Royal Ascot’s Wednesday card is packed with competitive action, giving punters plenty of opportunities to get involved, especially with World Pool markets in operation throughout the day.
The Group Two Duke of Cambridge Stakes at 3.40pm puts the spotlight firmly on fillies and mares competing over Ascot’s round mile, and Blue Bolt stands out as the most compelling selection in the race.
Trained by Andrew Balding, Blue Bolt has long been held in high regard and appears ready to take a significant step forward into top-level company this season.
She built an encouraging profile last year but ran into two above-average rivals in consecutive starts, which put her progressive record into proper context.
The ground was softer than she prefers when finishing second to Lady Of Spain at Goodwood, before she ran another fine race to finish second to multiple Group One winner Fallen Angel at Newmarket.
Her reappearance at Goodwood this season was pleasing, and she is almost certain to improve considerably from that run, making her the standout pick in the World Pool Win market.
Catalina Delcarpio also demands serious respect in the same contest and could easily be underestimated by the market ahead of Wednesday’s race.
Trainer Paddy Twomey has wisely dropped her back to a mile after she finished third in the Ribblesdale at last year’s Royal meeting, where the 12-furlong trip ultimately proved beyond her.
She produced a really impressive performance at Leopardstown last time out, showing bags of pace while also demonstrating the ability to stay further than a mile, which will be a distinct advantage on the stamina-sapping Ascot course.
Playing Blue Bolt and Catalina Delcarpio together in a World Pool Quinella, backing the first two home in any order, represents an attractive way to approach the race.
Later on the card, the Royal Hunt Cup at 5.00pm presents a fierce puzzle with 30 runners charging down the Ascot straight mile, but two outsiders stand out as potential value plays.
Checkandchallenge, trained by William Knight, may not be the most fashionable name on the racecard, but he carries a strong level of back-form, particularly over straight-mile courses.
This is a horse who has competed at Group One level, finishing a close fifth in last year’s Lockinge, and the handicapper may well have left him on a lenient mark as a result.
He has caught the eye in two runs at Newbury this season and looks perfectly capable of causing a notable upset in a wide-open handicap field.
Blue RC is the second outsider worth considering, with fast ground conditions at Ascot finally suiting a horse who has been crying out for a quicker surface all season.
He ran well behind Checkandchallenge at Newbury, where the going was slower than he would have liked, leaving plenty of reason for optimism on better ground.
Trainer James Tate appears to have him primed for this specific target, and Blue RC could represent outstanding value in the World Pool markets on Wednesday afternoon.