The Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes is a handicap run over 5f. It takes place at 18:10 on Friday 24th June, which is the fourth day of Royal Ascot 2023. View the runners here, and also make sure to check out the odds and tips on offer for this race.

NO.DRAW
FORM

HORSE

ODDS

JOCKEY& TRAINER

AGE

WGT

RPR

6⁽¹⁵⁾

4026-5

Looking For Lynda

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

9-3

111

2-10 as a 2yo, both wins achieved from the front in small fields; ran with credit in the Super Sprint so the hurly-burly of a big field won't faze him; ran creditably at York on last month's reappearance but others have more obvious claims.

14⁽¹⁾

1108-5

Clearpoint

J: Oisin Orr

T: Richard Fahey

8-11

110

Won first two starts as 2yo (6f, good to firm/5f, AW); couldn't quite cut it in good company after and was only fifth of 13 on seasonal/handicap debut at Thirsk nine weeks ago (5f, soft); that doesn't tell the full story, though, with him drawn low in a race dominated by high numbers; needs a career best but that's not out of the question with a visor now added.

20⁽⁶⁾

20-171

Tatterstall

J: Connor Beasley

T: Michael Dods

8-10

113

Improved performer this season, winning a 5f Wolverhampton maiden on return (hung right) and taking another sizeable step forward when strong at the finish to win a 5f Epsom handicap three weeks ago (good to firm); 7lb higher but on the up and should go well; well below par in his one run on slower than good.

12⁽²⁰⁾

151111

Radio Goo Goo

J: Ben Curtis

T: David Evans

8-13

110

0-10 after her 2yo campaign, all over 5f, and looked fully exposed but she's on the crest of a wave now, winning five of her last six starts (all 6f); looked in trouble at York last week before rallying and getting back in front in the last strides; has a penalty to shoulder but the return to 5f could be the greater stumbling block; versatile regarding ground.

9⁽²²⁾

3718-0

Rogue Spirit

J: Adam Farragher

T: Tom Clover

9-1

112

Won two of his first three 2yo starts and ran well for third in the Super Sprint last July; really impressive in a Haydock nursery last September (5f, good to soft) but had his limitations exposed in the Cornwallis Stakes on final run in 2022; low-key return at York last month; needs to return to the Haydock level to be competitive.

19⁽²⁶⁾

-23262

Rocking Ends

J: William Carson

T: Brett Johnson

8-10

114

Three wins as a 2yo (AW/good to firm); career-best effort when second of 11 at Windsor 18 days ago (6f, good to firm); quick enough for the dro/p back to 5f but he's unlikely to be able to dominate with Michaela's Boy drawn nearby.

4⁽²³⁾

11-843

Michaela's Boy

J: Frederick Larson

T: Michael Appleby

9-4

107

Two wins for Mick Appleby, both 5f AW; career best in Listed race at York last month when showing blistering speed and doing well to hold on to third (hung right); 4lb rise is justified but he's now 11lb higher than for his last handicap success; effective on good to soft and good to firm.

3⁽³¹⁾

1227-6

Rocket Rodney

J: Daniel Muscutt

T: George Scott

9-6

111

Suffered a near miss in the Windsor Castle here 12 months ago (5f, good to firm; strong form); won a Listed event next time and two other fine efforts on fast ground followed; ended 2yo campaign with a lesser run on good to soft and he was again short of his best when in midfield at York on his return five weeks ago; may well come on for that and he's not discounted.

17⁽¹⁹⁾

18578-

Thunder Moor

J: Billy Loughnane

T: George Boughey

8-11

110

Won a 5f novice at York (good) for Kevin Ryan last May; came up short in Group and Listed company afterwards, including tried in cheekpieces on final start; sold for 50,000gns in October and gelded; Billy Loughnane booked for this seasonal/stable debut but this looks a tough starting point.

15⁽⁹⁾

479-70

Brave Nation

J: Rob Hornby

T: Michael Bell

8-11

108

Wide-margin debut winner (5f, good to firm) and ran well in the Norfolk Stakes at this meeting; little positive to report since, twice well beaten in 6f Newmarket handicaps last month; gelded since; risky.

10⁽³⁾

216-27

Pillow Talk

J: Daniel Tudhope

T: K R Burke

9-0

107

5f Listed winner at York last spring; ran well at that track on reappearance (good to firm; in front of several of today's rivals) but she was less good in France 19 days ago (6f), outpaced from halfway; unraced on slower than good.

