recently and the producers wanted volunteers to open the coverage by jumping out of a plane.
It might not surprise you to learn that there wasn’t exactly a flurry of hands going up, and you’ll have to wait until the opening credits at 1.30pm to see who drew the short straw.