Newsboy's racing tips for Wednesday's four meetings, including Ripon Nap
Newsboy expects his Nap, Flamborough Head, to bounce back to form in the 8.52 at Ripon, and he also rates Get The Value as a good thing at Newton Abbot (4.05)
FLAMBOROUGH HEAD can coast to victory in the Ripon Theatre Festival 1st-6th July Handicap (8.52) over seven furlongs at Ripon this evening.
Tim Easterby's three-year-old opened his account at the sixth time of asking at Redcar in April, beating Hill O Rue by a length.
The son of Ribchester then ran well over today's course and distance when – with the addition of cheekpieces – he finished second to Zappata, a horse who was on a four-race winning spree.
Significantly, he finished in front of his previous rival, this time on 4lb worse terms, but two and a quarter lengths to the good.
He will need to bounce back after a lack-lustre effort last time at Redcar, but that was over seven furlongs. A mile would appear to be his best trip.
Over the jumps, GET THE VALUE looks primed for his hat-trick bid in the Clearance Handicap Hurdle (4.05) at Newton Abbot over two miles and a furlong.
After pulling up twice, John O'Shea's (above) seven-year-old has found his mojo since, romping home in novice handicap events at Stratford and back at today's course three weeks ago.
He can defy a 7lb penalty and beat veteran six-time course winner Clearance, who is running in the race named after him.
Wednesday's selections NEWTON ABBOT 2.05 KNIGHTS AFFAIR 2.35 ILLOGICAL LOGIC 3.05 POOROLDMACKLEY 3.35 PORTOBELLO GIRL 4.05 GET THE VALUE (NB) 4.35 JOHN BETJEMAN 5.05 USYK
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Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Royal Ascot TIPS: Newsboy picks 1-2-3 for every race on Saturday on ITV
As another brilliant royal meeting reaches its final day, Newsboy has studied all seven races and give his 1-2-3 for each contest in his unmissable column Royal Ascot reaches its final day on Saturday with another seven race card on which the feature is the £1 million Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. The Group 1 6f sprint is an annual highlight and will be contested by 16 runners. It precedes the Wokingham Stakes, run over the same course and distance, in which a 28 runner will battle it out for one of the most competitive handicaps in the calendar. In the Hardwicke Stakes, globetrotting star Rebel's Romance is the big draw. 2.30 Chesham Stakes MOMENTS OF JOY gets the vote to continue Aidan O'Brien's near-monopoly of the fixture's two-year-old races. O'Brien isn't averse to throwing a filly in against the boys in the Chesham - of his seven successes, two came via September in 2017 and Bedtime Story in 2024. It's perhaps no coincidence that that pair made their debuts in the fillies' maiden at Leopardstown that Moments Of Joy started off in 16 days ago. Ballydoyle supplied the 8-15 favourite for the six-runner heat in fellow debutante Minerva, but the hotpot struggled in third four lengths away as 3-1 second choice Moments Of Joy and Wayne Lordan put up a game display to get the better of Little Sure Shot by half a length. The form of that race doesn't look exceptional and a step forward is required as Justify's daughter, now the mount of Moore, steps up to Listed grade. But it will rank as a shock if there isn't plenty more to come and Moments Of Joy can take her record to 2-2. Treanmor scored impressively at Newmarket on his debut and fits into the 'could be anything' category, while first-time-out winners Humidity and Venetian Lace also appeal. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 MOMENTS OF JOY, 2 TREANMOR, 3 HUMIDITY 3.05 Hardwicke Stakes AL AASY is giving his 11 opponents a year and more, but may yet be up to giving them a beating, too. At eight years of age - he's run 24 times - William Haggas's stable stalwart has little in the way of scope for improvement, but his best might be enough. Al Aasy is a serial winner of Group 3 races - he's garnered no fewer than seven of them, including when carrying a penalty to victory in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury last August. Jim Crowley's mount was back in business in the grade with a half-length margin in Sandown Park's Gordon Richards Stakes - the form has since been boosted by third home Almaqam and fifth See The Fire - in April. My choice