Poll: Which Royal Ascot opening day jolly is the one to Bismarck?
Day One of Royal Ascot has many similarities with the opening day of Cheltenham, with four highly fancied favourites looking to get punters off to the best possible start.
But, for those who lumped on the Willie Mullins four-fold at Prestbury Park will know all too well not to count those readies until they are tucked away in your top pocket, as something can always let you down.
Four favourites obliging in the opening quartet of races could spell trouble for the bookmakers, but could one let the backers down?
We want to know for today’s poll, which short-priced favourite is most likely to get turned over in Berkshire today.
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Freddy Head’s gelding was very taking in winning the Dubai Turf at Meydan before going on to run out a comfortable winner against some smart types at Longchamp.
His handler has said he is a better horse now than he was last year, but with plenty of challengers, including Hong Kong superstar Able Friend set to tackle him, could he be left wanting?
Jim Bolger isn’t usually as bullish about his horses but has described Round Two as “everything you would like in a racehorse”, before going on to say “if you wouldn’t get excited by him, you just wouldn’t be alive”.
The two-year-old has been impressive in winning his two races to date, with subsequent winners in behind, but this does look a red-hot renewal of the Coventry.
Sole Power – King’s Stand Stakes
The favourite much of the racing public would like to see, as Edward Lynam’s sprint king looks to make history and become the first horse to win the King’s Stand three times.
His hold-up tactics have come undone in the past, and he will need the gaps to open at the right time to be able to weave his way through the field in the closing stages.
Gleneagles – St James’s Palace Stakes
The UK and Irish 2000 Guineas winner has never been visually brilliant, but it is the manner in which he grinds it out and gets the job done that stands him out above the rest.
A new challenge is set to become of him today, with the Poules d’Essain des Poulains winner Make Believe and the improving Sir Michael-Stoute trained Consort two new contenders for Aidan O’Brien’s colt to deal with.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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