Preview: Duke of Cambridge Stakes

Jumbly heads the betting for the 1m Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes over the straight mile on Wednesday of the Royal meeting.

Royal Ascot 2023 at Ascot Racecourse. Picture: Getty Images

When trained by Roger Charlton, the filly won in Listed company as a juvenile and recorded a nose victory in the 1m Group 3 Valiant Stakes on the round course at Ascot in July. She was sold for a staggering 1,250,000 guineas at the 2022 Tattersalls December Mare Sale to Joseph O'Brien and rewarded new connections with a second in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes at the Curragh on her first run for the new yard in late May. She deserves her place at the head of the market and the O'Brien team are in excellent form with a strike rate of 23% (13-56) from the last fourteen days.

Prosperous Voyage handed Frankie Dettori a notable success on his final ride at Epsom Downs when taking the 1m½f Group 3 Princesss Elizabeth Stakes on Derby Day and the duo team up again. Connections will be pleased about the absence of Inspiral, who finished ahead of Prosperous Voyage four times last season. The Zoffany filly is probably best described as somewhat erratic, but good-to-firm ground brings out the best in her, as proven when she won the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.

John and Thady Gosden's Grande Dame is currently third favourite in the betting. She is unexposed compared to her rivals and was unraced as a two-year-old. She demonstrated ability last season, winning the Listed Distaff at Sandown Park before ending the campaign with a third in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket. This will be her seasonal reappearance, which has got to be a negative against top-class fillies such as Jumbly and Prosperous Voyage who have already had a run.

Tom Clover's Rogue Millenium drops back to a mile for the first time. The Dubawi filly has finished in the frame on all three starts this season, including a close second behind Free Wind in the Group 2 Middleton Fillies' Stakes at York, despite being carried right in the closing stages. Breeding would indicate a mile may be a little too sharp for her, but her Group form this season is rock solid.

Jumbly's stablemate Honey Girl was an impressive winner of the Group 3 Athasi Stakes at the Curragh before a disappointing run over a mile in the Group 2 Landwades Stud Stakes on good ground. She placed over a mile twice as a three-year-old in maiden company but the quicker ground is a negative.

Of the longer priced runners, Random Harvest was a course and distance winner last season and ended the campaign with a victory in the Group 3 Premio Elena a Sergio Cumani at San Siro. She was second behind Prosperous Voyage at Epsom last time and looks a value bet at 25/1.

WIN: JUMBLY
DARK HORSE: RANDOM HARVEST


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