Gosden can continue red-hot form with fillies at Ascot

Icespire2.35 Ascot
1pt win

Icespire looked an exciting filly when winning her maiden at the backend of last season and is fancied to prove too strong for her rivals in this good race.

John Gosden’s three-year-old was a well-supported favourite over 7f and gave her backers a slight worry when missing the break from an inside draw. She still had plenty left to do at halfway but once finding daylight she quickened up smartly to pass the field without having to be asked for maximum effort, winning by four lengths.

Like a lot of Frankels she had been quite buzzy on the gallops and wore a hood but that seemed to do the trick as she was perfectly relaxed throughout the race.

Gosden has kept the headgear on here which is a positive and the trainer is in red-hot form so Icespire looks the one to beat.

Fleeting Motion stepped up markedly on her second start at two, winning a nice Doncaster maiden in good style. She will handle fast ground and rates the main danger.
Best alternative: Fleeting Motion

Vent De Force
3.10 Ascot
1pt win

The Sagaro Stakes looks wide-open and it is worth taking a chance on a return to form for the outsider Vent De Force.

Hughie Morrison’s six-year-old showed good form over this distance a couple of years ago when second in this race before winning the Henry II Stakes at Sandown. He also ran better than his finishing position suggests in the Gold Cup in which he followed a strong pace in second until fading two furlongs out.

That race left its mark and he didn’t show anything after that including in two starts after being gelded last year but Morrison reports that he has been showing his old sparkle at home. If that’s the case, he would be tremendous value as he will handle fast ground better than most of these.

Morrison has two other runners with more obvious claims but Nearly Caught may prefer slower ground and Cesarewitch winner Sweet Selection takes a big step up in class.

St Leger winner Harbour Law has a penalty to carry and may not be fully wound up first time out so the biggest danger may be course specialist Battersea, who won here first time out last season and will relish the conditions.
Best alternative: Battersea

Mubtasim
3.45 Ascot
1pt win

Mubtasim is an interesting runner for in-form William Haggas and looks decent value.

He has to reverse form with favourite Blue Point, who brings the best form on offer having finished third in the Dewhurst but the Godolphin hope may not be fully wound up with a Group 1 sprinting campaign ahead.

Mubtasim won three of his five starts at two and, while he flopped on the other two starts when up in grade, both of those runs came within about two weeks of impressive wins and he may be at his best when fresh. He also loves quick ground and will have a fast pace to aim at.

Harry Angel looked good when winning the Mill Reef Stakes but he may struggle under a penalty.

Of greater interest is Clive Cox’s other runner Tis Marvellous who won the Prix Robert Papin last summer.
Best alternative: Tis Marvellous

Mondialiste
4.20 Ascot
1pt win

The ground at Ascot is likely to be pretty quick which should suit David O’Meara’s globetrotting Mondialiste.

The seven-year-old won by ten lengths at Pontefract in 2015 when last running at this level. Having run in Group races in his 11 subsequent starts he should be hard to beat on this sharp drop in class.

He gained a second top-level success in the Arlington Million on firm ground last August and wasn’t beaten far in another Grade 1 after that.

He has a bit to prove now having disappointed twice since but he didn’t get home in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and the ground had gone against him in the Dubai Turf at Meydan on his seasonal debut.

He was beaten in this race two seasons ago but he was feeling the effects of a busy spring having come second in the Lincoln and third in the Earl of Sefton.

The main danger could be stablemate Firmament, who steps up in class after placing in three major handicaps at this track last season. He also goes well on fast ground and won first time out last year.
Best alternative: Firmament

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