ANDREW Balding landed the Group One Coronation Stakes (3.45pm) with Alcohol Free for owner Jeff Smith three years ago, and the pair will be hoping lightning can strike twice on Friday afternoon.
SEE THE FIRE is impeccably bred, by Sea The Stars out of Juddmonte International winner Arabian Queen, and she made a strong start to her career last year, finishing second in the Group Two May Hill Stakes and a close third in the Group One Fillies’ Mile.
Sent off just 15/2 in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket last month, she was a desperately disappointing 12th, but that was her seasonal reappearance and you can always forgive a horse one bad run. Just look at City Of Troy!
Balding has always loved this filly and on the back of that poor effort, she will be a massive price in this, so I think she is worth backing in the World Pool win and place markets.
It is true that she may want a bit further in time, and the ground could be a little quick, but that is all factored into her price which will hopefully be around the 33/1 or 40/1 mark.
French-trained fillies have won three of the last nine renewals and French 1000 Guineas winner ROUHIYA could be another for Les Bleus.
Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard for the Aga Khan, the daughter of Lope De Vega caused a shock at Longchamp when claiming the fillies’ Classic at odds of 31/1.
Ramatuelle is much shorter in the betting for the French, but Rouhiya looks a value call in the World Pool win and place markets.
For those placing a World Pool Quinella or Swinger, I would include the above two selections with the favourite, OPERA SINGER, who will be trying to give Aidan O’Brien his fourth win in the race.
She bolted up in the Prix Marcel Boussac last October and ran a more than respectable third in the Irish 1000 Guineas on her reappearance.
Sure to come on for that run, she is going to be very hard to keep out of the frame.
POINTERS FRIDAY
See The Fire (Win and Place) 3.45pm Royal Ascot
Rouhiya (Win and Place) 3.45pm Royal Ascot
See The Fire, Rouhiya, Opera Singer
(Quinella, Swinger) 3.45pm Royal Ascot