didn't get a pace to aim at when fourth in the Group 3 Aston Park Stakes at Newbury last time but there should be a gallop on for this Group 2 test. Favourite Rebel's Romance is feared most, ahead of Epic Poet and Ghostwriter. NEWBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 AL AASY, 2 REBEL'S ROMANCE, 3 EPIC POET 3.40 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes INISHERIN , successful in the Commonwealth Cup 12 months ago, has an excellent chance of doubling up in the final Group 1 of the meeting. Kevin Ryan gave Shamardal's son the chance to prove himself as a top-class miler in last season's 2,000 Guineas but decided to come back in distance after Inisherin faded close home in returning sixth behind Notable Speech at Newmarket. The plan yielded an immediate dividend as Inisherin gained an impressive victory in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock Park three weeks later, a performance that saw him sent off the 9-4 favourite at Royal Ascot. He didn't disappoint his backers, moving with menace in the shadow of the leaders before blasting clear a furlong out to humble Lake Forest by two and a quarter lengths. My selection didn't reproduce that form in Newmarket's July Cup - he returned in fifth behind Mill Stream - or when producing a team 13th-of-16 finish behind Montassib in the Sprint Cup at Haydock Park eight weeks later. But, on the back of wind surgery, Inisherin was back in business under Ryan Moore - William Buick is on board today - in the Group 2 1895 Duke Of York Stakes on the Knavesmire last month with a neck call from Flora Of Bermuda. Inisherin will come for his first start for 249 days and under identical conditions to last June, must go well. Japanese challenger Satono Reve, Elite Status and Lazzat are taken to fight it out for the minor medals. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 INISHERIN, 2 SATONO REVE, 3 ELITE STATUS 4.20 Jersey Stakes SARACEN , boasting a high level of ability on the back of just two starts, has the credentials to put his opponents to the sword. Joseph O'Brien gave the Siyouni colt his introduction in a six-furlong maiden at the Curragh last October and Dylan Browne McMonagle's mount created a lasting impression with a four-length margin of victory from Pickersgill. After an absence of 172 days, my selection made his comeback in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury in April, racing keenly and running on from the back of the field to take third, beaten three and a half lengths, to Jonquil. That form has since given a shot in the arm by the winner's narrow defeat in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas) and Saracen, stepping out on the track for just the third time, has a good deal more to offer. Jonquil's stable-companion Marvelman rates a player, along with the unbeaten Remmooz and Commanche Brave. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 SARACEN, 2 MARVELMAN, 3 REMMOOZ 5.00 Wokingham Stakes ORAZIO comes with risks attached but ran a belter in this race 12 months ago and is weighted to play a leading role. The grey son of Caravaggio was seemingly on his way up when sixth as the 7-2 favourite for the Wokingham in 2023. As it turned out, Orazio's course-and-distance success 43 days prior to that defeat has proved to be his last, and he lines up in the race for the third time on the back of a nine-strong losing sequence. But there's no doubting his efficacy when the cards fall his way, as he showed here 12 months ago. A 16-1 shot, Orazio flew home from the back of the field to take third, half a length and a head behind winner Unequal Love. Saffie Osborne's partner is now 1lb lower in the weights and, if there is a stage where he's most likely to put his best foot forward, it's this one. Dangers lurk at every turn, with Aramram, Purosangue, Zoum Zoum and Apollo One just four horses who merit a second glance. