Strong fields today at Ascot. I thought the most competitive race on the card was the 3.15. Mohaather was considered a very unlucky loser when running at the track 25 days ago. He will likely start as a warm favourite for this 1 mile event. I would rather look for a little bit of value elsewhere, so Skardu at 7/1 generally with a few betting firms, was my each way selection.

At Newmarket the 3.35 is the Darley July Cup Stakes, a Group 1 event over 6f. With a first prize of just over £140, 000 to the winner. It is very open this year. And on ground that may of dried out a little overnight, Threat was an interesting one for me. He was a really decent two year old, and dropping back to 6f should not be a major issue. At around 8/1 he would be my selection each way, as long as the ground keeps drying out.

More later.

A good winner for my subscribers yesterday. Beauty Choice 6.00 Chepstow was advised at 3/1 yesterday morning. Heavily supported in the betting market into around 7/4. Making just about all the running under Kieran Shoemark, and staying on strongly to win by just under a length.

Today I thought the racing was pretty tough. With rain overnight at Newmarket, the ground will ride probably on the soft side. Dandalla 2.25 was impressive when winning at Ascot last time, she should be ok on the ground today, as it was good to soft when she won there. Very short in the betting at around 6/5, she should win, but is a little bit short for me to get involved.

So I am waiting on the weather update, and possibly will back something closer to race time, if a deluge of rain does not arrive.

More later.

Good winner for my subscribers yesterday. Win O’Clock 7.15 Leicester was advised at 6/4 yesterday morning, a couple of withdrawals through the day, saw a deduction. But he did well to win, and any winner is a good price. Today’s cards have a few strongly contested races. At Newbury this evening I like Majestic Noor 8.10. The daughter of Frankel looks capable of winning off her handicap mark. Possibly most to fear from the Godolphin filly, who won on the all weather last time at Kempton, and is a well bred filly, who should be as progressive as my selection, but might not be able to concede weight today.

Pinatubo is all the rage in the betting for Sunday’s Prix Jean Prat in France. He should be ideally suited by the 7f trip, and looks the one to beat.

After another month of profit during June, over 3 points – which I am pleased with, considering the first month of any new season can be testing.

An excellent start to July with Kartara advised to my subscribers at 7/2 yesterday morning, she was a very easy winner at Kempton 5.40.

I did not advise a bet today. And looking at the weather forecast, it looks as though a fair amount of rain spreading across the UK this evening and tomorrow. Hopefully it will miss the south of the country. Big news today is Mogul is the choice of Ryan Moore, and a fair amount of support has been seen since it has been confirmed on the 48 declarations.

More tomorrow.

Pleased to find a good winner for my subscribers yesterday. I advised backing Volkan Star for yesterday’s 3.15 Newmarket- ante post on Thursday, at 7/4, he returned at 5/6, so a nice bit of value found. I did think it was tough going today, so not had a bet yet, finding winners is never easy.

Looking ahead to next weekend, the Derby looks a real head scratcher this year. The 2,000 guineas winner Kameko is around 4/1, he has possible stamina concerns, he gets the mile very well, but an extra 4f is a big question. No doubt he has a lot of class, and if he gets the trip well, he is the one to beat. But English King is a strong stayer, lightly raced, has now the asset of Frankie Dettori on top, so he would be my slight preference, in a race where you can make a case for a few other, particularly Pyledriver and Russian Emporer.

More tomorrow.

With warm conditions the ground is drying out. Quite a few horses have been taken out today.

At Haydock the ground should be good – good to firm in places. I think Returnofthemac could well win again 2.45. He likes to get on with things, and I expect him to be ridden with the leaders, if not making the running, he could have most to fear from well handicapped Nat Love, who has Richard Kingscote on top, who rides this track really well.

The Thebian 5.25 Leicester has a solid chance of getting off the mark, he drops to 6f and ran ok last time over 7f, behind two fairly useful types.

More later.

A late post today. Royal Ascot was very tough trying to pick the correct horse to back. I am not a massive fan of odds on shots, especially when everything looks against them. Stradavarious was a very easy winner, on ground that was not considered ideal, yet it was his easiest of his three Gold cup wins.

I did back Wichita today, although he got beat it was a good run again. The winner Palace Pier was given a great ride by Frankie Dettori, who is worth 5lb at the track. He just seems to know exactly when to make his move, and in the St James Palace Stakes, he galvanized his horse to collar the Godolphin trained Pinatubo close to the finish.

One horse I have had an interest bet on in the 8.40 Ripon is Dark Heart. He ran way out of his league last time, in a Derby trial, won by the horse I think will win the Derby. So a big drop to a handicap, this horse ran in a maiden at Lingfield back in February, I was at the races that day. He veered right on passing the stands, and lost all chance of winning, but I did make a note of him that day as one to follow, as he is a big strong horse, who will improve. If he handles the undulations of Ripon, he has a live chance tonight, as his 10 stone will not inconvenience, this big unit.

It has been pretty tough week trying to back winners at Ascot. And today looks just as hard, the biggest issue is everything is trying for its life !

With the rain we had yesterday, the ground will ride on the softer side, and scattered showers are forecast. So looking for horses with form on easy ground is advisable. Art Power will handle the ground, and I backed this horse when he won at Newcastle over 6f, the drop in trip today is no issue, the biggest worry is his stable runners are running poorly, and for that reason I am avoiding him. Maystar at 12/1 each way is my choice, he has run over various trips, will handle the ground, and has the option of racing in the centre of the course, where it looked best yesterday, he is in stall 9, so options are up to his rider. Hopefully we don’t get a downpour and the ground does not get very soft. Eye Of Heaven looked very smart when winning on debut, he could well be a smart colt, and could get a result for favourite backers in the 2.25 over the minimum trip.

A winner yesterday advised to followers, Electric Mistress managed to get a dead heat in the 4.20 Thirsk.

Today’s Royal Ascot card is pretty much as was yesterday, difficult !

I do think Juan Elcano 1.50 is value in the betting, he is around 7/2 with a few firms, he comes here with a really good run last time. It was in a group 1, the biggest concern would be it was only 11 days ago, but if you look closely at the rest of the horses lining up, they all come here after a very recent run, the rain will not be an issue, and I believe the extra 2f will be of no issue, as he is out of a Daylami mare, and lots of stamina. Japan 3.00 is another I like, he looked like a really honest horse when winning over 10f at York last season, and although he comes here without a run, his master trainer will have him ready.

Hopefully we don’t get a downpour of rain that may change the current ground conditions, which are good ( good to soft in places).

Two races already at Royal Ascot, with the last race just going to Circus Maximus for the Ballydoyle team. I mentioned on my post yesterday that they are worth following all week.

In the 2.25 I have had a few quid each way at big odds on West End Girl, she is up against it, as Miss Yoda beat her last time, and so did Golden Lips, who both are up against her again. It is interesting to see Frankie Dettori has chose to ride Frankly Darling. At Thirsk 4.20 Electric Mistress was a good second on debut, she could step forward and be the one to beat, well drawn and her stable runners are in good form.

More later.