Royal Ascot 2020: Simon Rowlands's analysis and selections for Wednesday

Simon Rowlands has three selections plus analysis online for Wednesday, the second day of Royal Ascot 2020.

There is no doubting what the highlight of Wednesday at Royal Ascot is, as the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at 3:00 is the sole Group 1 and one of only two Group races on the day-two card.

The race’s winners include some real notables of the sport, among them Mtoto, Dubai Millennium, Ouija Board, So You Think and Highland Reel. A select band of seven will go to post to attempt to add their name to that roll of honour.

According to the bookmakers, Japan is easily the likeliest winner. Maybe, but he is priced up as if he is a superstar already rather than a very good horse who lost as many races as he won last year. The important one he won – the Juddmonte International at York, narrowly – gives him a favourite’s chance, but that’s about it.

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It is tempting to take him on at a shade of odds on, perhaps with Addeybb, who is well-nigh Japan’s equal at his best, or with a real outsider in Bangkok, whose defeat by Japan at Royal Ascot 2019 came at an unsuitably long trip for him. Addeybb’s chance would be improved by rain, but the ground was not as soft as given officially on Tuesday, judged by times.

In the end, I came to the conclusion there were better opportunities elsewhere, so I will be sitting this one out. It is well worth watching what unfolds, though: Headman and Barney Roy add more class, while the Gosden-trained pair of Lord North and Mehdaayih are no mugs either.

The Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes at 1:50 is a fascinating encounter between eight useful and promising three-year-olds. Juan Elcano has the best form, having finished fifth in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket last time, but there is a chance that FIRST RECEIVER is a bit of a monster in the making, and he is worth a punt at the odds.

“Monster” is what he looked when winning by seven lengths and six and a half at Kempton 15 days ago, though that was against ordinary opposition. Nonetheless, First Receiver ran a decidedly useful time and showed the kind of long, relaxed, stride in forging clear after 2f out that should see him thrive at an extra 2f here.

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Russian Emperor has a bit of a reputation at Ballydoyle but shapes as if he will not come into his own until tried at even further.

A bit of sectional and striding analysis helped where HUKUM in the King George V Stakes Handicap at 2:25 is concerned, but the visual boys and girls will not have missed this, either, so impressive was the son of Sea The Stars at Kempton last backend.

Hukum stormed home from off the pace that day to salvage what for a long way looked a lost cause, and sectionals have him a 100-rated horse at a minimum: he goes off just 90 here.

Such is the likely strength of this race that having even that much in hand may not be sufficient against some who may be Group horses in the longer-term. Hukum also has a slightly tricky draw and the lack of a recent run to overcome.

But his odds more than compensate for that in a race in which the mathematics point towards an each- way rather than win bet, especially as you may get enhanced place terms if you shop around.

For the final selection, head to the Copper Horse Handicap at 4:40. RANCH HAND is well suited by conditions and one of the few in a field of 19 still with potential. His absence since October is not a worry given how well the Andrew Balding stable has been performing since the break.

Indeed, one imagines Ranch Hand might have been racing off quite a bit higher than 99 had he contested a race like the Chester Cup in the interim. He is another to side with each way.

Neither the Royal Hunt Cup at 3:35 nor its consolation at 1:15 makes great appeal, as, on limited evidence so far, the most interesting horses may be drawn on the “wrong” side.

The Windsor Castle Stakes at 4:10 is full of lightly raced two-year-olds and is definitely a race to learn from rather than bet heavily on, in my view.

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

1:50 ROYAL ASCOT – HAMPTON COURT STAKES
1 pt win FIRST RECEIVER (5-2 bet35, BetVictor, 9-4 general)

2:25 ROYAL ASCOT – KING GEORGE V STAKES HANDICAP
0.5 pt each-way HUKUM (14-1 general, 12-1 bet365)

4:40 ROYAL ASCOT – COPPER HORSE HANDICAP
0.5 pt each-way RANCH HAND (7-1 bet365, Skybet, 13-2 William Hill, 6-1 Coral, Ladbrokes)