Ante-post expert Gary Nutting has selections, plus analysis for three of Royal Ascot's most prestigious races.

It’s already business as usual in this most unusual of seasons, with Aidan O’Brien winning one Guineas and going close in the other at Newmarket over the weekend.

The impressive Love turned round the Fillies’ Mile form with Quadrilateral in the 1000, while Wichita did the same with Dewhurst winner Pinatubo in the 2000 – albeit Kameko pounced late to spoil the Ballydoyle party.

Tresse D’Or easily handled the longest race of his career when he won a handicap at 1 1/4 miles on May 23 at Mudgee Racecourse in Australia.

Always near the front, Tresse D’Or won by a neck as the 7-2 second choice in a field of 13.

The experience will be handy when Tresse D’Or starts in a tougher handicap at 1 5/8 miles on Thursday at Gosford Racecourse. Race tactics may work in favor of Tresse D’Or, a 4-year-old Australian-bred gelding, who will carry 127.8 pounds.

Wesley Ward has shipped seven runners overseas for next week’s Royal Ascot meeting. Six of the horses are 2-year-olds, with 3-year-old filly Kimari bound for the Group 1 Commonwealth Stakes.

An eighth American horse, the Graham Motion-trained Sharing, has yet to ship overseas but is intended for the Coronation Stakes on Ascot’s closing day, Saturday, June 20.

Tom Wood
R1: 3-5-9-1
R2: 7-5-1-9
R3: 1-4-8-9
R4: 1-3-4-10
R5: 3-6-8-10
R6: 4-3-11-9
R7: 10-2-1-7
R8: 10-7-5-12
R9: 3-9-5-6

BEST: R4 – 1 GREEN AEON (EW)
VALUE: R8 – 10 SHAMPORT (EW)
PLAY: R4 – TRIO 3 < 1,4,10

:: Download DRF's Guide to Betting Hong Kong Racing

The whole structure of the Hong Kong racing season centers around producing competitive races, but Classic Unicorn decided to practice extreme social distancing in his most recent race.

Mubariz and Mulinka, 4-year-olds foaled in different hemispheres, give trainer Chris Waller two excellent chances in a handicap at 7 3/4 furlongs on Wednesday at Canterbury Park in Australia.

Mubariz, a English-bred gelding, has won 2 of 10 starts. By Dansili, Mubariz has had four starts in Australia, winning his most recent race in a handicap at a mile at Warwick Farm on May 13. In England, Mubariz won a maiden race at Nottingham Racecourse in 2018 for trainer Roger Charlton. Mubariz had his final start in England last August.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, June 10, 2020)

On paper, there was no standout in Sunday’s Group 1 English 1000 Guineas, but out on the Newmarket heath there was, as Love drew steadily clear through the final furlong to post a 4 1/4-length win.

Warrah Flash has become an effective late-running sprinter in Australia in recent months.

After losing his first five starts, Warrah Flash has compiled a two-race winning streak in a maiden race and a handicap since mid-April. Bettors have caught on. Warrah Flash was the 3-1 favorite when he closed from eighth of 11 to win a six-furlong handicap by a length May 18 at Tamworth Racecourse.

Gran Alegria, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2019 in Japan, had an ideal trip to win Sunday’s Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse in an 11-1 upset over 3-10 Almond Eye.

Gran Alegria’s smooth journey through the one-mile race was a major factor in the victory. Almond Eye, the 2018 Japanese Horse of the Year, broke slowly and was unable to recover. She rallied to finish second, beaten 2 1/2 lengths.

Almond Eye had won the Grade 1 Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse by an impressive four lengths on May 10, a race Gran Alegria missed because of a fever.