4:25 Royal Ascot: Power to cut opposition down to size
Published:Sticking to horses prominent in the Royal Ascot betting has been a good strategy for the Coventry Stakes in recent years and there seems no reason to go against this trend in 2011 as Power can hand Aidan O’Brien another victory.
The favourite has won half of the last 14 runnings of the Coventry Stakes and Mezmaar did little wrong when quickening nicely to win on his only start at Haydock so far.
Trainer Barry Hills has also highlighted Mezmaar as one of his best chances of a Royal Ascot victory and the horse is 3/1 to win the Coventry Stakes.
However, there are some statistics that work in favour of Power, who is 5/1 in the Royal Ascot odds to hand O’Brien a sixth Coventry victory.
These include the fact that only one winner in the last decade has returned at odds greater than 8/1, while only three victors since 1983 have come from outside the top five in the betting market.
Power also looked thoroughly professional on his latest start when beating previous winners Tough As Nails and Fire Lily and this was over the shorter distance of five furlongs.
Therefore, Power should certainly have the speed to make it three wins from three starts, while he also holds an experience edge over the majority of his rivals.
The one trend that does not fit with Power is that O’Brien’s last three winners of the race arrived at Royal Ascot on the back of only one run.
In terms of the each-way value in the Coventry Stakes, Gatepost looks one to consider at 8/1, while Trumpet Major is 14/1 and represents the Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes partnership that has won the race for the past two years with Canford Cliffs and Strong Suit.
