Well, time for the Shergar cup again today...It's always the meeting that is the most fun to watch however it is also the meeting where you'll be cursing the jockeys more than any other time.
The Japanese jockeys are very good jockeys in their own right but Yatuka Take will without doubt be throoughly outclassed on the track here today. the Japanese jockeys have always been crap at Ascot unless they are on one of their superhorses and he doesn't have a superhorse under him today.
Frankie never wins enough at this meeting and it ussually the UK jockeys that win the thing outright. However the setup has changed this year and there's 4 teams now so no point in lumping on the UK jockeys...but there's a good reason to only look at horses with UK jockeys on.
that's why I will be focussing on Jimmy Fortune today. I reckon out of the UK jockeys he's the best and it's the jockey that swings things at this meeting.
He's got 2 nice rides; in the 1.10 he's on Dream Eater who at roundabout 12-1 is a decent price. the one thing that puts me off his the trainer. Andrew Balding is a very average trainer at best and he's not getting the best out of this horse. Coasting is the shortpriced favourite in this race and on all form should win but I don't know enough about his jockey to think he won't F it up. Anotehr one with a decent shout is Burnwynd Boy who with J Bownman on board does have a good jockey riding him.
the main bet at Ascot has to be Our Faye @11-4 in the 1.45 and I reckon that's Jimmy's points in the bag there.
At Haydock, Stamford Blue has a decent shout in the 3.45 if forgiven his last run on heavy ground and 11-1 ish is tempting enough for me.
in the 3.05 Sam's Secret is drifting out to 7-2 and I have no idea why ..but I reckon 7-2 is too big.
so that's my three picks and Our Faye is the main one
BTW..the Mrs is on Greenwich meantime at Ascot today..but she's been running incredibly cold over the past few months...
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