Royal Ascot Tips: O’Brien at the double with Clemmie and Sioux Nation
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The Commonwealth Cup and the Coronation Stakes are the standout contests on another action-packed six-race card from Royal Ascot this afternoon.
Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Alpha Centauri is vying for favouritism with Aidan O’Brien’s Clemmie in the feature race of the day. Meanwhile, Equilateral will go up against Sioux Nation in the 6f sprint at 3:40pm.
We’ve cast our eye over the form book for the fourth day in a row to bring you our picks from those races – and the four others – in our ITV Racing Tips…
We’re putting our eggs firmly in the Coolmore basket for the Coronation Stakes, as Clemmie bids to get back on track after a ninth-place finish in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.
Don’t be concerned by her placing at the Curragh, though. The daughter of Galileo needed the run after a setback in March, so it came as no surprise that she finished well down the field.
Of more interest is her record in 2017. The filly came to life in August when landing a pair of black-type contests. Then in September she travelled superbly to claim a maiden Group 1 success in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.
Based on that run, she’ll be a big player again here. And with Ryan Moore on board, anything is possible.
Winners of the Phoenix Stakes in Ireland tend to go onto decent success. Think George Washington, think Mastercraftsman and think Caravaggio.
That makes O’Brien’s three-year-old prospect Sioux Nation a hugely enticing proposition in the Commonwealth Cup. The son of Scat Daddy landed the Group 1 prize in August last year but has disappointed since.
A sixth-place finish in the Middle Park Stakes was followed by a 7l fourth at Navan on his reappearance in April.
However, a comfortable victory in a Group 3 contest at Naas last time out is reason to suggest the Ballydoyle raider is returning to something nearing his best. He won at Royal Ascot last year, and with good-to-firm ground under-hoof, he should be there or thereabouts once again today.
Shock results have been plentiful at Royal Ascot this week. Favourites have fallen left, right and centre. And we think that trend could be about to continue with Dathanna in the Sandringham Stakes.
Charlie Appleby’s filly has been racking up some eye-catching form around the UK. After a slow start as a sprinter, the daughter of Dubawi has been making a name for herself at 7f and more recently 1m.
She’s won back-to-back contests at Kempton and Ascot, doing so last time off an Official Rating of 101. The three-year-old will go off a fair mark here and, on her first try on good-to-firm ground, can give punters some joy on each-way terms.
ITV Racing Tips:
- 2:30 Ascot – Fairyland
- 3:05 Ascot – Old Persian
- 3:40 Ascot – Sioux Nation (NB)
- 4:20 Ascot – Clemmie (NAP)
- 5:00 Ascot – Dathanna (Lively Longshot, each-way)
- 5:35 Ascot – Thundering Blue
All Odds and Markets correct as of date and publication
