Royal Ascot 5.00 Wokingham Stakes

As the final day of Royal Ascot arrives, things don’t get any easier for the betting public with, traditionally, one of the most competitive sprint handicaps of the year taking place. 

 

The Wokingham is run over the straight 6 furlongs and the key is to find either something progressive or something well proven in races of this nature. Ascot form can also be important as can be the draw. 

 

The ground is the other factor to consider and, after a very warm and dry start to the week when fast ground horses were at an advantage, Friday saw an absolute deluge hit the track and, although this course dries quickly, conditions are likely to be very testing and, perhaps, a big tacky. The ability to get further than this trip could, therefore, be important. 

 

The betting market is really made by the current favourite KINGS LYNN who appears here just 4 days after a somewhat unlucky run in The Kings Stand on Tuesday. His path was blocked at a crucial stage in that contest and, although he probably wouldn’t have beaten the winner, it may have cost him a position in the places. He has always been well thought of by connections and steps back into handicap company here off a 7lbs lower mark than his official mark so could be thrown in at the weights. He tackles the extra furlong here for the first time this season but has often finished off races strongly and did win over slightly further at Doncaster last season. 

 

A horse who has some good form at this track is TIS MARVELLOUS and this 7 year-old has placed twice in this contest previously. He finished 4^th in 2018 and was then 2^nd in 2019 when a tip for this service. He runs from the same mark as two years ago but has won from higher marks than this in the past. He is an extremely consistent performer at Ascot and, in eight runs here has never finished worse than 6^th place. That came in a strong renewal of The Commonwealth Cup in 2017 and, whilst he has also finished 4^th in The Kings Stand, his form in handicaps here is 4-1-2-1. I have always considered him better on a fast surface and his optimum trip looks to be 5f but he has to warrant respect given his course form. 

 

Before the rain arrived, I must confess, I was quite keen on the chances of REPARTEE who represents last year’s winning trainer Kevin Ryan. He didn’t seem to stay 7f last time out at Newmarket and was, subsequently, given a wind operation. The step back to this distance looks to be the right move and, with him dropped 2lbs, he looks to have been saved for this contest. The owners, who had the winner two years ago, also had another strong contender entered at the 5-day stage but the fact that they go with this 4 year-old is a vote of confidence. The rain in the last 24 hours or so, however, could have scuppered plans and, with the horse having been withdrawn on soft going twice in the past, it would not be a surprise if he were not to line up here. 

 

The ability to handle conditions here is going to be important and, for that reason, my short-list is, primarily, made up of horses with soft ground form. 

One who certainly fits that criteria is AIR RAID. In fact, you could say he is dependent on it. In eight runs on soft or heavy ground he has won five times whereas he is just one win from his other thirteen starts. He is one of the likely pace-setters in here and led his group for two-thirds of this contest last year before fading. The ground was much quicker that day plus it was his seasonal debut so he may have needed the race. He has had one run this season, at Haydock, so should be fitter this time round with conditions to suit. 

 

Another who loves the mud is SNAZZY JAZZY. He makes his stable debut here, having left Clive Cox, and is a former winner of the Ayr Silver Cup. He has won four of his seven starts on soft or heavy going and has only finished out the first three once in such conditions, with that run coming over 7f. He is top weight here and, although he does get the services of the excellent Laura Pearson taking off 5lbs to ease the burden, he faces a stiff task here. 

 

The one 3 year-old in the race, ROHAAN, won on heavy ground last time at Haydock, beating the smart Dragon Symbol, and, after a busy winter on the all-weather, has improved markedly on turf this season. The win at Haydock was in a Group 2 contest and he won a Group 3 over this course-and-distance prior to that.  

 

The old boy DANZENO won on soft ground eight years ago, as a 2 year-old, and he makes his seasonal debut here having done similar last year when he finished 9^th. This will actually be his 5^th attempt in the race having previously finished 5^th and 3^rd in a couple of renewals. He has gone well fresh in the past and the jockey, who takes off 3lbs, has finished 2^nd on each of the three occasions he has been aboard. 

 

Drawn next to DANZENO near the stands rail is another veteran sprinter in the shape of MR LUPTON. He is an admirable horse who showed himself to be as good as ever last time when winning at York. He has, however, gone up 4lbs for that, which makes life tougher here as a result, but he shouldn’t mind the deep ground too much, with the stable having been badly impacted by an issue with oil seed rape in nearby field last season, the trainer’s horses are running much better this year. 

 

MR LUPTON had four of today’s rivals in behind him at York and one of those was ABERAMA GOLD. He finished 8^th there and that was a rare disappointing performance from a horse who has been kept busy since racing returned from the Covid-enforced break last June. He is another who goes well in soft conditions, with two wins from five runs, and is back down to a mark that is 1lb below that he last won off. He finished ahead of three of his rivals today in a listed contest at Doncaster, in soft conditions, in November and has twice beaten KINGS LYNN yet finds himself a much bigger price here. He shaped well in first-time cheekpieces last time at Epsom and they are retained here. 

