JAPANESE raiders have already smashed up the opposition in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and in America.
Now it’s their turn to lay waste to the Brits.
Chappers was in red-hot form on day one and has some more winners for you on day two of Royal Ascot
It’s Day Two and the main event is the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes over a mile and a quarter.
I’m all over Japanese star SHAHRYAR (3.40), who has a great chance to make all the running.
The small field means tactics come massively into play and the Hideaki Fujiwara runner looks the certain leader after his huge win in Meydan over a mile and a half.
If Cristian Demuro gets the fractions right it’s going to take a massive effort from anyone to go past him and that includes hot favourite Bay Bridge.
The latter hails from the Sir Michael Stoute yard that banged in the Derby winner with Desert Crown this month.
Bay Bridge is a massive improver but I’m not convinced. That said, I’ve been wrong before!
The afternoon gets under way with the Group 2 Queen Mary for juvenile fillies over five furlongs.
The Wes Ward favourite LOVE REIGNS (2.30) makes this very tough as it’s nigh-on impossible to know how good she is.
She went off at relatively long odds at Keeneland but hacked up in a big field.
The key, though, is the ground and the raider will love the fast conditions. I suspect she will be very hard to catch under the excellent Irad Ortiz.
Godolphin might hold the key to the Group 2 Queen’s Vase over a mile and three-quarters. William Buick will have had the choice and has chosen NAHANNI (3.05) out of the Charlie Appleby pair and that’s good enough for me.
The son of Frankel was a very game winner at Epsom two runs ago but never got involved in the Derby where he was sweaty and dwelt at the start.
He ran on well for seventh and that suggests this extra two furlongs will be right up his street.
Some old favourites are in the line-up for the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes for fillies and mares over a mile.
MOTHER EARTH (4.20) is one to take on against colts and geldings but will be hard to stop now she is back against her own sex.
Her rating is down due to recent efforts but she gets 5lb from Saffron Beach which could turn out to be the key for last year’s 1,000 Guineas winner. I think Aidan O’Brien’s runner will be too good for this lot under Ryan Moore.
In the lottery that is the Royal Hunt Cup over a mile I’ll be backing ASTRO KING (5.00) each-way. My hope never got the chance to show what he can do in the Thirsk Hunt Cup first time out this season so even though he was only ninth he goes from the same mark of 102.
The Listed race for juveniles is the wide-open Windsor Castle Stakes over five furlongs.
I’ll have a few quid each-way here on CHATEAU (5.35) for Andrew Balding and William Buick. My selection was beaten at Salisbury first time but went in well at Beverley on his latest start and would have won by much more than the neck margin with a clear run.
He will have learnt plenty from that and has lots more to come.
We round off with a handicap in the Kensington Palace Stakes over a mile. SERENADING (6.10) is just the type of horse Jamie Spencer will love riding and she might finish off strongly for a place at least for James Fanshawe.
The mare has run consistently without getting her nose in front this season and stays this trip really well so let’s hope she comes with a flying late run.
Good luck! Yeeehaaa!
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