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ASCOT SELECTIONS

A terrific renewal of the King George at Ascot (15:40) is very much the jewel in the crown of Saturday’s action. With so few dominant performers in the respective divisions, the second half of the Flat season looks as if it could be full of competitive big races – and this is certainly no exception.

With original personal fancy Desert Crown meeting yet another setback, the betting market looks about right with one possible exception. LUXEMBOURG steps up to a mile and a half for the first time this season but, with the shortish straight and the potential for the Aidan O’Brien runners to control the pace, he may have better track position than most.

He also has the big plus of not being a query on soft ground with two of his biggest victories – the Irish Champion Stakes and the Vertem Futurity as a juvenile – being achieved on that surface. He was made ante-post favourite for the Derby after the latter of those wins so, at that stage, was clearly thought to have a decent chance of staying 12f.

The ability to handle soft ground is likely to be a key factor all day and that tilts the scales in favour of KOMAT in the Princess Margaret (13:50), the first of ITV’s seven live races. She ran well at Ascot, finishing one place behind Pretty Crystal in the Albany, which has already thrown up three next-time-out winners. Both have chances but the more rewarding odds for Komat and her debut victory at Redcar being on soft ground makes her the more appealing.

STABLE TRACKER HORSE

FRESH was added to the tracker after Royal Ascot and a fifth-place finish in the Wokingham because of the succession of 7f handicaps that the course stages between now and the end of the season. The International Stakes (Ascot, 15:00) is the first of these and Fresh looks likely to be in at the finish again in his attempt to win this valuable prize for a second year in a row.

ONE AT YORK

The yard of Richard Spencer is very much on my radar at present, whose horses seem to be running better in the last week than for quite a while. As a result, a few have dropped to decent marks, one of whom is LUCKY MAN (York, 14:40) who is now off just 2lb higher than when winning over course and distance last season.

He followed that up with a fourth in the Ayr Gold Cup and, although he hasn’t often been tried in deep ground, the progeny of his sire Kodi Bear have a very good record on soft and heavy (with an actual/expected ratio of 1.35).

JOCKEYS FOR COURSES

Here’s our regular list of jockeys who are riding at tracks on Saturday where they have excelled during their careers:

• Ascot – Hollie Doyle (A/E = 1.51, with winners including her breakthrough Group 1 on Glen Shiel and a very successful Royal meeting this year)
• Newcastle – Ben Curtis (A/E = 1.22 from a very large sample of over 700 rides)
• Gowran Park – Colin Keane (A/E = 1.21, was riding Westover in the King George on this day 12 months ago and is a big fish in calmer waters today)

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD

SILVER SAMURAI has his own way of doing things but his ability to travel a long way on the bridle, coupled with a drop in grade, could be useful on this ground. He has plenty of ability when he deigns to show it, but this is his first start in a 0-90 handicap since October 2021. Hector Crouch rode a peach of a race on Stonkin in the last at Newbury on Thursday and hopefully can put his rivals to the sword here (Newmarket, 16:10).

SATURDAY SELECTIONS:

KOMAT (13:50, Ascot)

LUCKY MAN (14:40, York)

FRESH (15:00, Ascot)

LUXEMBOURG (15:40, Ascot)

SILVER SAMURAI (16:10, Newmarket)