Dante Week Reviewed and Royal Ascot Ante Post Bet

The end of Dante and Lockinge week is usually a very good time to reflect on the early weeks of the season with a slight pause before Epsom and Royal Ascot.

From the viewpoint of the William Haggas yard it highlighted the very positive start made to the season, which has been reflected with a good return from the bets advised.

The following horses will head into June with very realistic prospects of winning races at Epsom, Ascot or the other big meetings that come up next month.

• Maltese Cross
• Lilt
• Saber Strike
• Klassleader ( next race Ebor Handicap in August )
• Lake Forest
• More Thunder
• Valiancy
• Binhareer
• Alobayyah
• Princling
• Bayaann
• Opportunity
• Song of the Clouds

I will highlight two that I believe have a great chance of landing handicaps at Royal Ascot in an article early next week.

However, there is great value today in taking the 16/1 available about Saber Strike to win the Commonwealth Cup. Although he won on seasonal debut over 7f his subsequent work suggests he is a very fast horse and will head for the Commonwealth Cup instead of the Jersey Stakes. The market leaders, Albert Einstein, Wise Approach and Charles Darwin don’t set an unsurpassable standard and Sober Strike could be right out of the top drawer.

16/1 will be outstanding value on race day if he arrives in top form.

2pt win Bet Advised 16/1.

Over the past 7 days More Thunder proved that he is a genuine contender for all the major 7f and 8f Group 1 races this season following his 2nd place in the Lockinge behind Notable Speech.

Lilt’s win in the Michael Seely at York hinted at her potential to be a Group 1 filly over 10F and Binhareer must have a leading chance in the Wokingham after his runner up spot on seasonal debut at York.

It’s back to the drawing board with Morshdi who pulled his chance away in the Dante and Arabian Force confirmed at Newbury that he doesn’t posses enough speed for Group races at 12f and that 14f will be minimum trip for him this season and 2m will probably be required to see him at his best.

The week ended positively when one of the lesser lights Caraway broke her maiden tag by landing the Class 6 handicap at Thirsk off a mark of 58 . She stayed the 12f really well defeating a couple of well treated, heavily supported handicap newcomers from the Crisford and Charlton yards. She looks just the type to win 2 or 3 more on the bounce before the handicapper catches up with her.

REFA HAG TAG 2026