IN the absolute punting minefield that is Royal Ascot, sometimes the best way to go is picking a jockey and sticking with them.
Recent history shows following that principle with Ryan Moore won’t serve you too badly.
Ryan Moore will be the jockey of choice for almost everyone at Royal Ascot – but a load of other names make plenty of appeal too[/caption]
But with runners from Japan, America and almost every corner of the globe, there will be some new names – and old – to get your head around at the Berkshire track.
A load of jockey bookings are being added to the racecards now, so it looks like the perfect time to strike.
Here, I take a look at five of the most eye-catching rides ahead of the five-day festival.
1 James McDonald
Look, we all know that in this hemisphere, at least, Ryan Moore is the best jockey.
James McDonald will pick up some very interesting spare rides for Wathnan[/caption]
But Down Under they are of the firm opinion that McDonald, with 119 Group 1s to his name, is the king.
Trainer Chris Waller even said Macca will be remembered as ‘the greatest of all time’.
Well, to do that he is going to need some Royal Ascot winners!
And he just might after the big-spending Wathnan Racing operation snapped him up for some rides.
James Doyle is Wathnan’s No1 but McDonald, along with Will Buick, will deputise.
And McDonald looks like he will ride the likes of Underwriter in the Coventry and Aesterius in the King Charles III.
Away from that squad, McDonald will ride Carl Spackler, who is a 20-1 chance in the blockbuster Queen Anne, the first race on day one.
2 Warren Fentiman
This 5lb claimer – son of journeyman jockey Duran – is riding out of his skin and worth following wherever he goes.
Still only 17 and with a ‘glowing reputation’, Fentiman is an interesting booking on Richard Fahey’s Ramazan in the Buckingham Palace Stakes.
The 17-year-old is being snapped up by trainers eager to make use of his 5lb claim[/caption]
If all goes well and he gets in the field, Fentiman’s allowance will come in handy for this intriguing handicap-dropper.
Fentiman beat his old man in a race during the Chester May Festival and won the three-year-old Dash at Epsom on Derby weekend.
His red-hot form could land him an Ascot winner too after he was booked for Gavin Cromwell’s brilliant My Mate Mozzie in the Copper Horse Handicap on Tuesday.
3 Colin Keane
Juddmonte’s new No1 has one of the best jobs in racing.
Keane is a six-time champion in Ireland but may not be massively familiar to British punters.
This week could change all that.
Among his big book of rides if St James’s Palace good thing Field Of Gold, Lockinge winner Lead Artist in the Queen Anne and Babouche in the Commonwealth Cup.
4 Faleh Bughenaim
Hailed as ‘the best jockey in Qatar’, Faleh will have a big ride for Wathnan in the Royal Hunt Cup aboard Jeff Koons.
Faleh has just one win from 16 rides in Britain in his career but you can be sure the Emir of Qatar, who owns Wathnan, will have lined up a good one for his country’s top star.
5 Christophe Soumillon
‘Super Sou’ has ridden winners all over the world – but it could be the Royal Hunt Cup where he gets his Ascot one this year.
The legendary rider has been jocked up on Greek Order, a fascinating and lightly-raced five-year-old contender trained by Michael Bell.
Greek Order was owned by Juddmonte until last month when he changed hands for around £80,000.
He’s currently 25-1 for the 30-runner cavalry charge but could go off much shorter on the day.
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