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 ORAZIO, 2 ARAMRAM, 3 ZOUM ZOUM 5.35 Golden Gates Stakes EL BURHAN goes from strength to strength - and another personal best is on the cards now he tackles a mile and a quarter. A debut fourth at Newmarket in May of last year led to victories in novice stakes at Great Yarmouth and Beverley before the son of New Bay rounded off his campaign with a nursery third at Glorious Goodwood in August. El Burhan was gelded during his 280 days on the sidelines before making his return to the fray in a handicap over seven and a half furlongs at Chester's May meeting. Fitted with a tongue strap that is re-applied today, Jim Crowley's mount ground his way to a neck beating of God Of War in a blanket finish. Both his run style and pedigree suggest the George Boughey trainee will benefit from the extra yardage and a 2lb rise for his latest success isn't the end of the world. Quai De Bethune, Sallaal and Dakota Blue all have podium claims. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 EL BURHAN, 2 QUAI DE BETHUNE, 3 DAKOTA BLUE 6.10 Queen Alexandra Stakes SAMUI ran well above his odds in Tuesday's Copper Horse Handicap and is put up as the value alternative to hot favourite Sober. In addition to four wins in the National Hunt sphere - one in a bumper and three over hurdles - the Gordon Elliott-saddled six-year-old has two staying handicap victories on the Flat on his CV. Out of the money over timber at Cheltenham and Punchestown this spring, Samui returned to the level for a Listed-race fifth at Down Royal at the end of last month before being sent off at 16-1 against 15 opponents here four days ago. Colin Keane's mount - Ireland's six-time champion jockey keeps the partnership intact - was strong at the finish in finishing a three-length third to French Master. Fast ground is no issue for Samui and this extended two-mile, five-furlong distance should play to his strengths. Sober has yet to encounter terrain this quick but is an obvious candidate, while Wild Ways and Trooper Bisdee are others to throw into the mix. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 SAMUI, 2 SOBER, 3 TROOPER BISDEE We've teamed up with racing experts William Hill to offer your a £2 FREE shop bet every day of the iconic Royal Ascot festival. Pick up your Mirror from Tuesday June 17 -> Saturday June 21, 2025 to get your hands on this great offer. With 12 pages of incredible pullouts every day, PLUS a £2 shop bet, the Mirror is ready to bring you all the runners, riders, and winners of Ascot 2025.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Royal Ascot TIPS: Newsboy picks 1-2-3 for every race on Friday on ITV
Royal Ascot reaches its fourth day with another huge crowd expected at the Berkshire venue. The feature contest is the Group 1 Coronation Stakes, run over 1m for three-year-old fillies. The other Group 1 is the Commonwealth Cup, another three-year-old only event, staged over 6f and set to feature candidates destined for future top sprinting honours. The Albany Stakes and the King Edward VII Stakes, Ascot's version of the Derby, are the other highlights. Newsboy has analysed every race and given his 1-2-3. 2.30 Albany Stakes IPANEMA QUEEN did more than enough on her debut to suggest she has a future in Group company - and there's plenty more to come. A glance at the Adrian Murray-trained youngster's pedigree shows she's bred to go - sire Sands Of Mali won York's Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes in 2017 before finishing a half-length second in the following year's Commonwealth Cup, while dam No More Thrills is a winning daughter of 2006 Norfolk Stakes hero Dutch Art. And she had clearly been showing up at home before starting out in a five-furlong maiden at the Curragh last month, going off the 7-2 second favourite in a field of 21. In the event, Ipanema Queen's backers were always on good terms with themselves as Wayne Lordan's mount led inside the final quarter mile and stretched away to beat Later Than Planned by five and a half lengths. The performance triggered a purchase by Stonestreet Stables and Amo Racing - hence David Egan's presence in the saddle - and Ipanema Queen can pay back a chunky instalment on her first start for her new owners. Gold Digger, Tahalel and Green Sense are all promising fillies capable of playing a part. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 IPANEMA QUEEN, 2 TAHALEL, 3 GOLD DIGGER 3.05 Commonwealth Cup LEOVANNI returns to the scene of her Queen Mary Stakes triumph 12 months ago and is well capable of outrunning her odds. Despite a taking debut success at Nottingham a fortnight earlier on her racecourse debut, the Karl Burke-saddled daughter of Kodi Bear drifted from single-figure odds to 22-1 for the her first visit to Royal Ascot, but defied her market unease with a fluent length-and-three-quarter victory from Mighty Eriu. The rest of the campaign didn't go to plan - Leovanni suffered a first defeat when third in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at York in August and came back last of seven to Lake Victoria in the top-level Cheveley Park Stakes on soft ground at Newmarket the following month. However, there was plenty of promise to be gleaned from her comeback in the Listed Achilles Stakes at Haydock Park 20 days ago. William Buick's partner - Wathnan Racing's retained jockey James Doyle is back on board today - was denied a run on the approach to the final furlong before finishing with effect to take fourth to Balmoral Lady. A step forward is required for a first Group 1 win, but it's worth taking the chance. Favourite Shadow Of Light is feared most, ahead of Babouche, Whistlejacket and American raider Shisospicy. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 LEOVANNI, 2 SHADOW OF LIGHT, 3 SHISOSPICY 3.40 Duke of Edinburgh Stakes STRESSFREE will subject his supporters to a white-knuckle ride but looks sure to finish with a rattle. Campaigned largely at a mile and a quarter in 2024, the five-year-old son of Anodin proved a model of consistency in some strong handicaps, hitting the bullseye just the once - he scored at Chester in September - but making the frame on numerous occasions. Stressfree, a winner over hurdles in February, continued in similar vein over 10 furlongs at Doncaster and Epsom in his first two outings this season but trainer David O'Meara's move back up to a mile and a half appears to have unlocked further progress. Having his second attempt at the trip, my selection missed out by a head to Almosh'her at York last month, but went one better in a big-money heat at Haydock Park last time with a last-gasp neck margin from Kildare Legend. Stressfree's hold-up style means Danny Tudhope will play for luck and lay down his cards late, but a 5lb rise in the weights appears within range. In a race of myriad possible outcomes, French Duke, War Rooms, Almosh'her and Auld Toon Loon are just four horses who merit a second look. 4.20 Coronation Stakes FALAKEYAH is the selection to defend her unbeaten record as she moves down in distance and up in class. The turf campaign was done with when New Bay's daughter - dam Alaflaak didn't make it to the track but hails from a family that includes Group 1 stars Baaeed and Hukum - started out in a fillies' maiden over Wolverhampton's extended mile on November 21 last year. Falakeyah went off the even-money favourite and her trainer Owen Burrows must have been licking his lips at the manner in which Jim Crowley's mount scooted home by five and a half lengths. My selection then tried 10 furlongs for the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes on the 1,000 Guineas undercard at Newmarket last month - and was again explosive in victory. Ushering his mount to the front of the seven-runner field soon after the start, Crowley sat motionless as Falakeyah sauntered clear inside the final half mile en route to a three-and-a-quarter-length humbling of Life Is Beautiful. With the Oaks deemed too far for such an exuberant racer, connections mooted a challenge for the French version, the Prix de Diane over a mile and a quarter but, after Falakeyah was temporarily laid low by a bug, have opted to supplement her for today. This stiff mile looks ideal and Falakeyah, with so much as-yet untapped potential, is taken to take her tally to 3-3. Zarigana, clearly a prodigious talent despite needing the intervention of the stewards' to land the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas), isn't passed over lightly, with Kon Tiki and Longchamp fourth Exactly best of the rest. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 FALAKEYAH, 2 ZARIGANA, 3 EXACTLY 5.00 Sandringham Stakes SILVER GHOST is moving sublimely through the gears and receives the vote to give trainer Emma Lavelle a first Royal Ascot success. Lavelle is better known for her exploits in the National Hunt sphere but has a burgeoning side-hustle on the Flat, with Silver Ghost one of its emerging talents. The grey daughter of Phoenix Of Spain missed the target on the first six starts of her career but enjoyed a red-letter day when a two-length supremacy in a seven-furlong handicap at Newmarket on 2,000 Guineas day last month. The handicapper reacted with a 6lb rise in the weights but my selection went in again over the same trip at Goodwood three weeks later, surging through from the back to beat Miss Nightfall by two and a half lengths. There is an additional 8lb hike to deal with but the step up to a mile will help Sean Levey's mount, whose upward curve has not yet plateaued. The shortlist is, unsurprisingly, a long one and has Supermodel, Bountiful, Arabian Leopard and Miss Nightfall at the top of it. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 SILVER GHOST, 2 SUPERMODEL, 3 ARABIAN LEOPARD 5.35 King Edward VII Stakes ZAHRANN hardly broke sweat for Listed gains at Leopardstown last time and the 'Ascot Derby' looks within his reach. An elevated temperature prevented the Night Of Thunder colt, bred by the late Aga Khan and carrying his green-and-red livery, from making his debut in a one-mile maiden at Leopardstown last October - but the Johnny Murtagh trainee has come a long way in a short space of time at three. A head second to Mississippi River in a similar event at Navan in April, Zahrann went one better in emphatic fashion with a seven-length thumping of Des Moines when tackling an extended 10 furlongs for a Cork maiden next time. Fifteen days ago, his sights were raised to Listed company for the King George V Cup over a mile and a half in South Dublin, and Zahrann came from the rear under Ben Coen to score by two and a quarter lengths from Arouet. There is still polish to be applied to a horse learning on the job, and Zahrann can make his presence felt at Group 2 level. The unbeaten Amiloc is the logical starting point in the search for dangers, ahead of Convergent and Nightwalker. 6.10 Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes ADRESTIA did enough on her return to action at Windsor 11 days ago to be of strong interest here. The winner of a Great Yarmouth maiden and a nursery at Sandown Park last July from six outings as a two-year-old, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained daughter of Havana was having her first start for 282 days when lining up against nine rivals for a five-furlong handicap on Thameside. A third, beaten three-quarters of a length and a neck, behind the more experienced Regal Envoy represents a promising comeback. If, as anticipated, Oisín Murphy's mount takes a step forward from it, Adrestia looks favourably treated on the same British Horseracing Authority mark of 89. The close to Friday's entertainment makes for a real headscratcher, but Jorge Alvares, Red Orange and Realign are all three-year-old speedsters capable of better. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 ADRESTIA, 2 RED ORANGE, 3 REALIGN FREE £2 William Hill Shop Bets every day of Royal Ascot inside your Mirror We've teamed up with racing experts William Hill to offer your a £2 FREE shop bet every day of the iconic Royal Ascot festival. Pick up your Mirror from Tuesday June 17 -> Saturday June 21, 2025 to get your hands on this great offer. With 12 pages of incredible pullouts every day, PLUS a £2 shop bet, the Mirror is ready to bring you all the runners, riders, and winners of Ascot 2025.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Royal Ascot TIPS: Newsboy picks 1-2-3 for every race on Thursday on ITV
In Newsboy's unmissable column, our tipster gives his views on every race for Gold Cup day at Royal Ascot, historically known as Ladies' Day Royal Ascot is set to draw its biggest crowd of the week for Gold Cup day, traditionally known as 'Ladies' Day'. The Gold Cup is the most historic race of the prestigious five-day fixture which attracts the best horses, trainers and jockeys from Europe and around the world. The feature prize is the fourth race on the card which opens with the 5f Norfolk Stakes for two-year-olds followed by the Ribblesdale Stakes, the 1m4f race for three-year-old fillies. Newsboy has analysed every race and given his 1-2-3. 