 

Just in behind ABERAMA GOLD at Epsom was LEXINGTON DASH and he had, actually, got the better of Keith Dalgleish’s horse the time before at Doncaster. That race, however, was run on good to firm ground and he was in receipt of 7lbs so he does need more here to beat that rival once more. 

 

This race was won last year by HEY JONESY and he lines up off just 1lb higher here. With regular jockey Kevin Stott on the injured list, his partner Megan Nicholls takes the ride and she was on board when the horse ran his best race since last year’s renewal when coming 3^rd at Chester last time out. That race came over 7 ½ f and his ability to stay the extra distance could be a help here in these conditions. 

 

Another horse with an excellent strike-rate in soft underfoot conditions is PENDLETON. Michael Dods’ 5 year-old is ultra consistent and has never finished worse than 5^th in any of his thirteen races so far. He has only won three times but has finished 2^nd on seven occasions and he is a progressive sprinter. He finished 2^nd over this course-and-distance last month, behind FRESH who re-opposes here, but he probably raced a little too keenly that day and it was also seasonal debut. He showed the benefit of the run by winning next time at York over 5 furlongs in soft ground. He challenged late and ran on well through the line beating Sunday Sovereign. He’s up 6lb here but looks to still be improving and his shrewd trainer has a good strike-rate with his horses here at Ascot. 

 

Last year saw a consolation race for this contest for those who didn’t make the reduced field and that Silver Wokingham was won by CHIEFOFCHIEFS. That was actually a first attempt at this trip with the horse previously spending much of his career running over a mile. He hasn’t won since but has run some solid races, including here at Ascot, and caught the eye running on well last time in The Victoria Cup here last month. He was 4^th at Doncaster in November, two places behind ABERAMA GOLD, and is weighted to reverse the form with that rival and confirm places with GULLIVER who was one place behind. He is a horse who needs to be produced late and, in Jamie Spencer, he has the perfect jockey for such a ride. 

 

The aforementioned GULLIVER finished 4^th in this race last year and he is 3lbs lower this time around. He has been an admirably consistent performer for connections and is, also, 3lbs below his last winning mark with that win coming last October in a competitive handicap at York in soft ground. He is a bit of a York specialist, however, with all four of his wins on turf coming at that venue. He has some form over further than this trip, so that could be a plus, whilst I think it is interesting that Danny Tudhope takes the ride when he, presumably, could have ridden for his retained owners, Clipper Logistics, on FRESH. 

 

FRESH, as mentioned previously, got the better of PENDLETON here last month and he is another who is lightly raced and could, therefore, be open to some improvement still. A dig through his form does show that a strong case could be made for him and, with his only run in deep ground producing a good 2^nd place over course-and-distance last October, he is one for the short-list. 

 

PUNCHBOWL FLYER has had plenty of runs for a 4 year-old but has shown improved form in the last month or so and is another who will be pleased that the rain has fallen in the volume it has. He has made all for his last two wins and is one of the likelier pace-setters here from stall 19. His trainer is one of the most under-rated operators but she had a winner earlier in the week and, although life is tougher here with a 5lb penalty, this in-form horse could make a bold bid from the front to add to that. 

 

Frankie Dettori is an interesting jockey booking for Mark Johnston on DESERT SAFARI, given the good record he has for the stable. The horse has been well supported in the market, no doubt with ‘Frankie Factor’ fuelling part of that, but he didn’t perform well last time out at Epsom and he was well beaten by GULLIVER last October in that race at York and is 11lbs worse off. 

 

The likely ground conditions may well thin the field down a little, with non-runners possible, but this will still be a real cavalry charge with horses stretched across the track. They may split into two or maybe even three groups so I am going to select horses from both sides of the draw to try to mitigate any draw bias. 

 

Of those drawn low, I think PENDLETON is worth a strong pick. He will be at home on the ground, has a progressive profile and is ultra-consistent. His trainer is excellent at targeting handicaps with his horses and he will, no doubt, have been lined up for this from some way out. 

 

In a high draw, ABERAMA GOLD looks decent value, at the current odds, when going through his form and comparing his odds with those he has already beaten or is closely matched with. His soft ground form is good and will help here and he is drawn in and around what looks like some of the early pace. 

 

PUNCHBOWL FLYER is a horse in top form and, although he is carrying a penalty here, he looks worth sticking with until that form dips and, particularly, in these soft conditions. He is a likely pace-setter here and, although it is not easy to win pillar-to-post at this track, the winners of the last two renewals both raced very prominently to show that it can be done. 

 

I think that FRESH could run a big race, and he is feared, whilst CHIEFOFCHIEFS is another to just miss the cut, but at the odds I want to have an each-way poke on GULLIVER who will be well suited if the race gets attritional in the ground. He should be finishing strongly from off the pace, as he did last year, and looks good value to run into one of the enhanced places at least. 

 

TIP - Pendleton / Trackers - Aberama Gold / Punchbowl Flyer / Gulliver