I’ve had a look across the day and obviously gone with one at Royal Ascot, opting for the Coronation Stakes and a filly that appeals. I really like the chances of my pick but have thrown in a longer-priced alternative this week also, both at each way money. After an impressive win on the continent before coming to Berkshire today she should go really well, so good luck to those getting on board.
The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 race for three-year-old fillies run on the “Round” course at Ascot over a mile. I have opted for the progressive German raider, NOVEMBA (EW), who is trained by top German Flat trainer Peter Schiergen. She really impressed when making all to romp home in the Group 2 German 1000 Guineas, beating a quality field by 7.5 lengths over this trip at Dusseldorf racecourse on Good to Soft just 19 days ago. In addition to the performance being visually stunning, at only three years’ old she did it in a slightly faster time (carrying 3lb more weight) than five-year-old mare Jin Jin, won the other Group 2 run on the day for older (four-eight-year-old) mares and fillies over the same course and distance less than two hours later. It was a quality performance and the form compares well with the very best on offer here.
The Racing Post Spotlight column writes that she, “may find it harder to dominate this better field in the same manner” but I don’t see why she can’t as she is the only confirmed front-runner in the field and is ideally drawn to pop out and lead from stall 1. This makes her the obvious “pace” angle and if given an easy lead she could be pretty hard to peg back. She also ticks a lot of other boxes being versatile ground wise and being fully-fit on her third start of the season. She is still open to further improvement, and David Egan is a good booking. The other major plus, and a main consideration when choosing her, is Ascot being very similar to the course at Dusseldorf, with both being undulating right-handed tracks with a sharp bend and downhill stretches with an uphill finish. She showed in no uncertain terms last month she has the physique, agility, and balance to handle it.
This is obviously tougher but for the reasons stated she looks a very good each way bet with many firms paying 4 places on the race and both SKYBET and William Hill paying the first five home.
Irish trainer Donnacha O'Brien has his string in good order and SHALE (EW) has Group 1 winning form in the book as a two-year-old, where she beat the re-opposing Pretty Gorgeous over 7f in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at The Curragh last September. She too is versatile regarding the going, she has a pipe-opener under her belt which she is entitled to strip fitter for, and her running style could be suited by a fast run mile at Ascot. She is likely to get that here with the selection sure to set a good pace. She is tough, she is likely to be keeping on well when others have cried enough, and I can see her going well at a price.
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