21⁽¹²⁾

511-0

Revenite

J: David Egan

T: Roger Varian

8-9

112

6f novice wins here and at Kempton last September; much better than he was able to show on his seasonal/handicap debut at Newmarket five weeks ago (pulled hard and didn't handle the track); it remains to be seen how well treated he is, though, and dropping back to 5f is not sure to suit.

25⁽²⁵⁾

2110

Rhythm N Hooves

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Archie Watson

8-8

111

Two easy AW wins in the spring; pitched into a warm race for his turf and handicap debut at York five weeks ago and came up short, under pressure some way out; still has time on his side but is probably not thrown in at present.

18⁽¹³⁾

0-0105

Can To Can

J: Laura Coughlan

T: Adrian Nicholls

8-10

114

Blinkers saw her back to form with a wide-margin win at Newcastle last month (5f); less good twice since and cheekpieces are now given a spin; others are much more convincing.

23⁽¹⁸⁾

5830-4

Remarkable Force

J: Rowan Scott

T: Alice Haynes

8-9

109

Came to hand early as 2yo, winning small-field 5f events at Salisbury and Musselburgh (both good ground); Listed third at Ayr (behind Prince Of Pillo) was the pick of six subsequent runs last year; an 8l defeat in a small field at Redcar on his return doesn't bode well on the face of it but the winner was well backed and may have had the best ground, and the second and the third have both won since; visor needs to unlock something.

2⁽¹⁴⁾

2123-7

Walbank

J: Kevin Stott

T: Dominic Ffrench Davis

9-7

100

109

12 months ago he was the warm favourite for the Norfolk at this meeting where he found only the errant winner too strong; that was a weak renewal though and he ran to a higher level when third in the Group 3 Molecomb at Goodwood; absent for 295 days until finishing seventh at York five weeks ago (tongue tied, not now), offering enough to think he had trained on; has left David Loughnane; blinkered first time; has raced only on good or faster ground.

7⁽⁵⁾

-12191

Danger Alert

J: William Buick

T: Alice Haynes

9-1

113

Kept on finding one too strong last year, runner-up in four of his seven 2yo starts; blinkers have turned things around this season as he's won a 5f AW maiden in January, a 6f AW handicap in March and then showed career-best form to beat Jer Batt at Chester last month (5f, soft); could prove well suited by the demands of a race like this and he's more appealing than many.

24⁽⁷⁾

1-3113

Harry Brown

J: Hayley Turner

T: David Simcock

8-8

114

His three wins have come on AW but he showed turf was no problem when third of nine at Goodwood last month (5f, good to firm); travelled supremely well through that contest, offering hope of further progress when facing a test such as today's; shortlist material.

22⁽¹⁰⁾

2224-1

The Big Board

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Richard Hannon

8-9

112

Dug deep to win a 6f handicap at Leicester on her reappearance 25 days ago, making most of the running; faces a different challenge today and others look much more persuasive.

16⁽²⁹⁾

8-9751

Frankness

J: Harry Davies

T: Andrew Balding

8-11

118

Twice finished behind Radio Goo Goo at Chester last month; impressive at Goodwood two weeks ago (6f, good to firm), in command a long way out, but she's 5lb higher in a much stronger race and there's no guarantee she'll benefit from this drop to 5f.

1⁽²⁴⁾

1413-9

Prince Of Pillo

J: James Doyle

T: Keith Dalgleish

9-9

102

111

3-5 as a 2yo, notably a comfortable success in Listed race at Ayr's Western meeting (5f, good); ended 2022 with a close third in the Group 3 Cornwallis at Newmarket; strong in the market on his Haydock return 13 days ago but he turned in an underwhelming display, one of the first under pressure and hanging to his left; better than that but this looks a stiff task in his first handicap; handles good to firm and probably soft.

5⁽³⁰⁾

3414-8

Hispanic

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O'Brien

9-4

111

Promise last September on first two starts (6f) but he looked a different proposition dropped to 5f and tried in blinkers when routing his rivals in a Curragh maiden last October (yielding to soft); 6f on heavy probably stretched him on his final 2yo start; bumped by Walbank in the early stages of a York Listed race on return and unable to land a blow afterwards (considerate ride); better than that and this test may be just what he wants.

