Ljs: Royal Ascot ? day five live!

The latest news and best bets in our daily horse racing blog on the final day of Royal Ascot 2011

2pm Queen's horse said to be back on track

Chris Cook: The PA are reporting that Carlton House "delighted connections" by pulling five lengths clear of The Fonz in a gallop on Racecourse Side, Newmarket this morning. He is said to be a "likely" runner in the Irish Derby, when he will try to improve on the third place he achieved in the Epsom version.

1.25pm Some market movers

Chris Cook: William Hill report support for four runners in the Golden Jubilee, including Bewitched, who is 7-2 from 11-2. Definightly is 11s from 14s, Amico Fritz 20-1 from 33-1 and Monsieur Chevalier 28-1 from 40-1.

In the Wokingham, punters seem drawn to Hoof It (7-1 from 9s), Lui Rei (16s from 18s) and Fathsta (20-1 from 33-1).

Fort Bastion is being backed in the Chesham, while Deutschland is 7-1 from 12-1 in the Queen Alexandra that closes the meeting.

1.15pm Delegator to the July Cup

Saeed bin Suroor says that Delegator, taken out of this afternoon's Golden Jubilee at Ascot because of the rain-softened ground, will run next in the July Cup at Newmarket on 9 July. "Hopefully the weather stays dry for the next few weeks," the trainer said.

Donald McCain has nominated the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle next Saturday as the new target for Overturn, a non-runner in today's Queen Alexandra, also because the going is now too soft.

12.05pm Let's not forget our brave jumpers on foreign shores

Chris Cook: You may not be aware but it is French Champion Hurdle day at Auteuil and some big names from our winter game are lining up, most notably Grands Crus. Last seen getting beaten by Big Buck's at Aintree, David Pipe's grey is 9-4 on Betfair to land first-place prize money of �143,000.

The opposition includes three from the yard of Willie Mullins, who has won this twice before. He fields the World Hurdle third, Mourad, as well as Thousand Stars and Final Approach, the winners of the last two County Hurdles.

If you have access to At The Races at home, you can watch the French Champion Hurdle at 3.15pm, moments after the Hardwicke is run at Royal Ascot.

You can also see a couple of the supporting races. Or Noir De Somoza and Chaninbar are in the Prix des Drags at 2.40pm, while Mullins runs Twinlight in a four-year-old hurdle at 1.30pm.

For comedy value, watch this video of last year's Champion Hurdle, pinched from the front by Christophe Soumillon on a holiday from his day job as a Flat jockey.

11.45am Stands' side is the place to be

Chris Cook: Yesterday's big-field handicap up the straight course was the Buckingham Palace over seven furlongs. The first horses home were drawn:

29, 28, 2, 23, 32, 31, 25

with 32 being the stall closest to the stands' side. Striking Spirit, a 50-1 shot, did well to get so close from stall two. The next horse home from his group, which raced up the centre, was the eighth-placed Our Jonathan.

In Thursday's Britannia, the field were led home by horses drawn:

23, 15, 18, 30, 22, 25

and the nine horses drawn closest to the far rail did not make the first 11 home.

In Wednesday's Royal Hunt Cup, the first handful home were drawn:

24, 30, 25, 14, 15, 12, 31, 16, 21, 22, 18

and again the nine horses drawn closest to the far rail did not make the first 11.

All in all, it seems that a middle to high draw will be important in today's Wokingham. Of course, the draw bias at Ascot has, in the past, switched from one side to another and there is always the possibility that the jockeys may do something unexpected. If the entire field congregates towards the stands' side, any hold-up horses drawn high will have a torrid time trying to find a way through.

Of the market-leaders, the one with most to worry about is Deacon Blues, the second-favourite, who is drawn 11. Because of non-runners, he will only have seven horses on his right and 17 on his left when the stalls open.

11.15am Latest going and non-runner news

Chris Cook: There has been 7mm of rain since racing ended yesterday afternoon and the going is officially soft all round Ascot. This has led to a fair number of non-runners, as follows:

15:05 1 Afsare
15:45 5 Delegator
16:25 2 Masamah, 8 Rock Jock, 27 Global City
17:00 1 Salute Him, 5 Chock A Block, 17 Western Pearl, 19 Nice Style
17:35 11 Overturn, 18 Trovare

Delegator would be the most notable of those, though we were warned on Thursday that connections were minded to withdraw him if the rain had the expected effect on the racing surface.

