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Tanya's Blog - Thursday 21st June 2012

Typing furiously, I am still pinching myself at Prince Of Johanne crossing the line in front in the Royal Hunt Cup to complete a dream day for the blog yesterday! I still can’t believe Ishvana, the runner-up in the Irish 1000 Guineas no less, not only won but was 20-1! Let's take a deep breath, as now the real pressure is on as after two winners like that the hardest thing is to find the next.

The kettle was quickly employed as a cup of tea does wonders to bring about a sense of reality to it all. It’s a great buzz to come up with two winners like that and to think in the press tipping competition I am once again in contention. The strategy changes from here as the lively outsiders are brought into the frame and here’s hoping at least a couple more can oblige.

Last night I was off out with a group of bookmakers who have been betting at Royal Ascot in order to obtain a real insight into the turnover, which I believe has plummeted and to see what state all the betting rings round the country are in. Did you see the percentage for the Queen Anne Stakes? 138! Disgraceful, but in some respects forgivable, until you continue reading the other percentages 125, 123, 126, 129 and 130. Sure, big fields, but I suspect the each-way terms that the majority of on-course bookmakers now offer has something to do with this and I will continue to monitor.

As for the selections, before I even see betting movements and, having just heard a cheeky interview on the BBC with Mick Channon, Cay Verde will be very popular in the Norfolk Stakes. Especially after Hototo, who he beat at Ascot in May, came out and won the Windsor Castle Stakes. Then in the Britannia Handicap it has to be Fast Or Free, especially if the rain comes as the softer surface didn’t bother William Haggas runner at Newmarket recently.

Finally come the last I will be having a couple of speculative each-ways, one on Cameron Highland as the ground he encountered at Epsom in the Derby Trial would not have been ideal while Darren Egan is a young jockey on the up and to get a ride for Luca Cumani is eyecatching enough, so Commitment can’t be ignored.

Today's Selections:

2.30 Royal Ascot: Cay Verde

4.25 Royal Ascot: Fast Or Free

Tanya's Pointers

Four of the last five winners of the Norfolk Stakes won on their most recent start

Mick Channon’s last eight runners have all been beaten in the Norfolk Stakes

Seven of the last ten winners of the Norfolk Stakes came from the first three in the betting

Seven of the last nine winners of the Ribblesdale have been priced 5-1 or shorter

Irish challengers have won the last six Ascot Gold Cups

Aidan O’Brien has won five of the last six Ascot Gold Cups

Eight of the last ten winners of the Ascot Gold Cup have been aged five or older

Only one horse has carried more than 8-13 to victory in the Britannia Handicap in the last ten years

John Quinn has a 100% strike rate in Ripon’s 2.45pm, with three winners from three runners