Fresh from plundering many of the major jumping prizes last season, Irish trainer Willie Mullins will head to Royal Ascot next week with plenty of chances in the big staying races on the flat.
Predictably, the bookmakers are taking no chances and his most fancied horses for the two Tuesday staying handicaps are short-priced favourites: Bring On The Night for the Ascot Stakes and Vauban for the Copper Horse Handicap. Both horses are around 2-1 for their respective targets.
Mullins could easily land a double but both horses look poor value in such competitive races. In the latter contest, I fancy a couple of horses who may not make the ‘cut’ for the 16-runner handicap over 1 miles 6 furlongs so I will keep my powder dry for now in that race.
But I am backing the ultra-consistent ZOFFEE against the Mullins’ favourite in the Ascot Stakes over nearly 2 miles 4 furlongs (Tuesday 5 p.m.).
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