The Windsor Castle Listed Stakes over 5f on good going. A huge field of twenty-seven two-year-olds. This contest will comprise of the good, the bad & ugly.
A number of these juveniles are talents and this will be a test for most.
Speculative Bet looks for horses at gigantic odds. We detail hopes with an equal measure of reality, saturated with sugar to sweeten the taste of defeat if it comes our way. It probably will because I'm about to reveal a 100/1 tip so we are shooting at grouse blindfolded. It's worth remembering you can't have a big price winner unless you pick a horse with a similarly juicy price.
Heather Main would love a winner at Royal Ascot. Aragon Knight has been a bit of a playboy in his time. If a human he'd waltz up to the Royal Enclosure with a couple of dolly birds on his arm, eyeing-up the crowd in case Peter Stringfellow tried to introduce himself with a bottle of Carver Sutro Palisades.
Aragon Knight is a strapping bay colt who had his own ideas on debut, swerving to right leaving the stall and unseating his rider. This son of Kheleyf showed his inexperience next start at Ascot, pulling too hard and tiring in the final furlong. If you could believe the form of his narrow defeat at Salisbury you would be thinking ''this one's slipped under the radar'' but can that form be taken literally? I doubt it. But that's the gamble. At odds of 300/1 or so on Betfair you could have worse bets. It would be a small bet and my fingers would be tightly crossed.
Aragon Knight 100/1 Unp
A Maiden Stakes over 5f on good going. Eight two year olds compete, a couple with form. Azhar, trained by Saeed Bin Suroor, held a Listed entry for the Marygate at York and must have ability. A 210,000GNS foal - Godolphin don't lack the funds to chase their dreams. Interesting. This filly is too short odds to register with Speculative Bet but we do have one horse who may have each claims at 20/1+. Heather Main doesn't train many juveniles but she knows a fair horse when she sees one. Aragon Knight may shine today. This son of Kheleyf is held in some regard by connections but made a laughing stock of the money put down when backed at Newbury. This bay colt veered right leaving the stalls and unseated his rider. He was then sent to compete in a hot stakes race at Ascot: slow away, far too keen, he looked to hold some hope but tired rapidly in the final furlong. This February foal is a big, strong colt who will appreciate the advantage of race experience and, perhaps, a more realistic target. His hopes rest upon the class of the opposition and with a few expensive debutantes it would be favourable if a few are particularly weak in the betting. It is worth noting Vostok has been given a selling race entry which suggests he is limited. At big odds Aragon Knight is worth an each-way bet at 20/1+.
Aragon Knight 16/1 2nd