Moonlight Cloud can upstage Caviar in final day at Royal Ascot

By Stephen, bettingexpert.com | Published 00:01 23.06.2012

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The high class Moonlight Cloud is selected to see off the mighty Australian mare Black Caviar on a thrilling final day at Royal Ascot.

A classy renewal of the 2-y-o Chesham Stakes gets racing underway, with Jim Bolger's Move to Strike a confident selection. The Lawman colt shaped very well when third on his debut, and improved out of all recognition when slamming his rivals by nine lengths in a decent Curragh maiden last time out. The soft ground may have exaggerated his superiority there but the manner of the win suggested he is a top class performer in the making, and the heavy rain in the past two days is certainly in his favour.

A cracking Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at 3.05 appears extremely competitive. Sea Moon was a high class colt last year and has the profile to make an even better 4-y-o. He looked rusty when landing the odds on his recent return at Goodwood (under pressure a long way out but found plenty to assert close home in a muddling contest), and should come on plenty for that and provide Sir Michael Stoute with an incredible seventh win in this race. Memphis Tennessee, Aiken and Dunaden appear the principal dangers.

The Diamond Jubilee Stakes at 3.45 is the highlight of the day, with thousands of Australians making the journey to Berkshire to see their heroine Black Caviar. She is forecast to be a red hot 1-3 favourite to land an incredible victory number 22 on her first outing away from home soil. It is obviously hard to crab a record like that, but those of a sceptical disposition believe she has only been beating the same set of horses and Ortensia certanly did nothing for the form when well beaten here earlier in the week. At the odds it can pay to side with the top class French raider Moonlight Cloud. She confirmed herself out of the top drawer with an impressive Group 2 win at Longchamp on her seasonal debut 21 days ago, and the soft ground will be ideal from a good draw in stall five.

The Wokingham Stakes at 4.25 is the usual cavalry charge up the straight, with 14-1 the field available this morning it is obviously a bit of a lottery. Perhaps James Fanshawe's evergreen Mac's Power can build of his two placed efforts this term with Kieran Fallon in the saddle.

One who should relish the conditions in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at 5.00 is Harrison's Cave, who's been shaping as if there's a big prize in him and this could be his day with the Ballydoyle juggernaut enjoying a profitable week. The fast-improving Camborne looks a big threat, while Ithoughtitwasover is also one to consider for last year's winning stable.

The concluding Queen Alexandra at 5.35 will be a real test of stamina over 2m5f. Overturn looks sure to make his usual bold bid from the front but there's a suspicion this trip might just stretch him, and Simenon is fancied to emulate Baddam back in 2006 and add this to the Ascot Stakes he won earlier in the week. Petara Bay and Zuider Zee are a couple of others who have to be high on any shortlist in a race that may develop into something of a slog.

Stephen's Saturday Nap Moonlight Cloud 3.45 Royal Ascot

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