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Royal Ascot Day 3 Tips: Dolphin heads Tony Calvin's trio of bets for Gold Cup day

Tony Calvin
15 June 2022
4:00 min read

Tony Calvin has a trio of bets to consider on day 3 at Royal Ascot

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The top class action continues at Royal Ascot and Tony Calvin has a further three tips for you to consider on Gold Cup day...

"He probably just won as he was entitled to there but it was clearly a positive effort, and the step up to 1m4f could well bring about progress."
Flying Dolphin at 19.018/1 or bigger in 15:05 Royal Ascot

I'd favour Walbank over The Antarctic in the opening Norfolk Stakes at 14:30 on Thursday but the market has come around to that way of thinking too, so we can skip straight to the devilishly-difficult 19-runner King George Handicap at 15:05.

Dolphin can fly the flag for Murtagh

You get the distinct impression that the Aidan O'Brien camp feel their Newfoundland is somewhat better than a 90-rated performer - his non-handicap entries this week and in the future hint at that - but I want something a bit bigger than 7s on my side in a race like this.

Likewise, Post Impressionist has a lot going for him - that Newcastle form last time makes him look very attractively weighted off 89 - and even more so if the winner Eldar Eldarov lands a punt in the Queen's Vase on Wednesday afternoon - bar his ever-shortening price through Wednesday morning.

My bet in the race is Flying Dolphin at 19.018/1 or better on the exchange.

He is 16/1 with the Betfair Sportsbook, who are paying six places, if you want to back him each-way. I am playing win-only.

Johnny Murtagh tasted handicap success at this meeting with the runaway Sandringham winner Create Belief last year and hopefully he has another plot (and handicap blot) on his hands with the similarly lightly-raced Flying Dolphin here.

He bumped into a couple of fair sorts in maidens on his first two starts - form on which he looks fairly treated - and then he put up a dominant display from the front when winning his maiden in a first-time tongue-tie and cheekpieces combination at Gowran last time.

He probably just won as he was entitled to there but it was clearly a positive effort, and the step up to 1m4f could well bring about progress. There is enough 1m4f stamina in the bloodlines, even if he is by the miler Zoffany, to encourage.

The other horse I considered was Vina Sena at similar odds.

Winner of his sole start at two, he has taken a while to come to himself this season but the manner in which he came from off the pace to finish second to the progressive Yashin (who also runs here) suggests he could be ready to strike for his in=form handler.

He is 6lb better off for 1 ½ lengths with the winner but I drew back from tipping him here as I am not sold on his stamina. Yashin pulled out more when challenged last time and Vina Sena's pedigree does not scream 1m4f.

I'll stick with Flying Dolphin.

I toyed with History at around 7s in the Ribblesdale at 15:40 as, err, history is littered with O'Brien fillies landing Group pots with horses stepping up from 1m to 1m4f, without seemingly shaping as if a greater test of stamina would suit in their previous starts.

History has that all-important Galileo influence, but it'd be a half-hearted tip, so I reined myself in. If she hits 8s on the exchange, I will have a nibble, though.

Bubble could be a Smart bet in the 'without' markets

No rain is expected until Friday at the earliest so It wouldn't surprise me if the 10-runner Gold Cup at 16:20 cut up to less than eight if Trueshan waits for the Queen Alexandra on Saturday, perhaps along with Tashkhan (and maybe Earlofthecolswolds), while Mojo Star, who likes a bit of ease, has the option of the Hardwicke at the weekend.

When the without favourite (s) markets come up, and the final field is known, I may look to back Bubble Smart in some form.

Obviously, this will be the quickest going she has raced on (though a French specialist tells me she handles good ground just fine) but the key formline here could be the Prix du Cadran last season.

Stradivarius Gold Cup 128x720.956x538.jpg

On that day, Trueshan beat Stradivarius by 4 ½ lengths, with Bubble Smart only a length away in third, with Princess Zoe over 2 lengths further back in 5th,

She is a guaranteed stayer clearly, and the market (she is 50/1+ on the exchange) is not giving her the respect she deserves, even if her two outings this season obviously need improving on.

Let's see what those without markets bring on Thursday.

Actually, just before I published, the without markets appeared and Bubble Smart was 14s without Kyprios and Stradivarius. That is very fair but, with non-runners surely to come, I will sit and wait.

I am big fan of Tashkhan but the ground must be a big worry for connections. Then again, that is why he is on offer at 40/1+, so maybe I will be crying into my gin at 4.30pm for ignoring a stayer with plenty more to give.

Pretty Koy about a big price runner in the Britannia

Hopefully, I will be pouring myself a large one after Koy Koy wins the Britannia at 17:00.

Back him at 25/1 win-only with the Betfair Sportsbook.

In fact, anything north of 14/1 would be fine for me. Genuinely.

He was pretty much 25/1 across the board on Wednesday morning and I can see why he has shortened as he has outstanding claims, albeit in one of the most difficult handicap puzzles here all week.

He has course form having finishing second to Saga (more of him in a bit) here last season, he bolted up at Newbury afterwards, and he ran a hugely encouraging race on his return at Chester when a length second to Outgate.

He bumped into one there in the shape of the winner, who is now rated 10lb higher after following up at the same course last time, so he must be considered well handicapped off just 3lb higher.

Having just his fifth start - the stable won this race with in 2014 with a horse having just his fourth outing - he is clearly open to a huge amount of improvement.

I thought he would be among the favourites here. And he should be, for all this is a hugely deep handicap, so we shouldn't be too confident.

Saga could prove very troublesome as his back-form against Group 1 horses is very impressive, bar his blow-out run here last time.

If the first-time tongue-tie and blinkers sort him out - and his half-brother Earnshaw ran his best race in Group 1 company with that headgear combo - then he is very dangerous, but he has shortened through Wednesday and that run was pretty poor last time.

Ticks in right boxes for Above in finale

Reach For The Moon can win the Hampton Court at 17:35 at 4/7 without my money - Howth could be an option in the without market, but we don't have prices at the moment - so on to the last.

Above is the bet at 33/1 each-way, six places, with the Sportsbook in the concluding 7f handicap at 18:10.

As with Koy Koy, a much lower price would be acceptable. Anything north of 20/1 would satisfy me.

You could argue that he is best at 6f but he ran well over 7f at Newmarket two starts ago, the quick conditions will put the emphasis more on speed here, he comes here in great nick, and he handles fast ground.

He also finished sixth in the Wokingham off a 6lb higher mark last season, so the course form box is ticked, and everything looks set fair for a big run.

Good luck.