1600m – Turf
| 1 | Cardsharp | Some stamina worries as his seven wins have come between 1000m and 1400m. However he comes here after probably a career best performance when winning a fast-ground York handicap in May, racing off a 4lb more demanding rating now. |
| 2 | Mitchum Swagger | A slightly unlucky third in this in 2016 off a 3lb higher handicap mark, the race being run on soft ground that day. Running quite well without winning this year, he probably needs slow conditions to have a big chance here. |
| 3 | Comin’ Through | Just over a year ago he won a G1 over 2000m at Doomben when trained in Australia. However his form has sharply declined and since being gelded he hasn’t shown much at Sha Tin, Meydan or on two recent UK starts. |
| 4 | Mordin | Once he got a gap he accelerated impressively to win a 1634m Haydock handicap on his 2019 return in April, proving also that he could handle slow ground. Only fifth of six when tried in an Epsom G3 last time but not beaten far. |
| 5 | Crazy Horse | Hasn’t raced since last September but has twice won after a break of 100 days or more. He closed down last season with two good overseas runs, latterly when second in a G3 at Dusseldorf and his stable have won this race with an outsider before. |
| 6 | Robin Of Navan | Until recently he has been a more familiar runner at a group level and was a G1 winner at two, and competed in the 2017 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup. His last two starts have been quite encouraging, including a third over the 1600m here. |
| 7 | So Beloved | This veteran has won six times, but 20 times second or third in his 59-race career. Competed in a G1 over this straight trip at Royal Ascot last year and, racing too freely, did well only beaten 4.5L. Finished strongly into second at York last time. |
| 8 | Settle For Bay | A powerful surge in the last 200m saw this Irish challenger beat 29 rivals in this last year. The ground was fast then and it is unlikely to be as quick this year plus he has a 3lb higher handicap mark to contend with but his run at Leopardstown earlier this month was full of promise. |
| 9 | New Graduate | Has been the big gamble for this. Lightly raced but progressive, he stormed to a runaway victory on his handicap debut over this distance at Ripon in April. His handicap mark has risen from 90 to 105 since then but the vibes are strong that he could defy it. |
| 10 | Key Victory | Won his first two starts and was then tried in elevated company but continued to disappoint including at Meydan earlier this year. Has now been gelded but it will need to have helped significantly if he’s to win this famous handicap. |
| 11 | Zhui Feng | Won this two years ago off a 4lb lower mark, enjoying the fast ground and leading throughout up the favoured stands’s side. On his 2019 debut, he raced a bit too freely but still running a good third at Goodwood. |
| 12 | Chief Ironside | His two career wins have come over further than this, but the anticipated frantic pace of this ‘cavalry charge’ will be in his favour. He posted a career best in a G3 at Epsom on his latest start, quite a close third to rivals rated well above him. |
| 13 | Afaak | Clearly likes Ascot and finished second of 30 in this last year (fast ground) and he races off an identical handicap mark this time. Gelded over the winter, an operation that reportedly knocked him back a bit and prevented him having a prep for this. |
| 14 | Raising Sand | Does a lot of his racing at Ascot, and has winning form over the straight 1600m here plus was a good seventh in this last year (second in the group on his side of the track), a fine effort since he had missed the break. Slow ground maybe ideal. |
| 15 | King‘s Field | Has some winning form over this distance – stylishly landing a handicap on Dundalk’s all-weather track last December. Ran a really encouraging third at Naas last month. |
| 16 | Roc Angel | A rare French challenger for this famous handicap but he ran a solid race on an earlier visit to the UK this year – on the all-weather at Lingfield . Also arrives here in winning form, responding to strong pressure and drawing clear at Fontainebleu. |
| 17 | Glendevon | Most of his runs – and his only win – has come on an all-weather surface. Both his races on artificial surface earlier this year were good but, though he led for a long way at Goodwood last time, he faded right out at the end. Hard to fancy. |
| 18 | Circus Couture | Had a terrific win and place record when trained in Italy earlier in his career. Has also run really well on some of his starts here including when third of 30 at huge odds in this last year. His Nottingham win this month showed him to be in good shape. |
| 19 | Kynren | Didn’t show much when quite well fancied for this race last year but has since twice run really well at Ascot. His late surge only failed by a neck in a hot 1400m handicap here last month. A victory in a race like this can’t be far away. |
| 20 | Seniority | Ran a good eighth of 30 in this last year and some solid subsequent runs include a win at Goodwood and a second to a horse that keeps on winning at Epsom last time. His trainer thinks big-field handicaps and a fast pace are what he needs. |
| 21 | Chilean | He hasn’t been seen in 2019. In a handicap for the first time and has some hot past Group form, including a defeat of the subsequent French Derby winner in a G3 at Longchamp. Best on slow ground. |
| 22 | Red Starlight | One of her best career efforts came on her penultimate start over this course and distance, a close third and giving plenty of weight to the pair that finished ahead of her. Good or slower ground would be most helpful. |
| 23 | Zwayyan | Led for most of the trip but outclassed and outpaced in the closing stages of that Sandown G2 in April. One plus point is that he does have past winning form over Ascot’s straight 1600m. His record suggests that slow ground would suit best. |
| 24 | Breden | From a small stable but this tough nine-year-old veteran looks to be at least as good as ever now. He also proved himself over a straight 1600m when he was too strong for a bunch of smart handicappers at Newbury last month. |
| 25 | What’s The Story | Only previous Ascot run was a good fourth in this fiercely competitive handicap last year. He races off just a 2lb higher mark this year and comes here fresh off a career best when winning a York handicap. Handles all ground. |
| 26 | Petrus | Ran a close third in a fast-ground handicap over this straight 1600m last July, also fighting hard to win handicaps at Doncaster and Bath on his first two 2019 starts. Still in good form judged by his strong-finishing fourth over Newbury’s straight 1600m last time. |
| 27 | Clon Coulis | Her last three wins have come over this trip, one being on the round course here at Ascot. Has had a break since a run at Lingfield when nothing went right for her. Drying ground would be much in her favour. |
| 28 | Beringer | Ran really well on his first two starts this season, latterly when exploiting a good passage up the rail to win over this distance at Newmarket. Also ran quite well at York last time and much will depend on how Ascot’s straight 1600m suits. |
| 29 | Vale Of Kent | Had a very busy first season in 2018, racing 18 times but seemed to thrive on the activity and was six times a winner. He ran some respectable races here at Ascot during that time, but he starts 2019 on quite a harsh-looking handicap mark. |
| 30 | Stylehunter | Clearly happy enough over the straight 1600m here, having run a close sixth of 30 in another Royal Ascot handicap last year. Last start was a disappointing effort when favourite at Newmarket this month, racing much too keenly. |
| Reserves | ||
| 31 | War Glory | His turf strike-rate is only 1-21. However he does appear to come here at the top of his game having won an all-weather Chelmsford handicap over this trip. |
| 32 | Exec Chef | Last year he won three straight races – over this distance and 2000m. Barring one race he has been in good shape in 2019 and proved he liked a straight 1600m when second of 16 at Doncaster in March. Good ground or slower is ideal. |
| 33 | Plutonian | Ran a good race on his 2019 return at Newbury in April, but ran poorly at York last time. His trainer was intending to give him a break but he runs here instead, connections perhaps pleased he’s been eased in the handicap. |
