Millar's Method: Royal Ascot hero is fancied to return to winning ways

If a short-priced play isn't your idea of a good bet, especially on a competitive day of racing, make sure you have a second look at Ross Millar's selections.

1.45 Haydock - 1m Group 3 Superior Mile Stakes

I’m keen to oppose the three at the head of the market in this Group 3 contest, especially as the likely short-priced favourite, Reach For The Moon, appears to have been priced on reputation rather than what he’s actually achieved on the racecourse. 

He’s been a beaten favourite on his last three outings, two of those at odds-on, and, despite often travelling well in his races, he has struck me as a fairly weak finisher when push comes to shove. He may yet deliver on the promise he showed last year, but I’m happy to take a position against him at the odds.

Second-favourite Bayside Boy also had some good pieces of form in 2021, but he hasn’t progressed in three runs this year and has now developed a worrying habit of hanging under pressure. While Dark Shift now looks fairly exposed and in the grip of the handicapper after a successful season.

As a result, I ended up siding with Triple Time, who makes a belated seasonal reappearance after performing to a high level as a juvenile. 

This two-time course-and-distance winner boasts a strong piece of form - he comfortably beat the 107-rated Hafit in the Listed Ascendant Stakes here in September - and impressed me with his high cruising speed and powerful finishing effort.

Race fitness will have to be taken on trust, while yard form is a minor concern with just one winner in the last fortnight (though plenty have been hitting the frame). Nevertheless, he’s a decent price and looks by far the most unexposed in this line-up.

Selection: Triple Time @ 7.8

3.10 Ascot - 7f handicap 

I was firmly against Inver Park last time at Goodwood in the Stewards Cup as I couldn’t see him coping with the pace of a 6f contest on the unique Sussex track.

While he was indeed outpaced at the crucial stage of the race, he still emerged with real credit as he stuck to his task grittily and wasn’t beaten all that far. This test is evidently more suitable as he’s already won over this course and distance this season - the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot - and a 4lb rise in the weights doesn’t appear to be unduly harsh.

Astute trainer George Boughey has taken the extra measure of booking the excellent Saffie Osborne, whose claim negates all bar 1lb of that raise, and Inver Park should get a strong pace to attack with numerous front-runners in this field. 

Selection: Inver Park @ 6.8

4.05 Haydock - 5f handicap

A series of tardy starts has proved seriously costly for Korker this season. In all five runs he’s forfeited a number of lengths leaving the stalls, which has left him a mountain to climb. 

Nevertheless, he performed admirably to win from an unpromising position at York and backed that up with an eyecatching third in the City Wall Stakes in July, where he flew home late on for third. His latest effort in the Beverley Bullet can be excused as he was never able to find a run.

Haydock’s expansive track should afford his jockey, Clifford Lee, a few options to navigate traffic if he, once again, jumps slowly from the gate. And while he’s 8lb higher than when he won at York, I don’t feel that a mark of 103 is beyond him.

I’m confident that Korker is the best horse in the race and surely one of these days he’s going to break on terms!

Selection: Korker @ 4.5

Recommended bets

Triple Time (1.45 Haydock) @ 7.8
Inver Park (3.10 Ascot) @ 6.8
Korker (4.05 Haydock) @ 4.5