So you did not fall for the never-won-over-a-mile, never-won-on-a-straight-course, only one win from four races on turf American wonder horse? Well done. That is the easy day of the meeting over. Now most of the races should be avoided like the plague.
Day two starts with a race that usually features Guineas failures dropping back a furlong or lightly-raced unexposed types. First fact to consider: this is a shocking race for favourites. So top-rated Irish Guineas runner-up Gale Force Ten does not look the one after Magician’s poor showing on Tuesday even if that is far and away the best form. Second-top Garswood disappointed in the Newmarket Guineas but the drop in distance might help; whilst Here Comes When is becoming expensive to follow and his Epsom conqueror Well Acquainted looks equally up against it. Tawhid’s third in Germany is not considered good enough by the owner’s jockey as Hanagan has plumped for the unbeaten Ajraam, a handicap winner last time. On paper neither of the French challengers look good enough but clearly Jean-Claude Rouget has not brought unbeaten Listed winner Mutin here for the fresh air and it carries the owner's first colours. Pearl Flute’s Group 3 win at Longchamp (receiving weight) looks at least reasonable form and he could give Qatar Racing a second win of the meeting at decent odds.
What used to be the Windsor Forest is now the Duke Of Cambridge and looks to revolve around the market principles. Sir Michael Stoute’s Dank gave Chigun weight and a beating at Newmarket and it is hard to see how that form should be reversed over an extra furlong despite the latter’s subsequent facile win over a mile. Best of the foreign raiders would appear to be disqualified Group 1 winner Duntle, victorious over a mile last month, rather than Sarkiyla, touched off in a Saint Cloud Group 2 seven weeks ago. Thistle Bird could be a live contender but is held on form by Chigun.
On the ratings, the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes looks quite open, although it is hard to fancy top-rated globetrotter Red Cadeaux. John Gosden’s filly The Fugue comes here without the benefit of an outing and that will make it tough. Former French trained Saint Baudolino looks up against it on the balance of his form whilst still French trained Maxios may want it softer. Mukhadram will not get the uncontested lead he had last time with pacemaker Windsor Palace present and will need to improve. There is no reason to think that Camelot will reverse form with Al Kazeem from The Curragh so the favourite has to be the one unless the heavens open.
The Royal Hunt Cup may well be a bookies benefit if the pre-race gambles come unstuck. Pricewise will probably give the winner at 14/1 causing it to be backed to favouritism. If I was that desperate for a bet I would find two flies crawling up the wall.
As usual the Queen Mary has attracted a small handful and picking the winner should be a piece of cake. After the dismal showing of Wesley Ward’s runner in the Windsor Castle, Sweet Emma Rose should be easy to back. The usual assumption that Richard Hughes has the pick of the Hannon team suggests that maiden Oriel has been catching pigeons at home but gives no grounds for betting on it. Baytown Kestrel, Fast, Fire Blaze and Kaiulani have all run once and won once so market moves might indicate one of them is better than the bare form. The form pick appears to be York listed winner Beldale Memory - can she collect another two year old prize for Qatar Racing?
The Sandringham listed handicap will probably ensure that the bookies head back to their Mercedes and Bentleys with full satchels, although I note that Group-placed Woodland Aria is running off a rating of just 93. It will be a race worth noting as last year’s winner (Duntle) turned out to be quite decent.