King Can Lord It Over Ascot Rivals

By Ashley Iveson, PA

King Eagle can make it three wins from as many starts since joining Nicky Henderson in the John Guest Racing Brown Jack Handicap at Ascot.

The four-year-old ran five times for Michael Bell between October 2021 and September of last year without success, but did run a couple of sound races in defeat.

He subsequently underwent wind surgery and was gelded after moving to Seven Barrows, presumably with a jumping career in mind, but that appears to have been put on the back burner for the time being.

King Eagle did not surface during the last National Hunt season, but did make a winning debut for Henderson on the level at Bath in April.

He returned from a couple of months off the track to double his tally at Newmarket at the end of June, defying an 8lb rise as he stepped up to a mile and three-quarters for the first time.

The son of Frankel must contend with a further 3lb hike in Berkshire, but there is every chance a further rise in distance can bring about even more improvement as he goes in search of the hat-trick in the hands of Ryan Moore.

William Buick is another eyecatching jockey booking aboard Halla Dubai in the Chapel Down Handicap.

After finishing second in two of his three outings in novice company, the Owen Burrows-trained colt was well fancied ahead of his handicap debut over a mile at Goodwood, but was simply too keen to do himself justice and weakened into fourth place.

Dropping back to seven furlongs and racing in a bigger field should give him a better chance to settle and finish off his race. With Buick in the saddle, a bold bid can be expected.

Gaassee is tipped to get back on the winning trail in the #45,000 John Guest Racing Handicap.

The five-year-old rattled off four wins on the spin for William Haggas before finishing third as a red-hot favourite in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock last summer.

He subsequently returned lame after going off as the market leader for the Ebor and also disappointed on his first couple of starts of this season.

However, having dropped a couple of pounds in the weights, he ran his best race for a while when fourth on his second stab at the Old Newton Cup three weeks ago, beaten just over a length.

Gaassee has proven himself on an easy surface and this looks a good opportunity to return to the winner's enclosure despite the burden of top-weight.

The other afternoon Flat fixture comes from Thirsk, where recent Haydock third Darnation can provide Karl Burke with yet another juvenile winner in the Sky Bet Go-Racing-In-Yorkshire Summer Festival British EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes.

The Spigot Lodge handler may also take out the Listed feature in the evening at York, with Electric Eyes making her belated reappearance British EBF 40th Anniversary Lyric Fillies' Stakes.

The Siyouni filly has not been seen in competitive action since finishing best of the rest behind Commissioning in the Group Two Rockfel Stakes in September, but she has proven she is good enough for this level and is expected to be fit enough at this stage of the summer.

Pastiche can make it back-to-back wins at Newmarket in the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap, while Mystic Man rates the best bet over the jumps at Uttoxeter as he searches for a hat-trick in the Low Cost Roofing Stoke Novices' Handicap Chase.

SELECTIONS:

ASCOT: 1.50 Rawaasi, 2.25 KING EAGLE (NAP), 3.00 Halla Dubai, 3.35 Gaassee, 4.10 Way Of Life, 4.45 Glamorous Breeze.

CHEPSTOW: 5.09 Last Hoorah, 5.40 Acer, 6.15 Starry Eyes, 6.50 Straits Of Moyle, 7.20 Phoenix Glow, 7.55 Dulcet Spirit, 8.25 Fact Or Fable.

CORK: 4.15 Chandigah, 4.50 Double Jabbed, 5.22 Asean, 5.57 Running Cool, 6.32 Michigan State, 7.07 Ano Manna, 7.40 Carlton Banks, 8.15 Racing Royalty.

DOWN ROYAL: 5.10 My Mate Alfie, 5.45 Scarlet Dancer, 6.20 Nakassama, 6.55 Boher Road, 7.25 Gradulations, 8.00 Herculaneum, 8.30 Slaney Tide.

NEWMARKET: 5.52 Crocus Time, 6.27 Lightning Point, 7.02 Langton Wold, 7.35 Naqeeb, 8.10 Pastiche, 8.45 Lordsbridge Girl.

THIRSK: 2.00 Latin Five, 2.35 Darnation, 3.10 Ninety Nine, 3.45 Camusdarach, 4.20 Mushterek, 4.55 Starproof.

UTTOXETER: 1.35 Burrows Light, 2.10 Good Impression, 2.45 Ten Past Midnight, 3.20 Mystic Man, 3.55 Broomfields Cave, 4.30 Lakefield Flyer, 5.04 Gone Away Madam.

YORK: 5.00 Strongbowe, 5.30 Quest For Fun, 6.05 Apiarist, 6.40 Cairn Gorm, 7.15 Electric Eyes, 7.50 Box To Box, 8.20 Star Of Lady M.

DOUBLE: King Eagle and Halla Dubai.

TAB is betting on 6 UK meetings today. Here are the tips.

UTTOXETER: Race 1: 14.35 Burrows Light, Race 2: 15.10 Good Impression, Race 3: 15.45 Ten Past Midnight, Race 4: 16.20 Mystic Man, Race 5: 16.55 Broomfields Cave, Race 6: 17.30 Lakefield Flyer, Race 7: 18.04 Gone Away Madam.

ASCOT: Race 1: 14.50 Rawaasi, Race 2: 15.25 KING EAGLE (NAP), Race 3: 16.00 Halla Dubai, Race 4: 16.35 Gaassee, Race 5: 17.10 Way Of Life, Race 6: 17.45 Glamorous Breeze.

THIRSK: Race 1: 15.00 Latin Five, Race 2: 15.35 Darnation, Race 3: 16.10 Ninety Nine, Race 4: 16.45 Camusdarach, Race 5: 17.20 Mushterek, Race 6: 17.55 Starproof.

YORK: Race 1: 18.00 Strongbowe, Race 2: 18.30 Quest For Fun, Race 3: 19.05 Apiarist, Race 4: 19.40 Cairn Gorm, Race 5: 20.15 Electric Eyes, Race 6: 20.50 Box To Box, Race 7: 21.20 Star Of Lady M.

CHEPSTOW: Race 1: 18.09 Last Hoorah, Race 2: 18.40 Acer, Race 3: 19.15 Starry Eyes, Race 4: 19.50 Straits Of Moyle, Race 5: 20.20 Phoenix Glow, Race 6: 20.55 Dulcet Spirit, Race 7: 21.25 Fact Or Fable.

NEWMARKET: Race 1: 18.52 Crocus Time, Race 2: 19.27 Lightning Point, Race 3: 20.02 Langton Wold, Race 4: 20.35 Naqeeb, Race 5: 21.10 Pastiche, Race 6: 21.45 Lordsbridge Girl.

DOUBLE: King Eagle and Halla Dubai (Ascot, Races 2 and 3).

For fields, race betting and more information go to www.tab4racing.com