Royal Ascot dominates once more on Friday, though it will be a tall order by any standards to match the drama of yesterday’s action as Frankie Dettori won the Gold Cup and a Royal winner went in via Desert Hero.
Ascot is one of eight meetings across Britain and Ireland on this busy day, with cards at Redcar and Market Rasen in the afternoon before evening fare from Goodwood, Musselburgh, Newmarket, Down Royal and Limerick on a 56-race Friday.
Amongst our fancies today is Lezoo in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, as Dettori once more bids to hog the limelight.
Selections
Tip 1
When Frankie Dettori gets on a roll is can be quite a powerful thing and, after his Gold Cup heroics on Thursday, the Italian is sure to be riding with full confidence now.
This afternoon he partners LEZOO (15/2) in the Commonwealth Cup for Ralph Beckett, in the colours of Dettori’s long-time friend Marc Chan, and there’s no doubting he’d love a Royal Ascot winner for these connections.
Winner of the Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes over C&D last summer, this filly would add the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in September and she’s 4-5 at the six-furlong trip, with 1000 Guineas winner Mawj the only rival to beat her when they were first and second in a Newmarket Group 2 last summer.
She moved well for a long way herself in that Fillies’ Classic at Newmarket last month before stamina/soft ground blunted her progress. Horses dropping back in trip for the Commonwealth Cup typically do very well and Lezoo should relish this stiff 6f test back on quick ground.
She gets a 3lb allowance from the colts and, in his current mood, Dettori is probably worth another 3lb in the saddle. The Commonwealth Cup is a Betfred Extra Place Race (four places) and Lezoo looks good value to go close.
Tip 2
Evening fare from Goodwood concludes with a mile handicap in which HALLA DUBAI (5/2) may well be good enough for a winning handicap debut for trainer Owen Burrows.
The Expert Eye colt has finished second in two of his three starts so far, narrowly denied at Lingfield over a mile on the Polytrack in April and then in a Doncaster novice (1m, good) on his switch to turf this month.
He gave odds-on jolly Embesto something to think about on Town Moor, Roger Varian’s charge backing up his impressive wide-margin debut win at Yarmouth by defying his penalty. He could be quite useful and getting with length-and-a-half was a solid effort.
An opening mark of 83 looks fair as such and while recent Southwell runner-up Acotango is potentially well-handicapped, he’s yet to show the same promise on grass as he does on synthetics.
Halla Dubai is on the Most Napped list via the Betfred Betfinder and can reward punters’ patience by taking the lucky last at Goodwood.
Tip 3
They race on the level at Down Royal this evening too and the Mount Charles Handicap at the Belfast circuit may be a decent chance for EVER ROCK (16/1) to outrun his odds.
James Lambe’s mare is a course and distance winner in the past, scoring here in July 2021. She scored again at the Curragh the following month and landed a pot at Fairyhouse in May 2022 and another at Navan in September. That ensured she hit a peak rating of 70 last year.
She hasn’t been at her best in two runs this season at the Curragh and Navan, but the handicapper has dropped her 6lb now and she has Danny Sheehy further easing the burden with his 3lb claim.
Returning to this northern venue is a plus and any rain that falls before racing will be another positive, ensuring she’s worth a chance in this Betfred Extra Place Race (four places).
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The post Friday Racing Tips: Lezoo can star as Frankie’s Ascot Cup overflows appeared first on Betfred Blog.
