ROYAL ASCOT - DAY 5 (SATURDAY)

It’s the final day of the Royal Meeting and after a solid week can our team wrap up this iconic meeting with even more winner?

Here’s our race previews and tips for all of Saturday’s seven races.

14:30 - CHESHAM STAKES

Aidan O'Brien has already enjoyed an excellent week at Royal Ascot in the juvenile division and Moments Of Joy can enhance it in the opener. A well-bred daughter of Justify, she still looked very much like a work in progress when making a winning debut at Leopardstown in a race that has thrown up Chesham Stakes scorers in 2017 and 2024 for the same stable. There should be plenty more to come from her following that initial effort and with proven form over the distance (debut success came over an extended 7f), she's preferred to impressive Newmarket winner Treanmor, who cost 2,000,000euros as a yearling.

MOMENTS OF JOY (WIN)

(Sam King)

15:05 - HARDWICKE STAKES

Rebel’s Romance is a four time Group One winner, in all corners of the world. He’s certainly justified in being at the head of the market but his trainer’s Royal Ascot form has been cause for concern. Ghostwriter has just changed hands for £2 Million and he drops in grade for the first time in seven races. It would be a surprise if he isn’t there at the end. Al Riffa has been a smart performer for connections and has run some very smart horses close. Blinkers could help his case today as well.

AL RIFFA (WIN)

(Kieran McHugh)

15:40 - QUEEN ELIZABETH II JUBILEE STAKES

My strongest fancy of the week lines up in this race: Lazzat. Unbeaten on straight tracks and proven on all types of ground, he looks ideally suited to this stiff six furlongs. His biggest threat may come from Satono Reve, who finished runner-up to the world’s highest-rated horse, Ka Ying Rising.

That said, I believe Ka Ying Rising possesses a level of brilliance that sets him apart, and even if the margins appear narrow, those finishing behind him are, a fair way below him. At a bigger price, Great Generation could run a big race, her latest win has been well franked, and her strong finishing style should play to her advantage over the Ascot straight.

LAZZAT (WIN)

(Toby Darby)

16:20 - JERSEY STAKES

This renewal of the Jersey Stakes pits breeding and improving contenders. Two runners who make the trip across the Irish Sea are California Dreamer and Comanche Brave. The latter beautifully bred by Wootten Bassett and Holy Roman Emperor followed the red hot Field of Gold home in the Irish classic and was also second to French Guineas winner Henri Matisse. I expect him to improve on those performances. California Dreamer was only two lengths behind Lake Victoria in the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Mehmas filly can put in a bold show here under David Egan. Of the British trained contenders a mention must go to Spy Chief. The Gosden trained Kingman colt swaggered home by five lengths at Yarmouth readily last month and it should be another big show from him under Rab Havlin with the dam sire being Shirocco the extra furlong should provide further improvement. 

COMANCHE BRAVE (WIN)

SPY CHIEF (E/W)

(John Arnold)

17:00 - WOKINGHAM

More Thunder has pounced late over 6f at Newmarket twice after a campaign over further last season but has not run on good to firm and has two 7f entries on the horizon. At the prices I am going to swerve the warm favourite.

Jarraaf has excellent Ascot form over various grounds in a promising seven-race career and the 4yo entire could prove beyond handicaps. He appears to have been kept specifically for this race after a respectable reappearance.

Germanic’s 7f stamina will help here and hails from a yard excellent at producing horses for their prime targets after a 33-1 3rd on Friday and has sneaked in here off 97. Purosangue’s connections have had a good week and it will be good to have a high-drawn horse on our side too in a wide-open race.

JARRAAF (E/W)

GERMANIC (E/W)

PUROSANGUE (E/W)

(Alan Morris)

17:35 - GOLDEN GATES STAKES

Seraph Gabriel finished second in a competitive event at Sandown last time, strong form but may be vulnerable over this new trip. Best Secret the choice of James Doyle for Wathnan Racing, won on handicap debut in France, has huge potential but is going into unknown territory regarding the ground. Ernst Blofeld also represents Wathnan Racing, third in a derby trial before finishing fourth in a competitive handicap, one of the liklier types to be involved. Roosevelt represents the combination of Ryan Moore and Aiden O Brien, winner of a 12f maiden before finishing last dropped back to 7f on handicap debut, tongue tie goes on and a step back up to 10f may be key, could be very well handicapped. Tycoon was third in a Goodwood derby trial coming up short, could be very well treated off a mark of 97 and was recently purchased by Amo Racing and he's a live contender in first time cheekpieces. 

ROOSEVELT (E/W) 

TYCOON (E/W)

(Liam Hall)

18:10 - QUEEN ALEXANDRA

Samui did better than expected in the Copper Horse Stakes earlier in the week and he returns for another crack at the royal meeting in what connections will hope will be the lucky last. Gordon Elliott’s runner has been heavily supported in the betting and the booking of Colin Keane is certainly going to help the six-year-olds chances. One for any shortlist but likely to find at least one too good once again.

For punters looking for one that could go well at a big price Tashkhan could be the answer. Wasn’t disgraced when fifth in the 2022 running of the Ascot Gold Cup and he could well outrun his price.

It’s an obvious choice but it’s hard to look anywhere but the combination of Ryan Moore and Willie Mullins as they team up with Sober. A winner over hurdles when making his yard debut back in May he looks to be a horse with bags of untapped potential who’ll be tough to beat.

SOBER (WIN)

(Rory Paddock)