Top tipster Hugh Taylor has a pair of selections for day two of Royal Ascot on Wednesday, all live on Sky Sports Racing.
The decision to run RAHIEBB in the Queen’s Vase (3.05), rather than the King George V Handicap, looks both an interesting and sensible one, and he looks to have at least as strong credentials as some of his shorter-priced rivals with Pattern form.
He has shaped like a stayer since his debut at Newcastle over a mile in March, when he was fifth and looked an unlikely winner a furlong out before surging through to win going away.
He has probably been unlucky to run into potentially smart rivals on his three subsequent starts, first pulling clear with a big second-time-out improver from the Gosden yard before chasing home Group 1-entered colts trained by William Haggas in consecutive races.
The latest of those performances came in what looked a strong race at York, and I think time will show he faced a very stiff task trying to concede 8lb to Merchant. Rahiebb again shaped like a stayer, the first to come under pressure but keeping on well to finish a clear second, and the time and sectionals combination was very good.
The third, fourth and sixth met again in a Class 2 handicap at Doncaster next time and filled the first three places, highlighting the strength of the York form.
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The Sky Sports Racing team have named their fancies for Royal Ascot, all live on the channel from Tuesday, June 17 to Saturday June 21
Rahiebb is rated just 92, 15lb lower than Devil’s Advocate, who ran in the Dante on the same day at York, but covered the final half mile in a time around a second slower than Rahiebb, and that form took a bit of a battering in the Derby with all six runners from the Dante beaten out of sight.
It’s interesting that Roger Varian didn’t even enter Rahiebb in the King George V Handicap, especially as neither owner nor trainer have another candidate for that race, and the decision to step him up in trip can pay off here.
SKY SAFARI has left the impression she is a progressive filly in two starts this season, and if she settles and things drop right for her from stall 1, she could prove the pick of the weights in the Kensington Palace Stakes (5.35).
A big-priced winner on debut at Yarmouth last June, she found the immediate step up to Listed company too much for her over seven furlongs here next time following a four-month absence, though she looked like she would finish much closer until fading from the two-furlong pole.
Off the mark in an ordinary handicap at Wolverhampton later that mark, she took a big step forward on her seasonal debut when winning in impressive style at Kempton in April.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla led the Royal Procession on the first day of Royal Ascot as the track marks the 200th anniversary of the Procession
On the face of it she didn’t build on that when second to the heavily-backed Cogitate at Salisbury next time, but she took a fierce hold in the early stages and it’s probably a sign of how much ability she possesses that she didn’t drop out of contention.
She has shown a tendency to hang right, so stall 1 might not be a bad place for her, but it’s a bit of a concern that there isn’t much guaranteed pace amongst the lower numbers. Nonetheless, if she settles in the early stages, she might be able to confirm herself a well-handicapped filly.
HUGH’S BEST BETS (scale 1-5 points)
3.05 ROYAL ASCOT, WEDNESDAY – QUEEN’S VASE
1pt win RAHIEBB (15-2 general)
5.35 ROYAL ASCOT, WEDNESDAY – KENSINGTON PALACE STAKES
1pt win SKY SAFARI (8-1 general)
ALREADY ADVISED:QUEEN MARY STAKES, ROYAL ASCOT, WEDNESDAY 18 JUNE
1pt win ZELAINA (7-2 & 3-1)