2.30 Norfolk Stakes AFJAN made a most promising debut at Chantilly at the beginning of the month and gets the vote to take his tally to 2-2. Trained in France by Henri-François Devin, my selection is bred to be precocious and speedy - his sire Mehmas finished second in the 2016 Coventry Stakes before going on to lift the Group 2 July Stakes (Newmarket) and Richmond Stakes (Goodwood) later that summer, while dam Al Johrah chased home Lady Aurelia in the Queen Mary Stakes the same year. Afjan started out in a race for newcomers over an extended five furlongs at Devin's local course, going off second choice in the betting in a field of nine. And Alexis Pouchin's mount got his career off to the perfect start, running on strongly to the finish to get the better of Vardif by a length and a quarter. There is plenty of improvement to come at the second time of asking as Afjan bids to better his parents' feats at Royal Ascot. Charles Darwin is the clubhouse leader in terms of form and rates the principal danger, ahead of Naval Light and, at bigger odds, Comical Point. 3.05 King George V Stakes SING US A SONG, progressive and likely to thrive for a step up in trip, has the right profile for trainer Ralph Beckett, who hit the bullseye with Surefire in 2021 and Going The Distance 12 months ago. Successful on the last of his three starts as a two-year-old - he won a 10-furlong maiden at Goodwood by a short head last September - Camelot's son made his return to the fray in a handicap over the same distance at Sandown Park at the end of April. A 4-1 chance in a field of 12, Hector Crouch's mount came back from a 212-day absence to double his career tally, making much of the running and surging home with gusto to hold Urban Glimpse by two and a quarter lengths. After the colt's pre-Royal Ascot purchase by Wathnan Racing, James Doyle is now on board Sing Us A Song who has a 7lb rise in the weights to overcome - but both his run style and his pedigree suggest another step forward will be forthcoming now he tackles a mile and a half. In a wide-open contest, Serious Contender, Gunship, Lightening Mann and Boatswain are just four horses capable of getting involved. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 SING US A SONG, 2 SERIOUS CONTENDER, 3 LIGHTENING MANN 3.40 Ribblesdale Stakes SERENITY PRAYER has seen her Musidora Stakes second boosted by Whirl in the Oaks at Epsom and holds leading claims. We didn't see the daughter of Dubawi - dam Peach Tree, a sister to 1,000 Guineas and Oaks heroine Love, won at Group 3 level - as a two-year-old. But Serenity Prayer had evidently been showing up well on Andrew Balding's Kingsclere gallops prior to making her debut against seven rivals at Newbury in April. Backed into 2-1 joint-favouritism, my selection and Oisín Murphy justified the support with a length-and-and-a-half margin to earn a trip to York for the Group 3 Oaks trial. Racing at the back of the six-runners, Serenity Prayer began to feel the heat at the top of the straight but stuck to her guns and got up for second, five and a half lengths behind the Aidan O'Brien-trained winner. Whirl went under by just a neck to stablemate Minnie Hauk at Epsom and Serenity Prayer, for whom the move up to a mile and a half is a plus, still has more to give. Catalina Delcarpio, Life Is Beautiful and Lady Vivian are taken to fight it out for the minor medals. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 SERENITY PRAYER, 2 CATALINA DELCARPIO, 3 LADY VIVIAN 4.20 Gold Cup ILLINOIS is expected to answer the questions regarding his stamina and extend his trainer Aidan O'Brien's record in Royal Ascot's signature race to double figures. Opponents will point to the fact that today's favourite was parachuted into the Gold Cup reckoning only when stablemate, and dual winner, Kyprios succumbed to a career-ending injury last month. But a Ballydoyle understudy can still bring the house down, as Gstaad, standing in for the sidelined Albert Einstein, proved in Tuesday's Coventry Stakes. Twelve months ago, Illinois made his first visit to Ascot a winning one with a victory in the Group 2 Queen's Vase over a mile and six furlongs. My selection then stepped back to a mile and a half during the summer for seconds in the top-level Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp and York's Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes, before a neck defeat behind another O'Brien trainee, Jan Brueghel, in the St Leger at Doncaster in September. Ryan Moore's mount rounded off 2024 with a win in the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay over a mile and seven back in Paris on Arc weekend. And he proved everything is in working order after 215 days off with a length-and-a-quarter margin from