11⁽²⁾

04-704

Sweet Harmony

J: Tom Marquand

T: Richard Spencer

8-13

107

She has come up short in Group and Listed races since her Yarmouth maiden win last summer (6f, good); cheekpieces fitted for this first run at 5f; hard to warm to.

28⁽¹⁷⁾

3321-1

Conquistador

J: Andrea Atzeni

T: George Boughey

8-7

109

Failed to win in four 7f runs for the Gosdens; gelded prior to stable debut in which he readily accounted for Radio Goo Goo over 5f at Wolverhampton on Boxing Day (11lb better off with her today) and he also won a shade cosily at Lingfield when last seen in March (6f; beat Kerdos who is 1lb worse off today); still has untapped potential and he's a fascinating contender, for all that this will be a test unlike anything he's experienced.

26⁽²⁷⁾

7152-

Executive Decision

J: Saffie Osborne

T: Jamie Osborne

8-8

108

Four runs for Jessica Harrington last season, winning a 5.5f maiden at Navan in September and displaying improvement when second on her nursery debut at Naas in November (6f, heavy; hood first time, retained today); sold for 82,000gns later that month; pitched into a hot race for her stable debut after an absence.

13⁽²⁸⁾

4-1212

Jer Batt

J: Colin Keane

T: David & Nicola Barron

8-12

115

Promise in Ireland, including when just over 8l behind Hispanic at the Curragh, but his form has taken off for the Barrons this season; easy winner of a Musselburgh 5f handicap (good to soft) in April and although beaten a head by Danger Alert at Chester last time, this one was poorly drawn and made up a lot of ground out wide on the home turn; 11lb higher mark has kicked in this time but the Musselburgh run offers hope that he's still well treated; unraced on faster than good (dam won on good to firm); greatly respected.

8⁽¹⁶⁾

11-283

Kerdos

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Clive Cox

9-1

113

Won last autumn on both 2yo starts (6f, good to soft/good); strong favourite for seasonal/handicap debut in March but he was unable to hold the late thrust of Conquistador (worse off with that rival now); got behind on his first crack at 5f at Chester last month but ran on from a hopeless position to take third; not fully exposed and this more conventional track should suit.

NR⁽⁸⁾

6-211

Tawalla

T: Charlie Fellowes

8-8

112

Lightly raced colt who followed his Ripon maiden win (6f, soft) last month with a front-running success at Kempton nine days ago; penalty asks more of him but it's interesting that Latin Lover won the same Kempton event before defying a penalty in this race 12 months ago; unraced on good or faster.

RACING POST TIP

Jer Batt

Conquistador looks to have been laid out for this and he's a runner of some note, better off in the weights with the horses he's beaten in his two sprint wins for George Boughey. He is high on the list, with stablemate Danger Alert another who can't be safely discounted. Harry Brown, Kerdos and Tatterstall all have better to come, while Tawalla bids to emulate Latin Lover in winning this under a penalty having won at Kempton the week before. Hispanic (second choice) was baulked early at York on his reappearance and found himself poorly positioned but on his only other 5f outing he produced a tremendous performance to win at the Curragh. A revival is likely today but he may still have to give best to JER BATT. The Barrons' sprinter will need to continue on his upward curve to defy his new mark but his Musselburgh win was striking and his subsequent defeat at Chester certainly didn't dent his reputation given how the race panned out.

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

Year	Horse [Draw]	Age	Weight	SP	Trainer	Jockey
2021	Significantly [24]	3	9-1	10/1	K R Burke	Clifford Lee
2020	Art Power [19]	3	9-0	6/4F	Tim Easterby	Silvestre De Sousa

Key race stats

What happened last year?

One punter was hoping the well-backed Latin Lover, who went off at 5-1 having been as big as 16-1 the night before, would land him a £2.50 each-way seven-fold accumulator and the Harry Eustace runner left it late but duly obliged in the day-four closer. He was the only runner not to be drawn 21 or higher to finish in the first six, so his performance, which came under a 6lb penalty, can be marked up. Outsiders Nymphadora (25-1), Peggy Sioux (33-1) and Bond Chairman (40-1) came home next.

Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes Handicap

18:10 Royal Ascot

RACING POST TIP

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

Key race stats

What happened last year?

All Races