Daryl Carter's Tips: 17/2 Garfield to leave Chester rivals in his Shadow

• Ziggy down in grade at York must be of interest

• Garfield Shadow (NAP) is a juicy price at Chester

• Orazio fancied to land the Moet And Chandon

---

Ryan Moore Superboost

Betfair Ambassador Ryan Moore rides the strong favourite Auguste Rodin in today's feature race, the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at 15:40.

A six-time Group 1 winner including the Epsom Derby and Breeders' Cup Turf, Auguste Rodin has won three anf finished second once in four of his last five starts and if you fancy him to finish in the first two again today you can back him at the super-boosted price of 11/102.11 (from 2/51.40) by clicking on the odds below to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

---

13:50 Ascot - No Bet

The opening race on ITV is the Princess Margaret Stakes Group 3 and Albany runner-up and recent Al Shaqab purchase, Simmering 13/82.63, correctly heads the betting market under Ryan Moore. She was only reeled in late by a potentially outstanding rival in Fairy Godmother, and there are no concerns about the level of her form in her first two starts. Her backers can take confidence that she has already handled the track and looks a very fair price. I can see her going off around 11/102.11.

Three entirely unexposed horses sit behind her in the market, and I like Handcuffed 5/16.00- Tipped on this week's Racing Only Bettor.

I've had a small each-way bet on the Andrew Balding horse, who impressed me no end when effortlessly winning at Newbury. That performance was worth a considerable upgrade. She is the correct price at 5/16.00 with slightly bigger elsewhere.

If there's movement in this market, it must be for the favourite, Simmering, who holds good claims. However, there is no advised column bet with good value elsewhere.

---

14:05 York - No Bet

If there was a race where the headline could read "Hell no," this is one. I don't bet on novelty races, and while the Jump Jockeys' Nunthrope is run in good spirits, it's not a race I want to attempt to make money on, so I swiftly move on.

---

14:25 Ascot - Back Friendly Soul @ 10/34.33 1pt

Devoted Queen - Tipped on this week's Racing Only Bettor Podcast - heads the betting, and I wasn't overly keen on rushing to back her at 11/43.75 at the time of recording, and now at 9/43.25; it's tough to advise her here. I think she has the potential to blow this race wide open, but there is a niggling doubt about the 71-day absence since her decisive victory at York. Why haven't we seen her? Perhaps trainer comments on the Racing Post on Friday evening will reveal more, and punters can make a more educated decision.

Given that she likes to be held up, she must come from behind Friendly Soul. At the current prices, the Gosden Filly is of more interest now.

Friendly Soul - 10/34.33 on the Betfair Sportsbook - went off a very short price for the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York, and an abysmal performance since then has kept her off the track - obviously, something was amiss.

She looked very useful in beating Kalpana at Newmarket in an outstanding time figure. That rival has boosted the form since by finishing third in the Ribblesdale and winning a Listed Hamilton contest against the boys. The fact that the fourth finished in the same spot next time in a Listed event before finishing runner-up narrowly behind Soprano in the Sandringham makes Friendly Soul the form selection.

The more I looked at this race, the more I felt she was the value play in the contest. There are still 4s, 5s, and 7/24.50 out there, and any 7/24.50 or bigger would interest me, so do what you need to do.

---

14:40 York - No Bet

I liked Korker 7/18.00 - advised on the Racing Only Bettor Podcast - with the angle that the step up in trip could be the making of him. I was surprised to see his connections had only tried this six-furlong trip once with him when he was a two-year-old. It could be late in the day to expect improvement from the five-year-old, but he looks well worth a try at this distance. His antics in the stalls mean he could never be a confident selection, which is why he hasn't made this column, but he does appeal as one in this field outside the favourite that could step forward.

It's devilishly difficult to build a strong case for anything, and taking on a progressive favourite in Trefor that is 3-3 on fast ground and arriving off a career-best is possibly unwise. Still, if you are looking for a steer, Korker may appreciate this new trip and hit the frame.

---

15:00 Ascot - Back Orazio @ 13/27.50 1pt

This is very tricky for me. This column advised Carrytheone as a 3-point win selection in the Bunbury Cup, but something is putting me off weighing in again. Ryan Moore is an exceptional rider, and there was a reason he cut inside behind horses rather than take the outside free lane in the Bunbury Cup. I wonder if he is a horse that likes to chase horses rather than see too much daylight. That concerns me with a low draw here, with many fellow hold-up horses and little pace. He will have to move much earlier than he has done the last two times.

I will back Carrytheone for minimal stakes to save face. Not at his current 4/15.00, though - he was a big drifter before the off at Newmarket. If followers were on him last time, I advise you to stake correctly to ensure you do not lose the race if he wins--very important.

Orazio - 13/27.50 on the Betfair Sportsbook - is the other I want to back. Charles Hills' runner has an excellent record here at Ascot and has the right profile for this race. He was last seen finishing with a plum in the Wokingham Handicap, steaming home from off the pace when denied a clear passage. That finishing effort should be impossible to ignore for punters, and it looks like a very strong form line, with the fourth going on to finish runner-up in the Bunbury Cup next time.

