Royal Ascot 2020: Hugh Taylor's selections for Saturday

The fifth and final day of Royal Ascot on Saturday sees Hugh Taylor with two advised bets.

Most of the conditions races at Royal Ascot on Saturday are priced up very much in line with my own tissue in each instance, but I did find a couple I wanted to back in the two sprint handicaps.

ARECIBO has his name written all over a big Ascot handicap at some stage, and whilst there have to be obvious concerns about his draw, he still looks primed for a big run in the Wokingham (4.10).

He ran twice at Ascot last year, both times over 5f, and on each occasion he did really well to pull clear with the winner. In both races he found himself without much to race with on his flank in the closing stages and had to thread his way across to the winner, who was more towards the stands side.

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The second run was in a Listed event on softish ground, when he went down only to the in-form and progressive Dakota Gold.

He shaped with plenty of promise in a Group 3 event at Newmarket on his return, poorly positioned at a speed-favouring meeting but making eye-catching headway whilst not getting the clearest of runs through.

He’s just the type of strong traveler that tends to do well on the straight track here, and if his draw isn’t against him he should run a big race.

APLOMB has run two big races at Ascot, and after shaping with definite promise on his return over 5f at Newmarket, he looks set for a big run in the Silver Wokingham (12.40).

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He very much caught the eye when runner-up on his first Ascot start last May, travelling best but not getting the clearest run through and unable to catch soft-ground specialist Whelans Way in a race whose form looks very strong for the grade now.

On his return to Ascot in October he pulled a long way clear by sprint handicap standards with old rival Tinto, who is now one of the top weights in the Wokingham itself.

He ran encouragingly on his return over 5f at Newmarket earlier this month, making steady late progress into fifth from off the pace without being given anything like a hard race.

He’s a pound lower here and appeals as being very well handicapped, only 2lb higher than for that excellent course-and-distance run last October. The ground won’t be a problem and he should run another big race at a track which clearly suits him well.

HUGH'S BEST BETS (SCALE 1-5 POINTS)

12.40 ROYAL ASCOT, SATURDAY - SILVER WOKINGHAM HANDICAP
1pt win APLOMB (11-2 bet365, 5-1 general)

4.10 ROYAL ASCOT, SATURDAY - WOKINGHAM HANDICAP
1pt win ARECIBO (22-1 bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes, 20-1 Sky Bet, Unibet, 18-1 general)