After a win and two seconds in the last three Coventry Stakes, our ambassador hopes Shaatir can get Royal Ascot off to a flyer on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports Racing.
Shaatir can keep Coventry run going
The Coventry Stakes (3.05) at Royal Ascot is a race my boss Archie Watson and I have done well in and I’m expecting that good record to continue with the exciting Shaatir in the big two-year-old race on the opening day on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports Racing.
Shaatir, who is one of three chances for Archie, comes into the Group 2 on the back of a sparkling performance at Lingfield Park and has the credentials to run a huge race.
The horse that beat him on debut at Chepstow, Tom Dascombe’s Italica, franked the form by winning again at Salisbury on Sunday. Shaatir’s inexperience caught him out that day but once we got to the rail at Lingfield the turbo really kicked in.
He’s a talented colt who we’ve always liked and has a great mind which will help him cope with the demands of Royal Ascot. We’re drawn right in the middle of them, too, which is a good place to be.
Strong trio for my boss Archie
I won the Coventry for Archie on Bradsell back in 2022, of course, and have finished an agonising second in each of the last two runnings on his Army Ethos and Electrolyte, who went down by just a nose to Rashabar 12 months ago.
He also runs Tadej, a colt I won on at York recently, and Wathnan Racing’s Underwriter who made a strong impression up at Ayr for James Doyle on his only start so far and, like Shaatir, looks a colt of great potential.
With James choosing to ride Postmodern for the same owners, top international jockey James McDonald comes in for what I think will be an exciting ride on Underwriter.
HMS President on stand-by
I’m on stand-by in another race I’ve won at Royal Ascot, the Copper Horse Stakes (6.10) on Tuesday. Alan King’s HMS President is a reserve for the 1m6f handicap I claimed the glory in back in 2021 on Imad Alsagar’s Amtiyaz.
This reliable eight-year-old is owned by HP Racing and conjures memories of my Duke of Edinburgh Stakes win for the late Henry Ponsonby on Scarlet Dragon back in 2020 – my first Royal Ascot winner.
HMS President had a near miss in that race himself two years ago when he was pipped at the post by Ryan Moore on Joseph O’Brien’s Okita Soushi so it would be nice to get the chance to set the record straight in the Copper Horse.
Gosdens to strike gold in St James’ Palace Stakes
The Group 1 St James’ Palace Stakes (4.20) on the opening day is the race of the week with three Classic winners taking each other on over the round mile.
Field Of Gold will be a warm favourite to supplement his dominant display in the Irish Guineas and I expect him to confirm his status as the leading three-year-old miler. With pacemakers in the race, John and Thady Gosden’s grey should have a strong tempo to run at and the stiff finish should bring out the best in him.
Godolphin’s Ruling Court, who may have been a little fortunate to beat him in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, won’t go down without a fight but Aidan O’Brien’s ultra-tough French Guineas winner Henri Matisse came good late on at ParisLongchamp and is another who will relish the stiff test.
Rosallion can take big step forward
I’ll be shouting my good friend Sean Levey home in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes (2.30), a mouth-watering curtain raiser to the Royal Meeting on Tuesday.
Sean is back on board my old boss Richard Hannon’s gorgeous colt Rosallion who will have come on in leaps and bounds for his return from a lengthy lay-off in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury last month.
Hollie Doyle will be cheering on Rosallion and Sean Levey at Royal Ascot.
With that run under his girth, last year’s St James’s Palace and Irish Guineas hero can reverse that form with Lead Artist and Dancing Gemini, who both add spice to the mile feature.
Believing can be queen in King Charles III Stakes
In an open sprint division this could be Believing‘s year so I’m confident she can take all the beating in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (3.40) on Tuesday.
Her win at the top level over six furlongs in the Al Quoz in Dubai for George Boughey was impressive and dropping back to five furlongs on this demanding track can see her build on last year’s close fourth.
Regional, who finished in front of her that day but behind her in Meydan, also comes into the race fresh and should be in the shake-up again with the forecast fast ground just what he thrives upon.
Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.
Watch every race of Royal Ascot 2025 live on Sky Sports Racing from Tuesday 17th June to Saturday 21st June.
This news was originally published on this post .
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