Royal Ascot 2020: Hugh Taylor's selections for Thursday

The third day of Royal Ascot on Thursday sees Hugh Taylor with three advised bets.

FINEST SOUND and GREAT AMBASSADOR, the latter win and place, are my two against the field in the Britannia Handicap (Royal Ascot 4.10).

Great Ambassador had five runs as a 2yo and might look too exposed for a race like this, but those runs really do stand up to close inspection.

He recorded a good time figure when runner-up over an inadequate 6f on his debut at Kempton, and although at the time it might have seemed disappointing that he was beaten by a 50-1 shot at Salisbury next time, that big-priced outsider was Pyledriver, who has turned out to be a high-class performer and won the King Edward VII Stakes here on Tuesday.

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Next time at Goodwood I thought he shaped like the best horse on the day, despite finishing only third. He had plenty of use made of him from his high draw to get across and contest the lead at a good pace with Gold Souk.

His fellow pacemaker dropped right away (but bounced back to win next time), and Great Ambassador surged two or three lengths clear at the furlong pole, before being closed down in the final 100 yards.

Given that he arguably shaped best that day, it’s interesting to note that the winner, second, and fourth that day are currently rated 99, 101 and 104 respectively, whereas Great Ambassador runs off 88 here.

He had a clear excuse in a valuable Sales race at Doncaster next time, on the wrong part of the track and doing well to beat those who raced close to him (notably Indian Creak, who finished eight lengths behind him but was runner-up off a mark of 86 eight days later).

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On his final start he broke his maiden at Chelmsford, always travelling strongly off a steady pace and surging clear in impressive style, recording a notably fast final 3f time, especially as he wasn’t asked for his effort until the straight.

I think he’s capable of proving much better than his current mark when everything drops right, and although he lacks a recent run, he looks well worth chancing on his reappearance, especially from a potentially handy draw. Finest Sound is understandably a warm favourite after his scintillating display at Haydock on his reappearance. He had been gelded and had had wind surgery since his last run, and looked transformed, cruising along on the bridle and stretching right away from his rivals once asked to win his race 2f out.

His winning time was very marginally slower than that of the winner of the second division that followed, but I made Finest Sound’s time to the 3f pole around 2.7 seconds slower, and given he wasn’t asked for his effort until the 2f pole he did very well to cut back that time deficit with the other division, and pull so far clear of his rivals in his own race.

He carries a 5lb penalty here, but goes up 12lb from Saturday, and given he’s a keen-going type who promises to be well suited by the demands of a big-field handicap, he has clear claims here.

In the Listed Wolferton Stakes (1.50) KING OTTOKAR makes a bit of each-way appeal.

He ran his best race to date when third over this course and distance in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes last year, and a repeat of that effort would give him reasonable claims in this grade.

He found the drop to 1m against him in another Group 3 event at Salisbury next time, when he was beaten only around two lengths.

He left the impression he needed the run on his recent return at Haydock, when he faced a stiff task, well held but not given anything like a hard race.

King Ottokar held an entry in the Tattersalls Gold Cup earlier this year, and his trainer was speaking about other possible Group 1 targets later in the season. Whilst those may be ambitious, he does look a bit overpriced in this Listed company.

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

1.50 ROYAL ASCOT, THURSDAY – WOLFERTON STAKES
1pt each-way KING OTTOKAR (33-1 general - use bookmakers paying 4 places, )

4.10 ROYAL ASCOT, THURSDAY - BRITANNIA HANDICAP
2pts win, 1pt place GREAT AMBASSADOR (25-1 Coral, Ladbrokes, William Hill, 20-1 Bet Victor)
1pt win FINEST SOUND (5-1 bet365, 9-2 Betfred, Coral, Ladbrokes, 4-1 Bet Victor, Sky Bet)