Orazio's previous run here at Ascot saw him staying on in sixth (beaten two lengths) in the 2023 Wokingham Handicap and a win before that with a joint career-best RPR of 109.

His dam was a 7f winner, and his sire Caravaggio looked certain he would get seven furlongs. This trip opens up an avenue for improvement. Back him at 6/17.00 or bigger win-only to save space for that small saver on Carrytheone.

---

15:15 York - No Bet

Our ante-post advised selection Almaqalm is an NR, and anyone who follows me on Twitter @DarylCarter7 hopefully got out of the bet when advised on Wednesday. Still, seeing his trainer say he would wait another day was disappointing.

That leaves the door open for the returning Passenger (NAP on the Podcast) to confirm his class over four rivals. It is a slight concern that he has been off and missed Sandown and Royal Ascot, but his trainer wouldn't be risking him if he wasn't A1, and he is a fast-improving horse.

It was difficult not to be impressed with how well he dealt with Israr at Chester in the Huxley Stakes and the runner-up sluiced up at Royal Ascot in Listed company.

Passenger should be ripe for this contest and land this before going on to make a bid for the Juddemonte in a few weeks - I don't see this as a prep run.

Alflaila has an excellent record when fresh, so seeing him finish well-held at Royal Ascot was slightly disappointing. His well-being for that race can be confirmed, considering they opted not to take in a lesser (open goal) in Listed company.

He is undoubtedly a danger, but this is a much better race than the one he won last year. Kings Gambit is feared most, but if Passenger can't land this, he has no right to line up in the Juddemonte. Still, this is tight from a betting perspective combined with the rest of the column, but I expect Passenger to win - unfortunately, you can't advise them all.

---

15:40 Ascot - (Already advised Rebel's Romance 10/34.33) 1pt

I have taken a deep dive into the King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes for Betfair this week with a runner-by-runner guide and offered Rebel's Romance as the bet at 10/34.33 or bigger. I make him more of a 9/43.25 chance.

Read Daryl's updated Saturday Ascot King George runner-by-runner guide here

---

16:05 Chester - Back Garfield Shadow @ 17/29.50 2pt

For whatever reason, Garfield Shadow - 17/29.50 on the Betfair Sportsbook - blew out last time at York and was beaten 60 lengths. To say that was his actual running is obviously wrong, and in the hope he can bounce back, he is the offering from the plum draw in stall one to get back on the up.

He has excuses for his five-length defeat at Newmarket when failing to handle the track's undulations - he looked all at sea - but still ran creditably there. Therefore, he is best judged on his narrow victory over course and distance when denying a twice-since course winner Al Shabab Storm.

There's little doubt from just four pounds higher, he can make his presence felt, and it might pay to be forgiving, considering how well he went past Warm Spell at Newmarket despite the track not playing to his strengths. 5/16.00 or bigger is acceptable.

---

16:50 Ascot - Back Tempus @ 8/19.00 1pt e/w (4 places)

Our recent column winner, Elnajmm, takes up plenty of the market here, although the correct favourite is short enough in the betting. It might pay to take an each-way chance with Tempus - 8/19.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - who ran his best race for a long while last time at Newmarket and won this race two years ago.

The eight-year-old has slipped in the weights, and it may be no more than a coincidence, but his improved performance could coincide with the time of year. He had been out of sorts since 2022, but interestingly enough, he hadn't run during the summer months until now. His record between July and August reads 21111. Perhaps that is just a coincidental fact, but there's no getting away from his finishing effort at Newmarket last time, and the recent fitting of the blinkers looked to have sparked some life back into him.

The eight-year-old may not be the force of old, but he is capable on a regular day and gave a firm indication to keep him on his side last time.

He offers a little value in this race, and any 8/19.00 or bigger is acceptable.

---

17:10 York - Back Ziggy @ BSP 1pt

Ziggy has been knocking on the door and was worth upgrading at Ascot last time, so he is fancied to get his head in front on this ease back in grade into a Class 3 for the first time since scoring at Kempton in 2022.

He has had some exceptionally tough tasks, but today's scenario looks right for him to score. He doesn't have the best record at York in two runs, but one came after a 141-day absence during the middle part of the season where something could have been amiss, and the other was on testing ground over 1m6f. His record on genuine good or better ground has seen two victories, a second at Epsom, a third at Royal Ascot and a second to a Listed/Group performer on his latest start.

He is in career-best form this term and is still lightly raced enough to see improvement. However, the angle is the drop in grade, and he can gain a deserved victory. Theory Of Tides is interesting here, but a mark in the 90s for what he has achieved to date is no gimmie, and he has stamina to prove.

11/43.75 is out there at the moment, and he is not the type of horse to be backed, so hold off taking the 7/42.75 on the Betfair Sportsbook and use BSP.

---

Now Read: More horse racing tips here.

---