/ Timeform / 16 June 2011 / Leave a Comment 
It's ladies day at Royal Ascot
"...we’ve had Census in mind for this race ever since his emphatic reappearance win at Newbury (has since been boosted by the runner-up), so it wouldn’t be right to lose faith in him now. Banker. An optimistic banker."
It took a while, for reasons subsequently explained, but here it is at last, Thursday's placepot selections for Royal Ascot...
Two heads are better than one, they say: well how about four. Due to a minor technical/timing glitch, we've had to rush a placepot perm through, calling on four different members of the editorial team, all with names attached so you know exactly who has let you down, or who to send part of your winnings to. This is very much a team effort, but then again, as someone once memorably said, 'there's no 'I' in Timeform'.
14:30 - (Jamie Lynch, Hartlepool, Flat Editor) A guess up about ability, a guess up about the ground and a guess up about draw, but at least we'll give ourselves a fighting chance with the third problem by selecting Bapak Chinta and Silverheels, who are on either side of the track. Both won their maidens in style, Bapak Chinta outspeeding Windsor Castle winner Frederick Engels, while Silverheels very much looked the part at Windsor, and, perhaps most crucial of all, both have the right-sounding names to be strutting their stuff at Royal Ascot. God help Boomerang Bob.
15:05 - (Dominic Finn, Yorkshire, dual-purpose racing editor apparently) The Ribblesdale is really straightforward. Banimpire is the rock solid Irish challenger who's already demonstrated her toughness and durability, whereas Rumh is the darker and potentially more talented one, arriving on the back of a very impressive listed race success at Newbury which suggests (along with her pedigree) that moving up in trip for this will be in her favour. I'm not sure which of that pair will win, but the remainder aren't up to much and one or both will definitely make the three.
15:45 - (David Johnson, Burton, Flat Handicapper) The Gold Cup is something of a rare stamina test, especially today with the rain around, and, with the few proven stayers all having question marks over them in other respects, we'll side with a couple that have other positives and trust (and hope) they'll slog it out. Fame And Glory has a significant class edge against the majority of his rivals, and it's entirely plausible that he'll simply prove too good for the rest. Opinion Poll isn't guaranteed to stay, either, but he's made into a reliable performer up to two miles over the last twelve months or so, and, with the ground turning in his favour, he's likely to be running on when others have cried enough.
16:25 - (Dominic Finn, Yorkshire, part-time Sean Bean impersonator) A high draw has been key so far, but it might not be so simple in today's Britannia, bearing in mind there's been some rain, so I think it's worth having a horse drawn low on our side as well as a couple that are going to race near the stand rail. Dream Achieved has the opportunity of bagging that rail from stall 26 and Tropical Beat's proven Ascot form makes him appealing as a placepot type. Of those who are likely to race on the far side, Dimension would be my pick, so he's the third selection.
17:00- (Paul Robson, Newcastle, new starter, goalkeeper and office Geordie) Tazahum has won three of his four starts, his only defeat coming at the hands of Dubawi Gold, while his latest Sandown form was boosted by Neebras running so well against the mighty Frankel earlier in the week, and everything about Tazahum points to today's longer trip getting even more out of him. The back-up selection is Laajooj, who admittedly came in for a Barzalona special when he won last time at Newmarket, but generally he's a horse on the up, and there's encouragement from his pedigree that he'll handle softish ground if it gets that way by this stage of the day.
17:35 - (Dominic Finn, Yorkshire, ladies man) Even if we get to the last, it's a long way off being a formality with the presence of so many lightly-raced three year olds, but we've had Census in mind for this race ever since his emphatic reappearance win at Newbury (has since been boosted by the runner-up), so it wouldn't be right to lose faith in him now. Banker. An optimistic banker.
Selections: 48 lines
14:30 - 3,18
15:05 - 2,10
15:45 - 5,10
16:25 - 13,20,27
17:00 - 6,16
17:35 - 4
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"I thought you'd have your top hat and tails on," quipped a friend as we met at the train station this morning. Unfortunately my stop wasn't Ascot, but Halifax, where it's more baseball cap and tracksuit....
Rain is around for day three of Royal Ascot but that shouldn't dampen enthusiasm for what's been a terrific meeting so far, writes David Cleary....
Nick's backing a staedy improver on day three at Royal Ascot......
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