Al Qareem in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes at Chester last month. As the trainer himself notes, nobody will know whether Illinois possesses the required stamina until he reaches the home straight this afternoon. But O'Brien rarely sends short runners to the Gold Cup and a 10th triumph awaits. Candelari, like Illinois an up-and-coming four-year-old, isn't passed over lightly, while Trawlerman and Sweet William, second and third to Kyprios for John and Thady Gosden in 2024, are poised to profit if the young guns' staying power doesn't hold out. 5.00 Britannia Stakes FIFTH COLUMN gives the impression he doesn't do more than the necessary - and that makes life tough for the handicapper. As a two-year-old, the John and Thady Gosden-trained son of Kingman didn't live up to expectations, with his four races yielding four defeats. It wasn't a massive surprise, therefore, to see Fifth Column undergo a gelding operation before he marked his comeback from a 158-day lay-off by getting his head in front in a one-mile Kempton Park maiden at the beginning of April. Given a British Horseracing Authority mark of 86, my selection made his debut in the sphere in the Esher Cup at Sandown Park 18 days later and proved ahead of that assessment with a three-quarter-length beating of Seraph Gabriel. There's still a way to go before Fifth Column, equipped with cheekpieces, gets to the bottom of the barrel and a 6lb rise in the weights doesn't look out of reach. In a race where the bookies are struggling to find a favourite, Consolidation, Teroomm, Fearnot and God Of War are all viable candidates. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 FIFTH COLUMN, 2 TEROOMM, 3 GOD OF WAR 5.35 Hampton Court Stakes JACKKNIFE lost his unbeaten record in unfortunate circumstances at Sandown Park three weeks ago and shouldn't be written off. Absent from the track at two, the Kameko-sired colt was given his introduction in a nine-runner novice stakes at Epsom in April, getting the better of favourite The King's Falcon by a neck. That form is unexceptional but Jackknife emerged with plenty of credit despite finding every bit of trouble going in the Listed Heron Stakes over a mile on the Brigadier Gerard Stakes undercard last time out. Racing towards the far rail in the straight, Oisín Murphy couldn't find daylight on his Roger Varian-saddled partner until the race was as good as over. With winner Opera Ballo in the clear, Jackknife kept on into third under a hand ride and looks capable of much better over this additional two furlongs. Detain (third) and Trinity College (fourth) have their sights lowered after running well in the Prix du Jockey Club and have claims, along with High Stock. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 JACKKNIFE, 2 TRINITY COLLEGE, 3 HIGH STOCK 6.10 Buckingham Palace Stakes RAMAZAN needs to leave this season's form way behind to figure, but is capable of doing exactly that. Richard Fahey's five-year-old will win nothing if repeating his 'achievements' of 2025, a sixth at Musselburgh and a last-of-10 effort at Haydock Park in April and a hefty defeat - he blew the start before coming home 11th of 16 behind Rousing Encore - at York last month. But the plus side is that the British Horseracing Authority number cruncher has taken a losing run stretching back to August 2023 into account. Victorious from a rating of 98 at Chepstow for his latest win - Razaman finished a head second in the Victoria Cup over this course and distance from 105 in May of last year - he now competes from a figure of 96. That makes him a well-handicapped horse, and Fahey's booking of rising star 5lb claimer Warren Fentiman is another plus. In a finale of many possible outcomes, Never So Brave, Akkadian Thunder and Fifty Nifty merit a second look. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 RAMAZAN: 2 NEVER SO BRAVE, 3 FIFTY NIFTY FREE £2 William Hill Shop Bets every day of Royal Ascot inside your Mirror We've teamed up with racing experts William Hill to offer your a £2 FREE shop bet every day of the iconic Royal Ascot festival. Pick up your Mirror from Tuesday June 17 -> Saturday June 21, 2025 to get your hands on this great offer. With 12 pages of incredible pullouts every day, PLUS a £2 shop bet, the Mirror is ready to bring you all the runners, riders, and winners of Ascot 2025.
