Forgive or condemn? Chris Cook rates the unplaced favourites at Royal Ascot

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It felt like a good Royal Ascot for punters who like a short-priced runner, as you might expect with a fast surface prevailing throughout. Even so, a handful of favourites ran well below expectations.

Was the market simply wrong or were there extenuating circumstances? What should we think of those horses when we see them next time? I've had a look at the six most interesting examples. As you'll see, I must have been in an indulgent mood at the time.

Notable Speech

The betting market made a pretty good job of sussing out the St James's Palace Stakes. If Alyanaabi and Almaqam had managed to finish a couple of places further forward, the field of eight would have been perfectly in betting order - with the sole exception of Notable Speech, sent off the 6-4 favourite, who beat only the 40-1 outsider, Darlinghurst.

The chestnut was a bit keen early on but travelled nicely round the home turn and, as late as the two pole, his backers could have believed they were about to see him unleash a devastating finishing kick. By the one pole, he was obviously losing but you still might have expected him to run on for third. He found nothing and was going backwards through the field at the line.

It was a deeply disappointing effort from an unbeaten Guineas winner. Charlie Appleby says nothing has since come to light, so he's minded to put a line through it and go to the Sussex. 

Could it be that race-fitness was decisive in the Guineas? Notable Speech had had three prior runs since January, while Rosallion hadn't been seen since October. If that was the lesson trainers took away from last week, then the Craven and the Greenham would become stronger races in future years, which would be fun.

It looked to me like Notable Speech was given a lot to do last week, racing freely out the back on a quick surface in a race not run at a strong gallop. Rosallion could overcome similar circumstances, Notable Speech wasn't quite up to it; but in fairness, he was a couple of lengths off Rosallion just before the home turn, and swung wide while the other saved ground on the inner.

I don't think I'd back Notable Speech against Rosallion but I'd be prepared to give him a chance against anyone else, in the hope that he'll be given a more forward ride.

Verdict: FORGIVE

Rosallion: gained revenge on Notable SpeechCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Zanndabad

A strong-finishing third in the Chester Cup, he seemed a natural choice for a slightly longer race like the Ascot Stakes. But Ascot is a lot stiffer than Chester and Zanndabad looked a non-stayer, tiring into sixth of 20.

It was still a very respectable effort in a quality handicap. You'd think connections can find the right opening for him at some stage.In the meantime, he's becoming expensive to follow. He'd also done the fast-but-too-late thing in the Scottish County Hurdle.

He's on a losing run of 11, back to his days as a three-year-old in the Aga Khan's colours in France. But that lack of success hasn't stopped him building up a profile. There are loads of people looking to back him for quality handicaps on the Flat and over hurdles.

Some frustrating horses just go on being frustrating. His chance of being a bigger price than he deserves to be is practically zero. 

Verdict: CONDEMN

Whistlejacket

Aidan O'Brien's two-year-old must have one of the great home reputations of all time to have been sent off at 10-11 for the Norfolk Stakes, making him the only odds-on favourite at Royal Ascot last week. Juvenile races are notoriously tricky because there's so little evidence to go on and some can make unexpectedly rapid progress. The Norfolk hasn't been won by a favourite since 2008.

Whistlejacket had looked good winning a Listed race at the Curragh - but on soft ground, completely different from what he'd face at Ascot.

And there's always the risk of the field splitting into groups on the straight course. It looked like the Norfolk winner, Shareholder, got a better tow into the race from his four companions on the far side than Whistlejacket did. 

Whistlejacket's effort was disappointing if you accepted the SP as a fair reflection of his chance, but he was way too short. He ran well, beating the horses he raced with up the middle. 

His brother, Little Big Bear, stepped up to six furlongs at this point and you could see that suiting Whistlejacket, as would a slower surface. Perhaps we'll see him in the July Stakes at Newmarket. 

Verdict: FORGIVE

Gilded Water

William Haggas's three-year-old would have been a popular winner, carrying the royal colours in the King George V Handicap, won by the same connections' Desert Hero last year. But Desert Hero had a wide draw, which, counter-intuitively, can so often be a help in big-field handicaps over 1m4f at Ascot.

Gilded Water broke from stall six in a race where the first six finishers were eventually supplied by stalls 18, 19, 8, 13, 17 and 12. He immediately had lots of company and didn't seem to enjoy it, with particular reference to the presence alongside him of the strong-pulling Fouroneohfever. 

The bottom line is that, on his first attempt at a mile and a half, he never really relaxed and so it's no surprise that he finished weakly. I'm sure he can do better in less testing circumstances. Stepping back to a mile and a quarter would appeal to me.

Verdict: FORGIVE

Continuous

"He's just ready to start back now," said Aidan O'Brien in Saturday's Post, assessing the St Leger winner's chance in the Hardwicke. Given that so many of his stablemates have needed their first run, there was an obvious risk - but the yard had won a load of trophies by this point and it didn't look the strongest Hardwicke ever, so Continuous was sent off at 13-8.

Amazingly enough, it looked like he needed the run, as he found little in the straight after travelling strongly. On Racing Post Ratings, he ran to the same level as for his reappearance as a three-year-old.

He can do a lot better than this and is not to be lightly opposed next time. I'm assuming that will be at a mile and a half or further; he does have entries at shorter trips, which I wouldn't fancy myself. 

Verdict: FORGIVE

River Tiber (far left): couldn't match Haatem in the Jersey StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

River Tiber

This takes a bit more explaining because River Tiber had been a close third in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and was 3lb better off with Haatem but trailed him by five lengths in the Jersey on Saturday. What gives?

Probably distance. He'd never gone beyond six furlongs until the Irish Guineas and, while that seemed to show he could go a mile, he didn't finish strongly. Saturday's race was a furlong shorter but at a stiffer track against twice as many rivals.

Who knows where River Tiber will show up next? He's in the Eclipse and the July Cup. If he went back to sprinting, I'd be very willing to give him a chance, remembering his good efforts in the Morny and the Middle Park.

Verdict: FORGIVE

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The Front Runner is our unmissable email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, the reigning Racing Writer of the Year, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content.