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Declan Rix nominates four horses to follow across Saturday’s card at Ascot, including a pick in the Summer Mile – watch live on Sky Sports Racing.
Sonny Liston
2.20 – Anne Cowley Memorial Summer Mile Stakes (G2)
No doubt the progressive Sonny Liston has shown his very best form on straight tracks, especially this season, but he’s run numerous big races around a bend, including going right-handed and it might just be a case he is a different horse this year.
On what we have seen, he has the best form on offer in this race, better than favourite Quddwah, for all he is respected as an unbeaten-in-three performer whose recent win on Ascot’s straight track is looking solid.
Pace and drying ground would help Sonny Liston go close, although he is pretty versatile where the latter is concerned. Regarding the former, let’s hope the dropping-in-trip Bolster goes a sound gallop, while Sparks Fly can sometimes inject some early pace into a race.
Dancing In Paris
3.32 – Ascot Racecourse Supports Sport In Mind Handicap
Dancing In Paris still looks fairly treated off a rating of 81 and can hopefully give hot-favourite Coco Royale a run for her money.
In some ways, the presence of the favourite may enhance Dancing In Paris’ chances, given he can take a grip in his races, and travel sweetly. That was certainly the case last time out at Goodwood when just being outstayed late, but it was a top effort given he got no cover for large parts of the race.
Drawn in two, if David Probert gets the son of Olympic Glory plenty of cover and into a nice early rhythm off a sound gallop, he will give the favourite something to think about. Probert will need to with the four-year-old stepping up in trip, but it certainly looks worth a go.
Angel Hunter
2.57 – Juddmonte British EBF Restricted Novice Stakes
An £85,000 purchase as a yearling, Angel Hunter made a highly satisfactory debut in a warm-looking Sandown novice last week, seeing him enter my ATR Tracker.
It’s a surprise to see the son of Acclamation being turned out so quickly, just eight days later, but the Richard Hannon team know what they are at, especially with juveniles, and he’s entitled to step forward from that debut effort.
In a field with plenty of first-time out starters, a nice horse may well be lurking, but experience is often a significant plus and Angel Hunter looked a complete professional last time out. The yard’s juveniles can often take a nice jump forward from debut, and if the case here, whatever beats him will be a smart type.
Mr Alan
4.07 – Magnum Classic Ice Cream Handicap
A competitive Class Two handicap with 14 set to do battle here. Many have chances, but at a decent price Mr Alan appears to have been overlooked in the market.
Mr Alan is another of Declan’s fancies
While market leader La Yakel is respected for top connections, second and third favourites Lord Melbourne and Ziggy, are grinding types who could be vulnerable to late pace on quickening ground.
Plenty will think Mr Alan isn’t that type given he has gone well in heavy going in the past, but he’s pretty ground versatile to be fair to him, and over this 12f trip, a little bit of nicer ground may actually help him get home.
Watch Ascot live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday…
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