King Of Stats: Double-digit delight found on Ascot undercard
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Ascot plays host to an eagerly anticipated Group 1 in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but there’s a punters paradise on the undercard, with the International Stakes handicap to tuck into.
We put the King Of Stats to work at this most regal of venues, and he came up with a clear winner. Read on for the reveal:
Each of the past 13 International Stakes have been won by horses aged five or younger
That stat knocks out a whopping eight of our 26-runner field, with seven-year-old stagers such as Intransigent, Balty Boys and Jack Dexter joining Scottish Glen, who’s 10, plus six-year-olds Heaven’s Guest, Emell, Majestic Moon and Don’t Bother Me on the Ascot scrapheap.
10 of the last 13 winners carried 8-9 or more in weight
An important trend, as it sees off many of the younger horses nearer the bottom of the weights, where they are more numerous.
Nuno Tristan, Room Key, Brazos, Ice Lord, Lincoln, Cape Icon, Whitman, King’s Pavilion and Monteverdi are the nine animals that fall the wrong side of this line.
11 of the last 13 winners had a previous victory over 7f in their back catalogue
As we get down to the nitty gritty no horse is safe, not even Ladbrokes’ 7/1 favourite Librisa Breeze who, despite notching three firsts and as many respectable seconds in eight races so far, is yet to even attempt this trip.
He exits stage left, along with Fanciful Angel, Bossy Guest, Mutawathea and Squats.
This leaves Flash Fire (12/1), Suzi’s Connoisseur (9/1), Withernsea (33/1) and Mullionheir (20/1)
All of the last 13 winners had raced at Ascot before
That takes care of Withernsea and Mullionheir.
Eight of the last 13 were aged four
Flash Fire just begins to sneak ahead by the trends here, with a double-digit price and outside the first three in the market, like nine of the past 13 to take this, making Charlie Appleby’s charge the pick by royal decree.
International Stakes King Of Stats: Flash Fire @ 12/1
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
