Royal Ascot tips – 3.50 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes preview

Racingbase Staff  www.racingbase.com

Nick Wilby takes a look at Wednesday’s Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

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Wednesday’s feature race looks set to be an absolute thriller and there is plenty of form from all around the world on offer.  French raider Byword (3/1, Ladbrokes) heads the betting for the race at 3/1 and she brings some serious form to the table judged on her second behind Goldikova in the Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp earlier in the season.  She is sure to be popular, though it is worth remembering that her performance behind the Queen Anne Stakes winner was by some way the best of her career and it would be interesting to hear how wound up Goldikova actually was on her first start of the season.

Interestingly, Mawatheeq (13/2, William Hill) would probably be the selection if it weren’t for his trainer’s warnings over the fitness of the horse and after having my fingers burnt by Rip Van Winkle on Tuesday, I have been put off by the claims of Marcus Tregoning’s lightly raced Champion Stakes runner-up.

Instead it seems to make more sense to go for the horse that beat Mawatheeq at Newmarket in October and side with TWICE OVER (5/1, Stan James) who will not be in need of a run after a below-par effort in the Dubai World Cup in March.  That was Henry Cecil’s superstar’s first run since his very creditable defeat at the hands of Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and he heads to Ascot with upbeat gallop reports behind him.  Never really in the race in Dubai, he is sure to be raring to go on Wednesday and a performance similar to the one he gave at Santa Anita should ensure he is there of thereabouts.

Presvis (9/1, William Hill) could be in the thick of things, though he isn’t one to be placing any trust in, and Cavalryman (12/1, Stan James) is very interesting down in trip after three average starts for his new yard.

Nick Wilby’s selection – TWICE OVER (5/1, Stan James)