It's time to focus on Royal Ascot - this trainer-owner combination could hold the key to some ante-post value

With the Derby and its drama now behind us, this is the time to focus on Royal Ascot. 

The fascinating sprint division has already occupied plenty of space in this column, with American Affair (King Charles III Stakes), Coppull (Commonwealth Cup) and Almeraq (Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee) my long-range darts.

However, there are so many more elite contests to get stuck into and recent history suggests it's much easier to find the winners elsewhere than in the muddling sprint division. 

That may not necessarily be the case in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes because it looks an absolute belter with Daryz and Ombudsman set to do battle. That said, with those two heavyweights aside, there could be plenty of dead wood in the race. Bay City Roller and Calandagan surely won’t run after their Coronation Cup efforts. Minnie Hauk  looked uncomfortable on quick ground over 1m2½f in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and will surely be primed for other targets.

Saddadd: bright future in top companyCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

That means there could be some each-way value and it could be found with Saddadd, who arguably shaped best in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

He was held up when the winner Almaqam, a close relative, and runner-up Bay City Roller were positioned more prominently, and he was forced widest around the bend. Despite this, he ate up the ground and passed the runner-up soon after the finish line, which suggests he could perform even better with a more suitable set-up. 

He would be one of the most unexposed horses in the Prince of Wales's if lining up and surely has more to offer granted a strong pace at the trip, so is worth chancing at 25-1 each-way. His trainer Roger Varian is clearly thinking along similar lines as he suggested Sheikh Ahmed's four-year-old was a likely runner in a recent Racing Post stable tour. 

The Henry II Stakes at Sandown proved how weak the staying division was when the ten-year-old Dubai Future put his rivals in the shade.

The veteran will face better horses as he aims to improve on last year's third in the Gold Cup, but how many is uncertain as last year's champion stayer Trawlerman could well miss the race.

The St Leger winner Scandinavia is favourite but I don’t seem as convinced as everyone else that he's the certainty of the meeting at 11-8. He was getting a stone from Illinois in a weak-looking Goodwood Cup last year and only just beat Rahiebb at Doncaster, yet that rival is a much bigger price despite winning the Yorkshire Cup handsomely on his reappearance.

Rahiebb: fancied to lower the colours of Scandinavia in the Gold CupCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Scandinavia looked laboured against limited opposition last time when he had the benefit of race fitness and I'd much rather back Rahiebb in a rematch.

Also trained by Varian for owner Sheikh Ahmed, Rahiebb arguably shaped much better in the St Leger, when he came from a far more disadvantageous position, and he finished in front of Scandinavia in the Queen’s Vase at this meeting last year. 

The sweeping move Rahiebb made to take the lead at York last time was indicative of a much more grown-up competitor and he can take another big step forward with the run under his belt. Frankel tends to inject stamina into his progeny and that provides plenty of hope that Rahiebb will see out the marathon trip.

As for the other major races, Precise is my idea of a meeting banker in the Coronation Stakes after her brilliant win in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Missing Epsom was definitely the correct decision with her and she looks a far stronger stayer at a mile than her stablemate True Love, who is surely her biggest danger.

However, you aren't going to get rich backing Precise now at 5-4 and there's every chance she could be a similar price on the day when the field is confirmed.

The St James's Palace rematch between Bow Echo and Gstaad will be fascinating, and Talk Of New York and Rayif are classy opponents too. It's difficult to have a strong view and I'm happy to sit on the fence for now. It's shaping up to be a fabulous race and a fabulous meeting.

Superb Sallaal

Speaking of Roger Varian, don’t let Sallaal’s performance at Epsom on Friday get forgotten among the drama.

The four-year-old is a half-brother to Group 1 winners Benbatl and Elmalka and made up for a luckless second at the track on his previous run when running away from the opposition in the 1m2f handicap. He stormed six and a half lengths clear of a useful field, with the runner-up Respond having been a deeply impressive winner on his previous start at Chester.

Sallaal: achieved a rare feat at Epsom on FridayCredit: Warren Little (Getty Images)

Sallaal recorded a staggering Racing Post Rating of 121, the same as Thundering On in the Oaks, and if he can continue on this trajectory there's no reason why he can't match the achievements of his siblings.

To put that rating into context, only the multiple Group 1 winner Trueshan has achieved a higher RPR in a handicap in the last decade. Others to hit the same figure include Wissahickon, who went on to win a Group 3, and Motakhayyel, who finished second in a race of the same grade.

The Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot would surely be a good fit for Sallaal, but Varian is instead eyeing the Listed Gala Stakes at Sandown’s Coral-Eclipse meeting. He could be a fascinating addition to a race like the Juddmonte International or Champion Stakes this season.

Read more from The Weekender:

Being the son of a legend isn't easy but Joseph O'Brien is making a good fist of it - and his fine year could continue at Royal Ascot 

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