Friday marks the 18th renewal of the hugely popular Property Raceday at Ascot, the property industry's annual 'day at the races'. The six-race card looks hugely competitive and features over £135,000 in prize money, including £50,000 for the feature race, the Savills British EBF Fillies’ Handicap, at 4.00pm over a mile and a half.
The LSH Apprentice Handicap kicks off the card at 2.15pm and Stockpyle is an obvious starting point having won the last twice, taking two handicaps in quick succession in the middle of June. He’s clearly in the form of his life and another bold run can be expected although this would be his highest ever winning handicap mark. Powdering’s winning run may have come to an end last time out but that fourth place was still respectable and he now faces Stockpyle, second that day, off better terms. One Step Beyond won this race last year and is now just one pound higher than when recording that victory, whilst the second-placed Botas re-opposes off a mark five higher than last year.
The Close Brothers Nursery Handicap (2.50pm) is the first two-year-old handicap of the season at Ascot and it features five juveniles yet to get their head in front in their careers. New Charter has had the most attempts, twice finishing second in her four starts, and she steps back down to six furlongs after a first try at seven last time out. Number also finished as runner-up on his latest start when odds-on at Chelmsford City, staying on at the end, suggesting this stiff finish might suit him. Berkshire Kameo and Art Market both finished close-up last time out behind Sands Of Marra at Windsor and the latter might be more favourably treated getting four pounds off the former and not enjoying the best of passages in that race across Berkshire.
From two-year-olds to three-year-olds in the Long Harbour Derek Lucie-Smith Handicap (3.25pm) and Magnum Opus carries top-weight in this, running under a penalty for his victory at Pontefract 11 days ago. That win was somewhat unexpected by the market and he’ll likely face very different ground conditions here. Global Asset is also reappearing quickly following his second place at Nottingham last Sunday, whilst Ebt’s Guard and Cerulean Bay finished second and fifth respectively at Yarmouth last time out and face a swing in the weights since that race. Respectful has been gelded and changed trainer since his disappointing reappearance in York – time will tell if Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole have worked the oracle on their new recruit.
The feature at 4.00pm contains a few unexposed three-year-old fillies against their elders and Galaxy Princess, at the bottom of the weights, is the least experienced in the field but has progressed with every run, meeting market expectations in breaking her maiden at the third attempt at Windsor in June. Crystal Flyer also got off the mark at her third attempt but disappointed on her first start in handicap company and now steps up three furlongs in trip to try and find more improvement. Ya Hafhd runs in the famous Shadwell colours off a mark of just 76 and has had only four runs at the age of four – her last run was almost too bad to be true, so she should be given another chance. La Dame Blanche is an intriguing runner from Ireland who has returned this year in fine form for a new stable, most recently winning at Cork in the middle of June.
The Signature Capital Handicap (4:35pm) again features a mix of potential and experience, with three-year-olds making up nearly half the field. Miller Spirit is on a roll having won the last twice at Goodwood although those victories came over longer distances. Condor Pasa got his first victory on his fourth start last time out at Carlisle and seems to have improved on every start – another furlong could eke out even more. The oldest horse in the field, Fantasy Believer, is the only course winner in the race and he's dropped to his lowest handicap mark since 2019 – he’s yet to run this year although he has gone well fresh in the past.
Closing the card is the Tide Handicap at 5.10pm with the sprint trip of six furlongs awaiting the nine runners. Remarkably over half the field have won here before and it’s worth starting with Fresh who is a veteran of these Ascot handicaps albeit usually at a higher grade. At the age of seven he might be past his best but he ran respectably in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. Mums Tipple is another standing dish in these sprint races, having the 45th race of his career – he too ran at the Royal Meeting, finishing 14th in the Wokingham Stakes. Rhythm N Hooves won at Royal Ascot in 2023, taking the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes for Archie Watson – he’s only recorded one victory since then although he has remained in fine fettle. There’s just one three-year-old in the field, Jarraaf, who sprang a minor surprise when winning on debut last year and ran with credit on his first start in handicaps last month.
