Royal Ascot handicaps: Three to follow

Mutamaasik – Buckingham Palace Handicap (1.15pm, Tuesday 16 June)

Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum looks to hold a strong hand in the curtain-raiser to the meeting, with Daarik and Mutamaasik both featuring prominently in the betting. The former was impressive on his handicap debut/reappearance at Newcastle, but preference is for Mutamaasik, who was last seen completing a four-timer at Doncaster in September. Those wins were all achieved over this trip, and the last of them on Town Moor identified him as one with the potential to make his presence felt at an even higher level, showing form verging on smart to land the spoils by a short head (value for extra). He certainly showed enough to suggest a 3 lb higher mark is workable, with the scope for further progress, and this looks a good starting point for him on the way to bigger and better things.

A promising horse going from strength to strength - Mutamaasik lands the four-timer for @JimCrowley1978 and @varianstable in a thrilling finale to day two of the #WHStLeger Festival at @DoncasterRaces! pic.twitter.com/q5Fae0OINb

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 12, 2019

True Destiny – Ascot Stakes (4.40pm, Tuesday 16 June)

True Destiny makes most appeal in the absence of any runners from the Willie Mullins yard that has won four of the last seven renewals of this race. Trained by Roger Charlton, True Destiny was a progressive stayer in 2019, winning three times and signing off with a good third over this trip at Goodwood last July. That represented comfortably the toughest test of his career and he shaped well in defeat, looking ill at ease on the track but doing his best work at the finish to be beaten just a length into third behind Timoshenko. Admittedly, the fact we didn't see him again last season suggests he hasn't been the most straightforward to train, but he should be well suited by the demands of this race if arriving in anything like top form, a thorough stayer who remains on a good mark.

11111-1

Timoshenko, unbeaten in handicaps and a mighty return in the £50,000 Unibet Goodwood Handicap! #QGF #GloriousGoodwood @Luke_Morris88 @HeathHouseNkt @MprUpdates pic.twitter.com/dhOXBxHuqb

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 31, 2019

Montatham – Royal Hunt Cup (3.35pm, Wednesday 17 June)

Another interesting runner at the meeting for Sheikh Hamdan is Montatham, who confirmed earlier promise with a ready success on his recent reappearance at Newmarket. Although beaten on his first three handicap starts in 2019, Montatham ended the season with an air of unfinished about him, and he proved that point in no uncertain terms on his return to action, looking much more like the finished article after a gelding operation as he forged clear in the final furlong to win by three lengths. Clearly, this demands more (up significantly in grade after an 8 lb rise in the weights), but the feeling remains that we've barely scratched the surface of his potential, with a strongly-run race at this trip expected to play to his strengths (likely to stay further).

Easy!

Montatham (5-2F) looks set for bigger things after a cosy success for Jim Crowley and William Haggas at @NewmarketRace

Results ➡ https://t.co/glajGV55GR pic.twitter.com/Awu7sF9UwV

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 6, 2020