Royal Ascot Long Shots: Lone Eagle 20/1 to relish Gold Cup trip

• Daryl likes the chances of a 20/1 shot in the Ascot Gold Cup

• Looks to Mitbaahy 25/1 to spring a surprise in the King Stand

• Says Dawn Of Liberation will outrun big odds in Hunt Cup

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Kings Stand Stakes - Mitbaahy 25/1

This race tends to throw up a placed horse at a big price each year, and it may be worth taking a second look at Mitbaahy 25/126.00, who looks overpriced. He caught the eye at Haydock on his first start since October when drawn away from the action but finished out his race nicely despite having to make his challenge on the far side of the track. Given the stand-side track bias that day, he can have that performance upgraded, and he is entitled to strip fitter for his first outing of the season.

He has finished in the first two on 50% of his career starts (7-14), and the four-year-old is open to significant improvement as a sprinter, particularly when faced with a stiff five furlongs such as this at Ascot. He relies on a strong gallop and fast ground and ticks plenty of boxes. The fact that he has already taken the scalp of the much shorter-priced Manaccan 10/111.00 at Newbury last year suggests he offers a little value at 2x the price (bigger elsewhere).

Ascot Gold Cup - Lone Eagle 20/1

The 2m plus division has been crying out for a lease of life, and this year's Ascot Gold Cup is a cracking renewal stacked with new blood. Lone Eagle 20/121.00 is one of a handful moving into this division, and the move up in distance could be the making of him. He finished with running left behind the smart Hamish at Chester over 1m4f, having been outpaced at a crucial stage, and that was a significant improvement on his seasonal return effort at Newbury for his new trainer Ralph Beckett.

His former connections were considering ending his season as a three-year-old in the Doncaster St Leger over 1m6f before a poor run in the King George at Ascot in July of that season saw a premature end to his classic season.

He has been challenging to keep right, having only had five starts in over two years. Still, his latest effort with blinkers applied was a step back in the right direction, and on the evidence of Chester and his running-on effort at Newbury, it suggests moving up in trip is a good move.

The former Irish Derby runner-up has stacks of stamina built into his pedigree, being by Galileo out of a Duke Of Marmalade Mare. Duke Of Marmalade has his highest strike rate with horses running over 14f plus, and Lone Eagle is very lightly raced with just 13 races under his belt, and further improvement is surely a given.

Those towards the top of the market tend to win this race, but few Irish Derby-placed horses have been contesting this race in recent years, and any easing in the ground would be a big positive.

Royal Hunt Cup - Dawn Of Liberation 33/1

Four-year-olds have a spectacular record in the Royal Hunt Cup, winning the last three consecutive runnings and seven of the last eight. Dawn Of Liberation 33/134.00 hasn't had the most consistent last 18 months, but he may have excuses. His latest run at Chester was an eye-catching effort, having been outpaced around the tight turning track only to stay on strongly at the death. Before that, he had spent his last five outings on undulating tracks, and despite a win at Goodwood, he wasn't seen to best effect at Epsom and particularly Newmarket (twice).

The return to a stiff 1m and a more conventional straight track should see him in a better light. He has only had a straight track on three occasions in his short career - Doncaster, York and Newbury. He bolted up at Doncaster over the now 103-rated Mount Athos, ran second at York to the now 115-rated Hoo Ya Mal (six lengths clear of the reminder), and Newbury was an encouraging debut behind useful two-year-old's Reach For The Moon and Harrow.

He remains very lightly raced, and his latest run was a signal that he is ready to return to form. He could offer a bit of value towards the bottom of the weights.

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