Royal Ascot Day 3

Jaipaletemps ran well at Worcester yesterday to finish second, his best run in Britain so far.  He probably would prefer softer ground, especially over two miles but he hit the line strong and just bumped into a well handicapped rival on this occasion.  The winner landed a hat-trick and there is probably more to come from that five year old.  If the weather continues to remain dry, there is a race back at Worcester over 2m4f that we could aim for.

It wasn't easy to find the winners at Royal Ascot yesterday but the Gosden team are in good form and they grabbed a double and in doing so made it 70 Royal Ascot winners for the team.  David and Jack are off to Royal Ascot today and Charles Darwin looks likely to get the Ballydoyle team off to another good start to the day in the opening Group 1 Norfolk Stakes at 2.30pm.  He is a short priced favourite for this will it looks tougher to pick the winner of the second race, the King George V Stakes which is a competitive looking handicap.  The Ribblesdale Group 2 comes next and things don't look any easier but Serenity Prayer just shades favouritism for the Andrew Balding team who had a winner yesterday.  The Ascot Gold Cup is at 4.20pm and I think the favourite Ilinois will win for Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien while the Britannia Stakes at 5.00pm is a tricky 31 runner handicap.  14 runners go to posy in the Hampton Court Stakes at 5.35pm Stakes and my tentative selection is the Gosden trained Detained ridden by Colin Keane.  The final race of the day is the Buckingham Palace Stakes over 7F in which 29 runners line up.

There is no jumps racing today but there are plenty of other flat meetings where it may be easier to find winners than at Ascot!  Action comes from Ripon, Chelmsford, Wetherby and Lingfield and in Ireland they have racing at Leopardstown.

 Somerset are in Vitality Blast cricket action this evening at home to Hampshire Hawks.  After losing to Kent the other day they will be hoping to get back to winning ways in what has been an excellent start for them in this competition.  This game gets underway at 6.30pm and I am sure there will be a live stream to watch but it is the Leicestershire Foxes against the Nottinghamshire Outlaws also at 6.30pm which will be shown live on Sky Sports cricket.  

Jack Draper won his match at Queens yesterday coming from a set down to beat Australian Alexei Popyrin but fellow Brit Dan Evans was knocked out by Brandon Nakashima.  Carlos Alcaraz in back in action today at Queens as is young British player Jacob Fearnley.

I told my boss that three companies were after me and that I needed a raise!

He asked me which three companies and I said, "Gas, Electric and Water!"

Have a great Thursday everyone and enjoy the sunshine and action from Royal Ascot Day Three!