Newsboy reckons his Nap, Duran, is the hit of the day at Ascot in the 3.23 and he also rates Unquestionable in the 1.40
DURAN can hit the right note in the eventmasters.co.uk 40th Anniversary Handicap (3.23) over five furlongs at Ascot.
Nigel Tinkler’s sprinter had a profitable campaign as a three-year-old, winning three times. His final run of the season can be overlooked, when eighth of 17 at York in October, having had to negotiate a bad draw.
But the son of Invincible Spirit returned from a six-month layoff in good form two weeks ago, when a length second to Northern Spirit at Beverley.
He looks sure to come on from that run, and having Tom Marquand in the saddle is an added bonus.
UNQUESTIONABLE looks the answer in the eventmasters.co.uk Paradise Stakes (1.40) over a mile.
Previously with Aidan O’Brien, the four-year-old is a high-class colt. In his juvenile year, the son of Wootton Bassett chased home Rosallion when a length second in the Group 1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, before storming home to win the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita.
His three-year-old season never really got going, having finished fourth in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, on both occasions behind Rosallion, who is now his stablemate at the Richard Hannon yard.
He has not been seen on a racecourse since, so this Listed event will be a good reintroduction and with Ryan Moore booked to ride, he has every chance to make the winner’s enclosure.
Wednesday’s selections ASCOT 1.10 WISE APPROACH 1.40 UNQUESTIONABLE (NB) 2.15 COLTRANE 2.50 BIG MOJO 3.23 DURAN (NAP) 3.55 VICTORY QUEEN 4.30 MY CLOUD
PONTEFRACT 1.50 MUNSIF 2.22 ARGENTINE TANGO 2.57 REIGNING PROFIT 3.32 PRINCE ACHILLE 4.05 LEADENHALL 4.38 KATS BOB 5.10 MICKEY MONGOOSE
PUNCHESTOWN 2.30 BEYOND YOUR DREAMS 3.05 CHAMPAGNE JURY 3.40 AMERICAN MIKE 4.15 JASMIN DE VAUX 4.50 KALYPSO’CHANCE 5.30 GALOPIN DES CHAMPS 6.05 LIGHTKEEPER 6.35 SEO LINN
BRIGHTON 4.55 ROYAL ACCORD 5.20 DAPPER CHARM 5.50 PACKETOFBISCUITS 6.25 FIGHTING POET 6.55 BLENHEIM STAR 7.25 SAM’S HOPE 7.55 THE THAMES BOATMAN
SOUTHWELL 5.05 RETURN WITH GOLD 5.40 PALAZZO BLU 6.10 THIS TIME MAYBE 6.40 WHISPERWOOD 7.10 QUICK AWAY 7.40 FIFTY SENT 8.10 ADVERSARY 8.40 DREAMS ADOZEN
DOUBLE: DURAN and UNQUESTIONABLE