2016 Royal Ascot St James Palace Stakes betting and free tips
RUNNING at group 1 level, the St James Palace Stakes is one of the premier races of the Royal Ascot carnival and although the 2016 field is small, it is packed full of talent.
The eight-horse field will contest the 1600m feature on Wednesday morning with punters settling on two of the well-favoured runners. In 2015 it was the heavily-supported Gleneagles which won at $1.40 odds, but the winner in this will pay a better price.
The market war is between Awtaad and The Gurkha. Aidan O’Brien lines up The Gurkha which has looked promising winning its last two, but it has drifted out slightly in the betting. The move came for Awtaad earlier in the week and both runners could be at similar odds come start time.
St James Palace Stakes market
1. Awtaad – $2.87
2. Cymric – $81
3. Ehtiraas – $101
4. Emotionless – $13
5. First Selection – $34
6. Galileo Gold – $7.50
7. The Gurkha – $2.37
8. Zonderland – $23
Awtaad opened at $3 and has come in for support steadily throughout the week. Current favourite The Gurkha opened short at $2.25 and has drifted out to $2.37.
No other runners have come in for support. Cymric opened at $34 and has drifted remarkably to $81. Ehtiraas has doubled in price after opening at $51 and on the third line of betting is Galileo Gold which opened at $6.50, but has moved out a full point to $7.50.
St James Palace Stakes runner guide and tips
1. Awtaad – $2.87
Trainer: Kevin Prendergast
Jockey: Chris Hayes
Form: 31×111
The good-looking son of Cape Cross has rattled off four consecutive victories after running third on debut at The Curragh. Its most recent was the easily the most impressive after taking out the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas over race-rival Galileo Gold.
The three-year-old colt has a good stride and another try at the mile will suit it perfectly. Punters have supported it and a top three finish looks certain.
2. Cymric – $81
Trainer: John Gosden
Jockey: James Doyle
Form: 128×85
The Kitten’s Joy colt comes into this race having finish last in a five-horse field behind race-rival Zonderland. It has marginal form prior to that effort and the odds represent the diminishing chance it has of winning.
Despite the top trainer/jockey combination, we can’t have it in our top three picks.
3. Ehtiraas – $101
Trainer: Owen Burrows
Jockey: Paul Hanagan
Form: 2×32
Has had three starts for three placings, but surely it needs winning form to play any part in the finish. It hasn’t been able to exit maiden grade, whilst there is a group 1 winner that isn’t even the favourite to win.
It would take a huge effort to get this horse prepared well enough to upset them, but the $101 suggests it’s only running around for the spectacle. No chance.
4. Emotionless – $13
Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Jockey: William Buick
Form: 117
One of the better-supported runners in the field. It opened at $13, dropped to $11, but has since drifted back out to its original price. The Godolphin factor will have a big impact on the betting and although it didn’t fire last start in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, its form prior was impressive.
It won its first two career starts with one coming in group 2 grade and there’s plenty to like about its future. This might be a step too far, but it has a great chance of finishing in the first four and the $2.37 for the place is a solid bet.
5. First Selection – $34
Trainer: Simon Crisford
Jockey: Jim Crowley
Form: 15×672
Certainly not our first selection after three win-less runs this campaign. The son of Diktat did, however, finish second behind The Gurkha in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains last start and there’s over $30 in difference on the market.
It wasn’t to be found when running seventh behind Galileo Gold in the Group 1 English Guineas and we get the feeling its most recent run might have been a flash-in-a-pan performance. Prepared to risk at $34, but it could become appealing if those odds were to drift significantly.
6. Galileo Gold – $7.50
Trainer: Hugo Palmer
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Form: 113×12
We can’t find much fault in the form of Galileo Gold. The three-year-old colt finished a gallant second behind Awtaad last start which came just under a month after winning the English Guineas. It seemingly runs much better on its home surface and the conditions in France clearing didn’t suit.
Its current place price of $1.80 is a touch short for our liking, but it should figure in the finish and there should be plenty of multi-bets running through it.
7. The Gurkha – $2.37
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Form: 311
The Gurkha is the hype horse of the field and it carries plenty of pressure coming into this. Much like many of O’Brien’s runners at Royal Ascot, the three-year-old has been heavily backed and rightfully so after it won at group 1 level last start.
It’s well-bred by Galileo x. Chintz and there is plenty in store as O’Brien has nominated it for the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November.
The $2.37 at Sportsbet.com.au is about as skinny as we would want to take, but this horse is going places and it should give punters a good sight from the inside draw.
8. Zonderland – $23
Trainer: Clive Cox
Jockey: Adam Kirby
Form: 145×61
Zonderland comes into this on the back of a Heron Stakes win, but this is much harder. It ran sixth behind Galileo Gold in the English Guineas and it would need to improve many lengths to trouble them in this.
It opened far too short at $15, but has subsequently drifted to $23 and we expect that price to fluctuate even further out.