Racing Post

Polished has two Royal Ascot gems in Falcon and Kyprios

Robbie Wilders

THE Joseph O’Brientrained Hype was a general 16-1 for the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot but connections have opted for a softer target in the seven-runner mile threeyear-old handicap at Leopardstown (5.55) on Thursday.

I’d probably have backed him each-way for the Britannia if he pitched up there so will definitely be getting stuck in for this contest, a race where all runners bar Dundalk maiden winners Hype and Diderot have questions to answer.

Diderot scored in good style in March (RPR of 84) but doesn’t look particularly well treated off his opening handicap mark of 90.

In contrast, Hype posted a 7lb higher figure (91) in his maiden victory and makes plenty of appeal getting 3lb from Diderot off 87.

Hype improved with each start last season after a promising eighth behind Lucky Vega over six furlongs at Naas in June, with Group 2 winners Battleground (fifth) and Laws Of Indices (ninth) not far away.

He’s been well entered up for a few weeks and the assumption is he’ll be ready for this comeback run, while the step up to a mile should suit on pedigree. He could be much better than his mark.

My second selection is slightly more tentative as Igraine has been disappointing for Donnacha O’Brien since posting a decent sixth over a mile at Gowran Park on her debut in September.

She makes her handicap debut off a mark of 70 in the 1m5f event (7.30) later on the Leopardstown card.

According to O’Brien, she “works like a stakes filly at home” but we are yet to see that in three starts.

However, first-time cheekpieces could prompt an improved effort for this Camelot filly, who should be much more at home stepping up three furlongs in trip after a fairly tame comeback run over 1m2f at Navan.

Paddy Harnett takes off a useful 7lb and after three runs she is the most unexposed runner in this field. This looks a good opportunity if she can translate even a fraction of her homework to the track.

For obvious reasons I have dedicated much more of my time to studying Royal Ascot this week and I fancy the broodmare Polished Gem to be one of the stars of the meeting.

I can’t believe the price of two of her progeny, firstly Kyprios in the Queen’s Vase (3.05) on Wednesday.

I’m adamant the step up to 1m6f on fast ground should provide the catalyst to a careerbest effort.

Considering his Lingfield Trial fourth ties in with Derby winner Adayar and fifth Third Realm, I’m shocked he isn’t a single-figure price given the generous each-way terms.

There is always a market overreaction to Ballydoyle horses based on who Ryan Moore rides, and having Seamie Heffernan booked is no bad thing considering he is a top-class jockey and has been aboard for both of Kyprios’s wins.

If you draw a line through his Lingfield run, where the ground was probably too soft, Kyprios would be a much shorter price for this anyway – he was considered one of trainer Aidan O’Brien’s prime Derby hopes after his comeback victory in a useful Cork conditions race.

This will be the colt’s first tr y on quick going and everything looks in his favour for a big run.

Kyprios’s older brother Falcon Eight (pictured left) has been a horse I’ve liked for a couple of years and I could see him going off at around 5-2 for the Queen Alexandra Stakes which concludes the meeting (6.10) on Saturday.

That he is available at 7-1 ante-post despite being confirmed for the race with Frankie Dettori booked to ride surprises me.

Falcon Eight was a superb winner of the Chester Cup off a mark of 104 on his return and produced a career-best RPR of 112, a piece of form few of his likely rivals can match.

Dettori got an excellent tune out of him at Chester and although trainer Dermot Weld was concerned about the slight ease in the ground, Falcon Eight proved it holds no issues with a comprehensive success.

There is rain forecast at the end of the week which shouldn’t be too much of a hindrance. Not only does he look one of the classiest runners in the field, he looks guaranteed to stay the 2m5½f trip.

THURSDAY FRIDAY

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2021-06-16T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-16T07:00:00.0000000Z

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