Echoes of Guineas in Ascot showdown
Bow Echo can confirm his superiority over Gstaad in a fascinating rematch on day one of Royal Ascot on Tuesday.
Trainer George Boughey has never made any secret of the regard in which he holds the Night Of Thunder colt and following an unbeaten juvenile campaign, he passed his Classic test in spectacular style when rocketing clear of the opposition in last month’s 2000 Guineas.
That form looks watertight, with the runner-up Gstaad and the third home Distant Storm going on to finish first and second in the Irish Guineas and there is a school of thought that being a larger model of the pair, Gstaad may be open to more improvement than Bow Echo and could therefore bridge the near 3-length gap.
However, Boughey appears adamant Bow Echo is better than ever ahead of a mouthwatering St James’s Palace Stakes and having sidestepped a trip to the Curragh to ensure he lines up at the Royal meeting fresh, he is expected to come out on top once more.
As ever the showpiece meeting gets under way with the Queen Anne Stakes and the value call could prove to be the defending champion Docklands.
Harry Eustace’s globetrotting star saves his best performances for Ascot’s straight mile, with three course victories supplemented by several fine efforts in defeat.
Since beating Rosallion by a nose 12 months ago, Docklands has produced a number of quality performances at Group One level, most recently finishing a close-up third in Hong Kong.
Notable Speech is the right favourite after his Lockinge Stakes romp, but he was only fourth in this race a year ago after encountering a troubled passage and at more rewarding odds Docklands looks a sound investment to at least get in the money.
Night Raider has looked a much improved horse since being gelded and can really show his worth in the King Charles III Stakes.
Karl Burke’s charge has never been short of natural speed, in fact he led for a long way in this race last year – but that over-exuberance has tended to be his undoing, with his early exertions inevitably taking their toll late in the day.
This season he has appeared more tractable, with a front-running comeback win in Newmarket’s Palace House Stakes followed by success in the Temple Stakes at Haydock, where he showed a different side to his game by coming from off the pace to mow down last year’s winner of this race, American Affair.
If that raw talent can again be harnessed at Ascot, Night Raider should be heavily involved in the finish.
Confucius is backed to provide Aidan O’Brien with a record-extending 12th victory in the Coventry Stakes after bolting up on his second start at Naas, while Willie Mullins can bag his fifth Ascot Stakes with Reaching High.
The latter endured a nightmare passage when favourite for this race 12 months ago and while he has not been seen in competitive action since, expect the master of Closutton to have him fully revved up for his return as he goes in search of compensation in the royal silks. – Press Association
SELECTIONS:
ASCOT: Race 1 – 15.30 Docklands, Race 2 – 16.05 Confucius, Race 3 – 16.40 Night Raider, Race 4 – 17.20 BOW ECHO (NAP), Race 5 – 18.00 Reaching High, Race 6 – 18.35 Haatem, Race 7 – 19.10 Valiancy.
BEVERLEY: Race 1 – 19.30 Out Of This World, Race 2 – 20.00 Glen Nevis, Race 3 – 20.30 Valsharah, Race 4 – 21.00 Fierce, Race 5 – 21.30 Little Ted, Race 6 – 22.00 Daring Leader.
STRATFORD: Race 1 – 15.05 Louis Veron, Race 2 – 15.40 Northern Rose, Race 3 – 16.15 Nibras Gold, Race 4 – 16.50 Machete Beach, Race 5 – 17.30 Tamarind Bay, Race 6 – 18.08 Backer Bilk.
THIRSK: Race 1 – 15.15 Hello Friend, Race 2 – 15.50 Simba’s Pride, Race 3 – 16.25 Space Bear, Race 4 – 17.02 City Captain, Race 5 – 17.42 King’s Crown, Race 6 – 18.20 Crocus Time.
WOLVERHAMPTON: Race 1 – 18.15 Imola, Race 2 – 18.45 Lopefernza, Race 3 – 19.15 Radahn, Race 4 – 19.45 Go Lockers Go, Race 5 – 20.15 Risk Averse Rebel, Race 6 – 20.45 Sorted, Race 7 – 21.20 Argy Bhaji, Race 8 – 21.54 Study Up.