RECOMMENDED BETS
1pt win Justonefortheroad in 15.55 Ascot at 40/1 (Bodog).
1pt win Highland Colori in 15.55 Ascot at 16/1 (BetVictor).
1pt win Switzerland in 15.45 Newmarket at 16/1 (BetVictor).
It's a high-class renewal of the King George at Ascot on Saturday and stamina could be the order of the day over the stiff mile and a half in soft ground.
That brings Dunaden into it, but I'm not convinced he'll reverse Hardwicke form with Sea Moon who looks an improved horse this season and must go close if handling the ground.
There's no reason to think he won't, other than he hasn't run in such conditions since winning on heavy at two, and I think he's probably the one to beat.
It is a concern that it's only two weeks since Nathaniel won the Eclipse and St Nicholas Abbey hasn't gone well on these type of conditions since he was himself a juvenile.
100/30 about Sea Moon is fair but no more than that and as usual we'll look to the big handicaps in the hope of making the weekend one to remember.
The Betfair Summer Double International Stakes is very competitive and you can make a case for plenty in the field but at the prices there isn't a horse in the line-up that appeals to me more than JUSTONEFORTHEROAD at 40/1.
Richard Fahey's yard is flying at the moment and this horse is 'in the form of his life' at home which reflects his efforts on the track on his three runs prior to Royal Ascot.
He won easily at Musselburgh off a mark of 93 despite finding trouble and then followed that up at Thirsk in a conditions race, beating a couple of rivals rated in the low 100s.
Both of those races were over seven furlongs and next time, up in trip to a mile, he was far from disgraced at York when chasing home some high-class horses including Hunt Cup winner Prince Of Johanne.
The only time his form has dipped was at Royal Ascot last time, behind Prince Of Johanne in the Hunt Cup, but he was drawn badly that day and was beaten much further by the winner despite a pull at the weights.
That's enough to convince me it's worth drawing a line through that run and if you do that he's not a 40/1 chance, especially when you consider he'll be absolutely fine on the ground.
I understand many of you would only contemplate an each-way bet at such a price and that's fine, but I don't want to have too many points on the race and would rather split stakes on HIGHLAND COLORI.
The case for him is an obvious one. He's an in-form, progressive, uncomplicated horse who is massively unexposed at the trip and is trained by one of the best in the business in Andrew Balding.
Saved for a big pot since his last win at Sandown at the end of May, he's improved rapidly since moving to Kingsclere and he also thrives on ground with cut in it.
Drawn in stall one, he could be hard to peg back against the far rail especially with plenty of hold-up perfromers in the field.
At 16/1, I simply can't let him go unbacked.
Finally, over at Newmarket I'm very keen on the chances of SWITZERLAND in the Get Your Bet On At Blue Square Handicap at 16/1.
This horse has only run on genuine soft ground once and he was beaten less than a length at Chester off a 4lb-lower mark.
That was over seven furlongs, doing his best work at the finish so the combination of soft conditions, a mile and the dropping mark are all positives for him here.
He has been running over a mile and further since that Chester third, but significantly they were on faster ground and one of those performances - when beaten four lengths by Gabrial at Haydock - was an excellent effort.
Tried in blinkers last time, he raced away from the main group and it's just one of those runs you have to put a line through.
I think the handicapper has overreacted by dropping him 5lbs for that run and so have the bookies. Back him at 16s.
