Winners in waiting: our experts with the horses to take out of Royal Ascot

Some of the Racing Post's finest minds pick out the horses who caught their eye at Royal Ascot below. Members can view the race replays and add these horses to their Racing Post Tracker.

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Qaader

Second, Coventry Stakes, Saturday

This year's running of the Coventry Stakes, the premier juvenile contest over the five days, looked red-hot on paper and although there was a monster upset in 150-1 winner Nando Parrado, I wouldn't say the form was weak at all.

Qaader travelled like a good thing throughout the 6f contest and encountered traffic issues just as the leaders started to quicken, which wasn't ideal.

Nando Parrado and Adam Kirby strike in the Coventry at 150-1Credit: Edward Whitaker

He weaved his way through and showed good acceleration to pull alongside the eventual winner, only to flatten out in the final 100 yards. With that experience under his belt, he could prove to be the star juvenile sprinter.
Tom Collins

Seattle Rock

Third, Chesham Stakes, Thursday

An unfancied 80-1 shot, Seattle Rock finished a tremendous third and could have been even closer but for hanging late on.

Although the filly finished last of three on her debut at Chelmsford, Sylvester Kirk was happy to send her to Ascot and she did not disappoint, travelling well behind the leaders.

Her inexperience was evident when she drifted from the centre over to the far rail inside the final furlong, but she managed to keep third and may have been challenging for second if staying straight.
David Baxter

Molatham

Winner, Jersey Stakes, Thursday

Molatham's two-year-old form with Wichita was eyecatching even before the Jersey Stakes and he now looks a potential Group 1 horse.

He had to work hard for this Group 3 success, but I loved his attitude when Jim Crowley asked him to get serious and there is every reason to believe he will be a better performer on fast ground.

Molatham wins the Jersey Stakes at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

There were quotes for the Sussex Stakes immediately afterwards and that's definitely the sort of direction he's heading in. He's a thoroughly likeable colt with a very bright future.
Richard Birch

Bharani Star

Fourth, Ribblesdale Stakes, Tuesday

Bharani Star ran a blinder at huge odds of 100-1, fully justifying Classic-winning trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam's decision to pitch her in at the deep end at such an early stage in what ought to work out as one of the stronger Ribblesdale Stakes in recent years.

The filly had dead-heated in a Class 5 handicap at Haydock over a mile and a quarter just eight days earlier, so this was a giant leap, and there was certainly no fluke. It was hard not to be impressed by the way she made up so much ground in a race that suited those who raced handily.

One suspects she will continue to be underestimated in the market and there are a plethora of options for her this season. It will be a big surprise if she doesn't land a Pattern race.
Dave Orton

Royal Crusade

Sixth, Commonwealth Cup, Friday

Royal Crusade hadn't been seen since finishing third in a Saint-Cloud Group 3 in October and there were plenty of positives to take from his reappearance effort.

Golden Horde (right) hugs the stand-side rail en route to victory in the Group 1 Commonwealth CupCredit: Alan Crowhurst

He dwelt out of the stalls but recovered well and, perhaps most importantly, made a big move alongside the runner-up Kimari when the race evolved. That effort soon told and he emptied as if he needed the run.

He will probably be better on quicker ground and should be able to pick up a Group race in the near future at the very least.
Maddy Playle

Dandalla

Winner, Albany Stakes, Friday

Dandalla was a sensational winner of the Albany.

She was thoroughly professional during the race and travelled easily under Ben Curtis before blitzing the field with an incredible turn of foot.

The way she stormed clear once hitting the front suggested we are dealing with a high-class filly and she should be heading for Group 1 targets now, with the Prix Morny looking a realistic aim. It is also interesting that Karl Burke has compared her to former stable star Laurens.

Dandalla is bred to appreciate a bit further in time, so connections can dream of 1,000 Guineas glory.
Dave Revers

Mohaather

Seventh, Queen Anne Stakes, Tuesday

The Queen Anne was a steadily run race and those at the front were at a clear advantage. Held up right out the back, Mohaather never saw any daylight and basically finished on the bridle.

It's always easy to overestimate how close unlucky-in-running horses would have gone and the front two were well clear at the line, but Mohaather would have been at least a clear third and he looks a horse to strongly consider in all the big mile races as the season progresses.

Mohaather (left): winner of the Greenham Stakes last seasonCredit: Edward Whitaker

The caveats are that he has never gone around a bend in his life and so far he has shown a preference for soft ground, but the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day back at Ascot looks tailor-made for him – provided he gets the rub of the green that he certainly didn't get on Tuesday.
Tom Segal

Selino

Second, Copper Horse Handicap, Wednesday

In a race blown apart by long-absent favourite Fujaira Prince, Selino shaped with immense promise under Oisin Murphy on his first run of the season.

