Royal Ascot Betting / Graham Cunningham / 18 June 2009 / Leave a comment

They sprint a lot at Ascot but keeping going for all five days is a marathon effort. Racing UK analyst Graham Cunningham digs in for a day four which features three Classic winners going head-to-head in the Coronation Stakes...

It's no good getting older if you don't get wiser and we learned a few more things on day three of Royal Ascot. First, the American two-year-olds aren't invincible. Second, reports of Godolphin's demise have been mildly exaggerated. And third, they broke the mould when they made the unyielding Yeats.

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The amount of information available to punters during a meeting like Royal Ascot gets bulkier by the year.

A 128-page Racing Post takes some getting through before breakfast and, by the time you digest the Timeform view and the assorted opinions voiced on this site, it's a fair bet the markets will already be humming.

With that in mind, it's best to get straight to the point for day four in the hope of unearthing a few worthwhile backs and lays with the strongest angles highlighted accordingly.

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2.30 Albany Stakes

A fascinating duel in prospect between American raider Aegean and Irish improver Lillie Langtry. Wesley Ward feels Aegean represents his best chance of the week - and her Churchill form was franked handsomely by Jealous Again in the Queen Mary - but I'm not wild about stall 18 and therefore Lillie Langtry gets the vote.

Aidan O'Brien's filly has already achieved the level of form needed to go close in this after landing the same Naas Group 3 Cuis Ghaire used as a springboard to Ascot glory last year. She showed a good turn of foot to settle things there and stall 6 hardly looks a hardship given the way things have developed this week.

Of the rest, I suspect Godolphin's Sweet Sonnet might offer place lay mileage given that she got badly outpaced before nosing ahead late on her debut and She's A Character and Chachamaidee make more appeal if the big two fluff their lines.

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3.05 King Edward VII Stakes

Opposing Coolmore horses can be very dangerous, especially when they are clear on form, but Black Bear Island sweated up badly before the Derby and ran a long way below his Dante level even allowing that he was set a lot to do.

Aqwaal has much more on than when winning a Newbury handicap off 85, but I'm happy to give another chance to Native Ruler even allowing that he finished over four lengths behind BBI in the Dante.

There won't be a more handsome colt in the paddock than Henry Cecil's colt. Granted, they don't give trophies out for looks, but Native Ruler has been progressing nicely over a mile-and-a-quarter and is bred to relish this step up to a mile-and-a-half.

Debussy is consistent but exposed now, while South Easter isn't easy to assess having scrambled home in the Dee Stakes. Father Time looks one to be wary of having hung fire last time, but Native Ruler remains open to improvement and looks a solid win and place contender.

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3.45 Coronation Stakes

Three Guineas heroines and last year's champion juvenile filly line up for a race which will settle a lot of arguments.

I'm lukewarm on Irish Guineas winner Again, who took a long time to wear down the luckless Lahaleeb at the Curragh, and Rainbow View's commanding 2008 form has to be tempered by the fact that she hasn't reproduced that level this season.

Ghanaati and Elusive Wave are much harder to find fault with, and there won't be much between them in the market, but I wonder if the presence of the freewheeling Baliyana and possibly Chintz will make it hard for Elusive Wave to carry off her normal front running role to perfection.

By contrast, a searching gallop would probably be ideal for the English Guineas winner Ghanaati. She settled matters decisively up the hill at Newmarket and with just three runs on the board it could well be that we have still to see the very best of her.

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4.20 Wolferton Handicap

This looks as tough a puzzle as we have seen all week and I won't pretend to have the solution to it.

Tactics and luck in-running look bound to play a significant role with so many closely matched handicappers, but Dream Lodge looks well treated under a small penalty for his easy Redcar win and Stone of Scone remains open to improvement after doing his best work late behind the more experienced Moonquake.

Don't discount a big run from Perks at long odds, but Tony Martin's Irish raider Salute Him looks to have more on his plate.

Granted, he caught the eye coming from last to first at Navan, but those tactics will be much harder to carry off here. The handicapper may well have overreacted by bumping him up at an official mark of 101 and he looks a suitable place lay candidate.