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The Timeform Expert's View: Day Two's Best Bets
Posted in: Royal Ascot Tips
Timeform's Nick Seddon provides his best bet, next best and best longshot on the day two of Royal Ascot 2019, which includes a 40/1 shot in the Royal Hunt Cup.
Nap: Pretty Baby, Duke of Cambridge Stakes, (16:20 Ascot)
This year’s renewal of the Duke of Cambridge Stakes is an open one, though Pretty Baby makes plenty of appeal. It’s very difficult to knock what she’s done on the track so far, considering that she’s won five of her seven outings, having valid excuses for both of her defeats. Having shown smart form as a three-year-old, she didn’t need to improve to make a winning return in a Group 3 contest at Lingfield last month, but there was plenty to like about that reappearance run; considering that she showed battling qualities to get the job done, and proved her effectiveness on softer ground. Pretty Baby is still unexposed after seven starts, and she could well be open to more improvement yet. As such, she’s fancied to build on that excellent reappearance run by extending her fine tally of career wins to six.
Next Best: Norway, Queen’s Vase, (15:05 Ascot)
If you trust the betting, Norway was sixth in the pecking order of the Ballydoyle battalion for the Epsom Derby, though there was a lot to like about his performance considering he was part of the pace-making team, pressing on when teammate Sovereign had nothing left three out before fading inside the final couple of furlongs. He was a distant second to Sir Dragonet in the Chester Vase prior to that, but the way he kept on that day suggests that the step up in trip here will suit, and he sets the standard in this on form. Both Kew Gardens and Stradivarius won this on route to winning the St Leger, and Norway could well make up into a Leger contender himself.
Longshot: Mitchum Swagger, Royal Hunt Cup, (17:00 Ascot)
As you would expect, the Royal Hunt Cup is blisteringly competitive, and although New Graduate’s claims are obvious, the fact that only two favourites have obliged in this race in my lifetime means it makes sense to find an alternative at a bigger price. One who makes each-way appeal is Mitchum Swagger, who drops back into handicap company having been campaigned at higher levels of late. He’s been in good form, though, finishing a solid fifth in the John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock last time, and the forecast very strong pace here should play to his strengths. Indeed, he flew from the back when finishing third in this race back in 2016, and he should run well once again off just 1 lb higher this time around.
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