Royal Ascot tips 2023: Paul Kealy's play of the day on Friday

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Navassa Island 2.30 Ascot

Picked up at the Craven Breeze-ups for 240,000gns by Michael O'Callaghan, Navassa Island was chucked straight into the deep end, going off at 14-1 for 13-runner Group 3, and she did remarkably well to finish a neck second to Porta Fortuna, who reopposes here.

There is nearly always a point when an unraced horse shows its greenness in a maiden, let alone when in such hot company, and at the point it happened with Navassa Island she'd dropped back to nearly last, so the fact she managed to get so close to the winner in the end and pull four and a half lengths clear of the rest suggests she is a seriously high-class filly.

There is always a worry with breeze-up horses as to whether they will go on, but Navassa Island is a half-sister to Lezoo, who never ran a bad race last season and won the Group 1 Cheveley Park in October, and if she's as tough as her we're in business.

Carla's Way, so impressive on her Doncaster debut, has to be well respected, but Navassa Island is more than double the price and that's good enough for me.

Navassa Island14:30 Ascot

View Racecard

Jky: Colin Keane Tnr: M D O'Callaghan

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