Palace Pier will be hard to beat in the opening race of Royal Ascot 2021 but at such cramped odds he is well worth taking on. There are a couple of course distance specialists in here such as Bless Him, Accidental Agent, LORD GLITTERS & SIR BUSKER and it's the latter pair which interests me today. Lord Glitters is a former winner of the race and seems to thrive over this stiff mile. He may have preferred some juice in the ground today but I still think he can go well. Sir Busker is unexposed at this level but showed his liking for the stiff mile when winning the SIlver Hunt Cup here last year. His two runs this season have been excused so I can see him outrunning his odds today.
The Coventry looks an open race this year and there isn't a standout performer at first glance. THE ORGANISER caught my eye at York on debut when landing a big gamble and has since been bought by Highclere Thoroughbreds. That suggests there could be plenty more to come and Joseph Tuite isn't someone who runs at this meetings for the sake of running. His high cruising speed will prove very useful and providing there is no draw bias I think he can run a huge race.
I could back quite a few outsiders in the Kings Stand stakes today as I think this could turn into a real burn up. I was backing ACKLAM EXPRESS throughout his time in Meydan for this race and although he has to put a below par display at York behind I think he could surprise a few here. His form in Meydan is rock solid and plenty went wrong for him in those races so you can mark that form up even more. He was his own worse enemy at York when sweating badly but hopefully he can harness his energy and show his rivals a clean pair of heels.
If they go too quick in front then I suspect the strong staying KING'S LYNN will pick up the pieces. Andrew Balding's charge has improved hand over fist this season so far and is slowly repaying backers who followed him last year. He should relish this stiff 5f and I can certainly see him in the places.
I haven't lost any faith in BATTLEGROUND despite his blow out in the Guineas. It was simply too bad to be true that day and I'm more than happy to forgive him that run. He was successful at this meeting last year and I expect him to bounce back to his best today on ground he will love over a course that will suit.
In the same race I think MAXIMAL has been overlooked. Having just been outstayed by two strong stayers the past twice I think the drop to a mile will suit Sir Michael Stoute's horse down to the ground. The form of both races is pretty solid and both times the selection has travelled like the likely winner only to get hustled out of it late on. At 25/1 he looks too big here and I think he can definitely ruffle a few fancied feathers.
ELYSIAN FLAME was a bit of an eyecatcher last time out at Chester having had no luck in running. His earlier run at Newbury impressed me and there was certainly no fluke about it. Mick Easterby knows the time of day and is another who wouldn't be running here if he didn't think he had a chance. The selection is unexposed over this trip and at this level so dismiss him at your peril.
Joseph O'Brien looks to have laid PATRICK SARSFIELD out for the Wolferton Stakes and the current market leader could take a bit of stopping. It isn't the strongest of renewals and this lad mixed it with some of the best last year. There are hopes that he could develop into a Group 1 horse this year and if those aspirations are to bear true then he should really be winning this.
Mark Johnston is tough to ignore in staying handicap races and THEMAXWECAN has certainly caught my eye in the Copper Horse handicap. He was a close 5th in the race last year having been forced wide up the straight. He returns this year off the same mark and although it looks just as competitive this year I think this horse is a solid each way punt given his strong course form.
2.30 – Lord Glitters/Sir Busker
3.05 – The Organiser
3.40 – Acklam Express/King's Lynn
4.20 – Battleground/Maximal
5.00 – Elysian Flame
5.35 – Patrick Sarsfield
6.10 – Themaxwecan
