Another juvenile shock? Kevin Blake talks his 50-1 Albany fancy who 'works like a very talented filly'

The juvenile races at Royal Ascot this week have been hard to fathom and ITV's Kevin Blake believes another shock may be on the cards in Friday's Albany Stakes (2.30).

Ain't Nobody has been the sole single-figure priced winner of the two-year-old contests so far, with Shareholder's 12-1 strike in the Norfolk Stakes yesterday following on from 22-1 and 80-1 wins for Leovanni and Rashabar in the Queen Mary and Coventry Stakes.

Blake is one of the most respected punters on the media circuit and after crunching the numbers for ITV Racing's latest data-driven segment on The Opening Show, he launches into a passionate case for a 50-1 shot in the opener.

"Cradle Of Love is a very, very big price," he says, sipping a cup of coffee at the course just past 10.30am. "She’ll be ruled out by many but it wouldn’t be a shock if she ran well. She works like a very talented filly. She’s shown a fair few quirks and she should have won at Listowel last time but threw it away. 

"Blinkers are going on and a race like this, where they go mad in front of her and she gets a carry into the race, will suit her. In a week where we’ve seen some funny results in two-year-old races, I wouldn’t be shocked if she ran well."

Blake has the inside line on the filly in his role as race planner for Joseph O'Brien, and also gave a positive mention for the trainer's Deakin, who is on the right side of a key tactical angle in stall 21 in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes (4.25).

Joseph O'Brien: several creditable chances on day four of Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

"I'm flagging the negative of being drawn very low in that race," he says. "It's a positive to be drawn very high. It's a tough week to win at and we have a few with sneaking chances today – maybe even better than that – and we just need to get one on the board." 

The pundit has already called another of this week's big races successfully, predicting Inspiral would find the pace too hot in Wednesday's Prince of Wales's Stakes, and he's taking on another big talking horse in the feature Coronation Stakes (3.45). 

"I'm against Opera Singer," he says. "In terms of her stride frequency, the big three against her are all proper, pacey milers. She looks like one who will be better at ten furlongs or even further, and I don't like her draw. She's going to have to do work to get across and I just don't like the set up for her.

"I've napped Porta Fortuna. I think the race might play best for her. I don't think there's a lot between the three fillies from Newmarket. I love trying to work out that race, it's always very tactical."

Read more...

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Harry Wilson's Royal Ascot tips on Friday: 'I can't understand why she's twice the price of those rivals here' 

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