I'm back in the office after four days at the track and will be keeping you up to speed through the day, with the help of m'colleague Greg Wood, back at Ascot for today's action.

Today's TV races

Dalghar (3.45) looks ready to deliver a Group One success in today's Golden Jubilee Stakes. He was only fifth when in action at this meeting last year, but that was over a mile in the Queen Anne Stakes, where he showed his usual high cruising speed before folding close to home.

Since then he has been run over shorter trips and it was in the Duke of York Stakes that he made his debut for Andrew Balding, finishing just three lengths behind Delegator despite the trainer warning that he was badly in need of the run. That form can be turned around here.

Newmarket 2.05 Despite having to work harder than expected to win last time, Johnny Castle seems the type of horse who only ever just does enough and can do better.

Ayr 2.20 A quick reappearance for Margot Did after her impressive victory over decent horses at Sandown last weekend, which must be a concern, but if still in the same form she cannot be beaten.

Ascot 2.30 An impressive winner on her debut of a race that has worked out notably well, Maybe is going to be hard to beat here if able to handle going conditions.

Newmarket 2.35 With genuine excuses available for his last couple of poor performances, Bunce could be worth a bet at decent odds.

Ayr 2.50 The Haydock form of Mariachi Man on his penultimate start is working out notably well and he appeared a non-stayer over a mile and a quarter subsequently.

Ascot 3.05 Ryan Moore has been relishing the chance to ride Await The Dawn all week and although this represents by far his stiffest task so far, he can get the better of his more-exposed rivals.

Newmarket 3.10 Having done well for a switch of stable this season, Bonnie Brae ran out a comfortable winner at Salisbury last week.

Redcar 3.20 A remarkable transformation appears to have occurred with Frognal, who couldn't have been more impressive on his first start for Richard Guest.

Ayr 3.25 Beaten by less than a length in a blanket finish for the Epsom Dash, Fathom Five would have been even closer but for meeting trouble in running.

Newmarket 3.40 His latest victory over an in-form rival having confirmed her as a filly on the up, Apace can continue to work her way through the grades here.

Ascot 4.25 The luckless Lui Rei will be winning soon, but the vote must go to Hoof It, whose latest success has worked out so well. Mick Easterby, who has struck form at the right time, rates this horse as a future Group-race performer.

Ascot 5.00 Kept back for this race since comfortably winning at Newbury on his reappearance from an unfavourably wide draw, Modun has gone up plenty in the weights but will still take some beating.

Horse sense

Bewitched's (3.45) backers have had their wishes granted with the arrival of rain at Royal Ascot and there is considerable optimism behind this exciting filly's chances in Saturday's Golden Jubilee Stakes. The form of her latest victory over Zoffany received a boost when that colt chased home Frankel earlier this week and she has reportedly come on considerably for that reappearance run. Coming back to six furlongs will, if anything, be a positive and plenty of money is expected for Bewitched, with Johnny Murtagh having chosen to ride her ahead of last year's runner-up Society Rock.

Waffle's (4.25) Irish owners have parachuted Fran Berry in for the ride in the Wokingham and this has been the target for some time. He holds Hoof It at the revised weights on a piece of form at Doncaster last October and connections are hopeful that some cut in the ground will not hinder his chances (despite the formbook offering only limited encouragement).

Sir Michael Stoute loves to win the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap and his Modun is an obvious sort but Barry Hills has kept Sharaayeen (5.00) back for this race since his comeback second at the Craven meeting, where it seemed to all that he was in front too soon.

Kieren Fallon had the choice of the two Luca Cumani runners in the Hardwicke Stakes and opted for Afsare (3.05) on the basis of an impressive gallop on the Golden Mile in midweek. He has something to prove on recent racecourse efforts but may offer each-way value.

Hughie Morrison is on a high with two Royal Ascot winners and is looking forward to another good winner at Pontefract on Sunday with Cosimo de Medici (4.10). Jimmy Fortune was asked to ride the horse after partnering Pisco Sour to victory earlier this week.

A fascinating clash between two top-class fillies is set for the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh next weekend but Henry Cecil will not hear of defeat for Midday against Snow Fairy. The Coronation Cup runner-up produced an outstanding piece of work on the Watered Gallop on Friday morning.

Will Hayler

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