Ascot
2.30pm
Dubai Station
He clearly shaped with a lot of promise on fast ground when second over 6f on his debut at Nottingham last month, and proved he can handle testing conditions if required when winning in the soft at Haydock, stepping back to 5f. I don’t think he particularly enjoyed the ground last time, so it was creditable effort. The issue here is whether he will be quick enough in this higher grade, but it’s obviously a stiff 5f, with plenty of ease in the ground, and he is clearly entitled to keep coming forward. He will need to progress a fair deal to be winning this, but he’s a good sort.
3.05pm
Cap Francais
He was a good juvenile, proven with some cut, and he has shaped very promisingly in both his starts this season. He took a while to get organised when finishing off his race well behind Cape Of Good Hope in the Blue Riband at Epsom, and then he signalled that a step back down to this trip was required when fourth to Anthony Van Dyck in the Lingfield Derby Trial. I haven’t ridden him before but you get the impression there is plenty more left in the tank with him. Let’s hope so, anyway. I like his chances.
4.20pm
Raymond Tusk
Realistically, I’d settle for third place here and now, as he does have 7lb and more to find with the form horses Stradivarius and Cross Counter. But you certainly can’t crab the form he comes here in, having chased home subsequent Sandown winner Dee Ex Bee in the Sagaro Stakes here last month and running equally well behind Crystal Ocean over 1m4f at Newbury. The jury is obviously out over whether he can last home here, and indeed whether he will improve for the stamina test. He ideally wants decent ground.
5.00pm
Dark Vision
He was rated 113 after impressively winning the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood last season but he is down to 105, which just enables him to squeeze into this handicap. He has run a couple of decent races since that victory – the other two starts came in a Champagne Stakes and the 2000 Guineas, so he was clearly up against it there – and that included his fair fourth in the Heron Stakes last time. He clearly has no easy task off top weight but he has the class to take a hand if he puts his best foot forward. Hopefully, he will handle the ground okay.
