Royal Ascot: Why Cityscape Is The Best Ante-Post Bet For The Queen Anne Stakes

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The first race of Royal Ascot was dominated by the all conquering Frankel last season and there is growing anticipation that it could be one of the races of the meeting this time around too.

Globe-trotting superstar Animal Kingdom has been confirmed for the race and will likely go off favourite for the opening race of the Royal meeting. A Kentucky Derby winner as a 3 year old, he was runner up in last season’s Breeders Cup Mile and turned in a career best performance on his last start to win the Dubai World Cup. A true Group 1 performer he is unlikely to be far away but he does have plenty to prove on his first visit to England and it will be interesting to see how he copes with the straight 8f at Ascot.

Farhh has do often come up short in Group 1 company but with Frankel out of the way he gained compensation for a string of consistent efforts to win the Lockinge Stakes an impressive fashion. Is perhaps even better over 10f and with this race and the 10f Prince Of Wales’s Stakes still both options he does not rate as an ante-post prospect until his target is confirmed. With those two aside the market is fairly open and after narrowing it down further it would appear that CITYSCAPE has perhaps been written off a little prematurely after a low key effort in the Lockinge. Well fancied that day beforehand, he got quite warm and worked up during the preliminaries and did not run up to form on ground that was likely too quick for him. He ought to bounce back from that effort and he can be expected to go better if all is well. He has a good record at Ascot, finishing second three times and third from 4 starts. He chased home the high class duo of Canford Cliffs and Goldikova in this race back in 2011 and on his last visit here was only beaten by Excelebration. A Group 1 winner already after winning the Dubai Duty Free in 2012, he has the same official rating as Farhh and he looks to be a solid each-way bet at the current prices.

Declaration Of War was subject to plenty of hype before the Lockinge but he ultimately did not look good enough and on the balance of his form he needs to improve. The fillies all trade around the same price and whilst all have every right to be in the field they are yet to prove themselves against the colts. Little separated Giofra and Elusive Kate in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes last season and with the latter finishing 3L adrift of Cityscape in receipt of 6lb over this course and distance last season they need to step up. Beauty Parlour has some smart French form as a winner of the French Guineas last season but struggled on her first start for Henry Cecil in the Group 1 Sun Chariot last season. She may well prove better than that but is likely to need soft ground to put her best foot forward and this could be a tough ask without any sort of prep run.

Most Improved trades shorter than Cityscape which does not seem to be a value bet at all. A winner over this course and distance at last year’s Royal Ascot, he showed little form over the rest of the season and he will need to have improved plenty to feature here.

 

E/W Selection: CITYSCAPE @ 16/1 with Bet Victor

 

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Thatsbettingtips Staff

Thatsbettingtips Staff

Content Contributor at Thatsbettingtips.com
The team behind the betting tips, offers and promotions at tipster website thatsbettingtips.com.

Thatsbettingtips Staff

The team behind the betting tips, offers and promotions at tipster website thatsbettingtips.com.