The winner was given a perfectly judged ride by Andrea Atzeni, with the pair always prominent and in the ideal position to kick for home, while Selino endured a relatively tough trip and did not get the gaps when he needed them, especially up the home straight.

Fujaira Prince is a commanding winnerCredit: Edward Whitaker

Fujaira Prince was never for catching, but Selino – a stayer who was bought by Qatar Racing in advance of the royal meeting – was never stronger than at the line. He has a most progressive profile: his RPRs on his last four starts read 84, 87, 103 and 105.

Selino is trained by James Fanshawe, who will give the four-year-old time to develop, and he could become a leading candidate for York's Sky Bet Ebor, for which he can be backed at 25-1. For an improving sort who relish the trip on the Knavesmire, it's a tempting price.
James Pugh

Alounak

Second, Hardwicke Stakes, Friday

Andrew Balding's horses have been in excellent form since racing resumed at the start of the month and his German import Alounak went into the notebook as one to pick up a valuable pot this summer following an excellent second in the Hardwicke Stakes.

The ground was probably too lively for him on his stable debut in the Coronation Cup behind Ghaiyyath, but last year's Canadian International runner-up showed a high level of natural ability when surprising a few at 40-1, having been 80-1 in the morning.

Fanny Logan and Frankie Dettori pull clear of the field in the Hardwicke StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Considering that the winner, third and fourth were ridden from off the pace, it was an admirable effort from the King Power-owned five-year-old who was always handy and could have had a clearer run in the straight.

He remains one to keep onside and the manner in which he stayed on strong suggested he could even stay further than 1m4f.
Mark Boylan

Mamba Wamba

Eighth, Queen Mary Stakes, Saturday

It is a learning curve for these two-year-olds and Mamba Wamba was still pretty green, missing the break and then struggling a bit with the early pace for a furlong or so.

Campanelle: held off Sacred to land the Queen MaryCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photo)

She finished really strongly for eighth place though, and clearly has an engine on her. Adrian Nicholls thinks a fair bit of her and I think he's right to do so.

Another furlong will help her to get organised and I can see her improving throughout the season and picking up a nice prize for his trainer along the way.
Paul Kealy

Subjectivist

Third, King George V Stakes, Wednesday

No horse endured a wider passage in the King George V Stakes than Subjectivist, yet he still managed to finish a close third and was making ground on the first two at the line.

It was a fine performance from the Mark Johnston-trained three-year-old on his reappearance and first crack at a trip as far as 1m4f, and he is just the type to pick up a big handicap at the likes of Goodwood or Newmarket, possibly from the front.

Hukum (Jim Crowley, blue and white) beats Kipps (David Probert) in the King George V StakesAscot 17.6.20 Pic: Edward Whitaker / Racing PostCredit: Edward Whitaker

He is a close relation to Sir Ron Priestley, who progressed through handicaps for Johnston last season to win the Group 3 March Stakes and finish second in the St Leger, and there should be lots more to come from Subjectivist.
Ben Hutton

Waliyak

Second, Sandringham Handicap, Thursday

Waliyak was caught on the wrong side in the Sandringham, remarkable really given that most winners on the straight track were drawn high last week.

The pace fell apart in the nearside group and the Roger Varian-trained filly was forced to race alone down the middle of the track for the final quarter of the contest.

Hayley Turner punches the air after steering Onassis to success in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

The fact she still managed to take second speaks volumes and she is going to be even better when she steps up to ten furlongs.

She handles cut in the ground so it would be no surprise to see her build up a sequence in handicaps before tacking stakes races. She is so much better than an 84-rated mile handicapper.
David Jennings

11th, Silver Royal Hunt Cup, Wednesday

Richard Hannon's Brian Epstein was noted making a promising four-year-old return when a close second behind the well-treated Cap Francais in a mile Haydock handicap on good this month and had his supporters here despite the Hannon yard also saddling the favourite Ouzo.

Sir Busker leads close home under Oisin Murphy in the Silver Hunt CupCredit: Edward Whitaker

The likeable Dark Angel colt finished just behind Ouzo (eighth) in 11th, but on the other, unfavoured far side of the track. He was a good third of nine in that group and gave the distinct impression that he would have been fighting out the placings from a better draw.

He is a versatile horse who should appreciate summer ground or a return to Polytrack and his juvenile win over a mile at Kempton hints at untapped stamina potential, as does certain elements of his pedigree
Dave Randall

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