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THE Wokingham Handicap is normally one of the most competitive six furlong events of the year, but with the ground riding much quicker on the stands’ side of the track, it makes the task of finding the winner or even just a placed horse, with some fabulous place enhancements from the bookmakers more than possible.

So the key is to go high in the draw here and I have managed to get my short list down to just the four in the form of Binhareer (drawn 22), Completely Random (18), Flash Harry (26) and Heathcliff (19).

The second of that quartet finished fifth of the 28-runners last year, keeping on nicely at the finish off a mark of 98 before another closing eighth in the Stewards Cup at Goodwood. I think on his two starts this season he has shaped better than the finishing position suggests, with the latter run in the Victoria Cup over seven furlongs teeing him nicely for this, off exactly the same rating as 12 months ago.

Flash Harry has always been on my radar for this event following a win off 95 in his three-year-old season and surely with more improvement to come. To my eyes they simply didn’t go quick enough for him in the Listed Cathedral Stakes at Salisbury last month and this set-up will surely serve the four-year-old so much better from a really good box number.

He is my main back-up bet to HEATHCLIFF (5.00) who has the look of a horse which has been laid out for this. Successful over seven furlongs on the all-weather, which is probably his favoured surface, I think this fast run race over a stiff six furlongs could prove to be right up his street. 

Owners the Hoppers know what it is like to win at this place, having landed this race way back in 2011 with Deacon Blues and that further cements the thought that this race has been on their minds. He was just perhaps out of his class in the Spring Trophy Stakes at Haydock Park behind Lake Forest and although this will be only his second career start from 21 on the turf, Ascot does lend itself to those good all-weather performers and I think anything north of 40-1 is far too big a price for him, especially from his favourable draw on the stands’ side.

The Hardwicke Stakes looks to be a very fair renewal this year with plenty of strength in depth and the French raider BEST SECRET (3.05) having only his second start on fast ground still has a modicum of improvement in him. This quicker tempo over here looks sure to suit him better than the stop-start style of racing across the water. If he can build on his career best in the Prix de Hedouville last time out at Longchamp in a Group Three event over a mile and a half, only his second start over that trip, then the son of Persian King could cause a minor shock here. Of the higher rated entries, the likes of Jan Brueghel and the likely favourite and recent Aston Park Stakes winner Kalpana are rightfully respected.

The Jersey Stakes, restricted to three-year-olds over seven furlongs, has attracted bigger and bigger fields over the last few years and 17 are set to go to post for this Group Three event this afternoon, with the unbeaten Saber Strike likely to start a short-priced favourite for William Haggas and Tom Marquand. The second of his wins was particularly impressive when he smoothly landed the King Charles III Stakes at Newmarket and there could be any amount of improvement left in his locker.

However, the market has very much found him in the betting and you won’t get much change from 2/1, so I have once again gone down the each-way route in the form of CATULLUS (4.20). 

The bay gelding took a major step forward from his previous four career starts when, following a gelding operation and wind surgery, he travelled powerfully at Goodwood and pulverised his 16 rivals by three and three-quarter lengths. That dominant display off a mark of 96 saw his official rating rise to 107. He gets the narrow vote over Into The Sky, who ran such a cracking race in the 2,000 Guineas and with that first colts’ classic working out so well, he is hugely respected.

The feature Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes looks as tough as ever with no outstanding speedster taking part and I shall be backing two at big prices in JASOUR (3.40) and LAKE FOREST, the latter having dropped back in trip.

The former was placed in the Commonwealth Cup and has shown signs this season that he retains the majority of his old ability, so I am going to have a pot shot at around 66/1 from a favourable draw in stall 17.

Of the other races on the card, the concluding Queen Alexandra Stakes could well go to FRENCH MASTER (6.10) who won the mile and three-quarters Copper Horse Stakes in 2025. Of course, like many of his rivals, we won’t know whether he will stay this kind of trip, but if he gets into a nice rhythm then I think he has every chance of doing so. He gets the nod over Illinois who hated the soft ground at Epsom last time out and shapes like an out and out stayer and has that edge of class on his rivals in the meeting finale.

PRINCLING (5.25) is the call stepping up to a mile-and-a-quarter for the first time in the Golden Gates Handicap Stakes, while away from the Royal meeting have a look at ADRESTIA (4.00, Redcar) and ONEFORTHEGUTTER in the 2.53 at Ayr, a race he was a close up second in 12 months ago.