Punters bounce back as rain pours down at Ascot

PA Sport Reporters
June 18, 2021 5:30 pm

Series of well-backed winners come as welcome relief.

Punters hit back on the penultimate day of Royal Ascot, despite the ground turning heavy due to torrential rain.

While the 16-1 victory of Sandrine in the opening Albany Stakes was hard to find, most of the other results did not take as much working out.

William Haggas’ Alenquer made up for missing the Derby with a victory in the King Edward VII Stakes as the 13-8 favourite.

And although the French-trained favourite Suesa flopped in the Commonwealth Cup, the finish was fought out between the next two in the market, Campanelle (5-1) and Dragon Symbol (4-1), with the former getting the result in the stewards’ room.

Andrew Balding, who struck with Sandrine, was also on the mark in the Coronation Stakes with 11-2 chance Alcohol Free and Johnny Murtagh’s Create Belief was a well-backed 6-1 chance in the Sandringham Handicap.

Quickthorn (7-2 favourite) then provided Oisin Murphy with a double in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes having earlier partnered Alcohol Free.

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: “The rain couldn’t dampen punters’ spirits today as results finally went their way. Wins for Alenquer, Alchohol Free, Create Belief, and Quickthorn were all losers in the book, but it was the Commonwealth Cup outcome that hit us hardest.

“Tomorrow is the busiest betting day of the Royal meeting and another chance for punters to seek revenge with King’s Lynn expected to be the big gamble.”

Coral’s David Stevens said: “Ordinarily we might expect a big change in the going to prompt a few shock results, but that wasn’t the case today, with Alenquer, Alcohol Free, Create Belief and Quickthorn all significant market movers prior to their wins.

“The most expensive result of the day, however, was the Commonwealth Cup, as we paid out on both Dragon Symbol and Campanelle, both popular selections, so that was an expensive stewards’ inquiry.

“It’s been a Friday to forget for the layers, but we’ve had the best of it until this point, this week, although plenty punters will head into the final day full of confidence.”