Tomorrow’s Addleshaw Goddard Handicap is a very difficult handicap to solve, and Markazzi, Pintura , and Invisible Man will all be fancied. However, Royal Ascot’s Hunt Cup may be the key to this tricky contest- when Julienas edged out Dance and Dance , with Invisible Man in third; Pendragon a nose behind in fourth; and Pintura eight lengths back in twelfth. Dance and Dance has certainly franked the form since, and the three horses above meet tomorrow on identical terms. On Ascot running, both Invisible Man and Pendragon should see off Pintura, but Invisible Man has only ever won on good/firm ground, whereas Pendragon has won on all types of going- and will appreciate a bit of give in the ground, especially over this distance. This eight year old spent most of his early life over hurdles, but only started to blossom on the flat when he completed a hat-trick at Southwell last year over a mile- followed by wins at Ascot and Ayr over 10 furlongs, and a close up eighth in the Cambridgeshire. This year he has continued his form by good runs in both the Zetland Gold Cup; the Hunt Cup above; and last time staying on fourth behind Highland Knight at Sandown. All of these Class 2 contests. Also, he has bypassed two good races to go for this. At 15/1 on Betfair and 14/1 Ladbrokes, this galloping straight gives Pendragon an outstanding chance of landing this good prize, and I strongly recommend him as top Each Way value.
