Royal Ascot Day Four Preview

It’s day four at Royal Ascot on Friday, with a double helping of Group 1 action via the Commonwealth Cup and the Coronation Stakes. There are tough handicaps to come in the form of the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes and Sandringham Stakes, amongst more, on what should be a thrilling penultimate afternoon.

They go to Royal Ascot from 2.30pm – 6.10pm and the feature contest goes off at 4.20pm. Our racing expert has picked out three horses to follow on day four of Royal Ascot.

Tip 1: Lady With The Lamp (Commonwealth Cup, Ascot 15:05) @ 33/1

The Commonwealth Cup is the Group 1 sprint for three-year-olds and it looks wide open this year. Shadow Of Light, Babouche and Jonquil are amongst the key players, but one that could go well as an outsider is LADY WITH THE LAMP for Joseph O’Brien. She was a shock Listed winner last season at Dundalk, returning an SP of 66/1, but has proved this spring that result was no fluke.

She won again in the same grade at Cork in April on seasonal bow and followed that up in a Chelmsford Listed race last month. She came fast and late to score under Dylan McMonagle by a neck in that Chelmer Fillies’ Stakes but there was an inevitability to the outcome inside the final furlong. Her owners include racing personalities Kevin Blake and Nick Luck and she is a lively outsider despite this sharp rise in class.

Tip 2: Falakeyah (Coronation Stakes, Ascot 16:20) @ 3/1

Trainer Owen Burrows could have the next Shadwell-owned star on his hands in the form of unbeaten filly Falakeyah. The daughter of New Bay won a backend maiden on the Tapeta at Wolverhampton in November when well supported.

That was enough to prompt 6/4 favouritism on second start/seasonal reappearance in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket as she went up in grade/class during the Guineas Festival in May.

She set a strong pace up front and beat off six rivals in good style when asked. This demands more as she steps out in Group 1 company for the first time, but it is hard to say where the ceiling is with her.

Tip 3: Zahrann (King Edward VII Stakes, Ascot 17:35) @ 11/2

Johnny Murtagh rode this track as well as anyone in his days as a pilot and is forging his way in the training ranks. He has deemed the King Edward VII Stakes as suitable target for Zahrann, a Night Of Thunder colt bidding to get the famous Aga Khan silks on the scoresheet for what would be an emotive win.

A Cork maiden winner over 1m2½f (good) on second start in May, Zahrann took another jump forward when he won the Listed King George V Cup over 1m4f in strong fashion at Leopardstown earlier this month and he looks well worth a crack in this company.