4:25 Royal Ascot: Nawwaar to rediscover two-year-old class
Published:John Dunlop rated Nawwaar as his top two-year-old in training last season and he can build on this early promise with a triumph in the Britannia Stakes at 25/1.
Nawwaar opened his juvenile campaign with a taking third at Ascot when missing the break from the stalls and then running incredibly green throughout.
He stepped up on this performance with a success at Goodwood, where he encountered all sorts of trouble in running but eventually got up to snatch victory on the line from a field that included Mickdaam, who has since contested the Derby this season.
Nawwaar’s final two-year-old run was disappointing in a Group Three at Newbury, where he failed to settle.
However, there is hope that he may have mellowed through the winter and if displaying the class at Ascot that he showed at Goodwood, he may prove a massive price.
The step up to 1m for the first time may help and a field of this size should provide necessary shelter in the early stages.
Fast Or Free is expected to go off as the 8/1 favourite and he is the only horse in the field who has previous winning form over both 1m and on good to soft ground, which could prove advantageous.
The doubt is that he has gone up 7lb for winning in a likeable fashion at Newmarket and although he is open to plenty of improvement, this rise may be on the steep side.
Frog Hollow looks a safer option for punters as the ease in the ground will be in his favour and the use of first-time blinkers may also help.
Chapter Seven is another for the shortlist at 16/1 given that he has won well this season from difficult positions and a 4lb climb in the weights seems more than workable.
