King George Weekend Day 1 Preview

It’s day one of Ascot’s King George Weekend on Friday, with six races at the Berkshire venue from 13:50-16:45 including the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes. Our expert has picked out three selections on the Ascot card that could be worth following.

Tip 1: A Bit Of Spirit – Pat Eddery Stakes (Ascot 14:25)

Preference here is for the Clive Cox-trained A Bit Of Spirit. This son of Palace Pier battled hard on debut at Newbury to beat today’s re-opposer Time To Turn. That day, Time To Turn had the benefit of racing experience, having finished second at Haydock previously. So that was an impressive victory on debut. Time To Turn has since won comfortably at Wolverhampton, scoring by 10 lengths.

In his next start, A Bit Of Spirit comfortably scored by roughly four-lengths in a Class 2 event at Salisbury. It was an impressive victory. He took control of the race from a long way out. He should improve again here today. The two main dangers, Reciprocated and Tricky Tel, are stepping up in distance to 7f for the first time, whereas the Salisbury race A Bit Of Spirit won was a 7f contest. That experience over the distance should give him the edge over his main rivals here.

Tip 2: Many Men – John Guest Racing Brown Jack Handicap (Ascot 15:00)

It is the time of year when three-year-olds do particularly well against their elders in staying races. Many Man has plenty of good form to his name among his own age group and can take that into open-age company now.

Many Men stepped up to middle distances in May, when he was third in a race at York’s Dante meeting won by Merchant who is now on his way to the St Leger. He followed up by winning at Doncaster, from a horse that has since finished second in an even more valuable race at Haydock. Many Men was well beaten himself at Haydock, but he remains with potential and should cope with this 2m trip. It is a notable drop in grade, considering he raced for £100,000 last time, and he can land another win.

Tip 3: Emeralds Pride –  Ascot Shop Fillies’ Handicap (Ascot 16:45)

Michael Dods does well with his runners at Ascot. In the last five years, three from 29 have won showing a level-stakes profit. Emeralds Pride has loads of good form at Beverley, which has a stiff finish just like Ascot, and she can add to her trainer’s positive record here.

Emeralds Pride ran the race of her life when winning in East Yorkshire last time. She was slowly away, but hit the line hard and was value for more than the length and a half winning margin. She has gone up 5lb, which is more than fair, and a draw in stall one is not the disadvantage it can be here, given the field is on the smaller side and the stalls are in the centre of the course.