The penultimate big betting handicap of a brilliant week at Royal Ascot is the famous Wokingham Stakes.

This event has been on the calendar since 1813 and it is a truly historical event. A hell for leather race over six furlongs, we have the maximum 28 runners as always and as such, it’s a wide-open affair.

£175,000 is up for grabs and a whole lot more will be traded on the race. In fact, winning this is every bit as much about the prestige than about the cash.

In terms of looking at the weights carried by recent winners, those carrying little more than 9st up to around 9st 9lbs seems standard. 4 and 5-year-olds do very well which is no surprise, while we did notice that winners tend to already have strong form over six furlongs and rated above 98 in the main as they need the class.

This really needs to be what the horse has been trained to peak for. No recent winner of the race, going back beyond ten years, has won next time out. Most in fact weren’t even placed.

We’re looking then for at least a place effort this term, but without the horse being fully extended. It was tricky leaving out Albasheer and last year’s winner Saint Lawrence, but after all the data was crunched, these were our final top six: 

Main Contenders

Apollo One 

Drawn on the far side is Apollo One, last year’s runner-up. He is now only 2lbs higher than when heading into the race last year and his form is good enough even to compensate for that. He is a very obvious type at a glance. 

His placed efforts at Newmarket and Epsom this year were exactly what we need to see. He remains in good form, but hasn’t been stretched to his limits yet and that’s what’s needed here.

Cover Up

Everyone should have learned by now that there is no such thing as simply an “all-weather horse” anymore, though many still discount those heading back onto the turf. Notable Speech (2000 Guineas) and Wild Tiger (Royal Hunt Cup) should really have put paid to that sort of thinking.

Six runs into his career for John & Thady Gosden, Cover Up began going to a new level when hitting the Polytrack at Lingfield last November. He won there over six furlongs, then successfully went down to five on the Tapeta at Newcastle.

On his second go at Gosforth Park, he was excellent and gave the impression of being capable of a mark of 110+. After one bad run there over Easter, he can’t be discounted. He has won on the turf and will like it fast – big chance.

Dark Trooper

After the way this week has played out could be any surprise if Wathnan Racing won this race? We’d say not.

Main man James Doyle is aboard Dark Trooper, a four-year-old who won easily at Saint-Cloud last time out. We won’t bore you with details – all the form and other skillsets are there, but the one thing punters may baulk at is whether this horse will be as impressive on fast ground.

In fact, Dark Trooper won for Ed Walker over this course and distance on good-to-firm ground only last September.

Harry Three 

Ryan Moore has been booked for Clive Cox’s Harry Three and he should be ready to go after a pipe-opener four weeks ago.

Five years old now, Harry Three as once a classy three-year-old who landed a hat-trick by winning a Listed race. He missed the entirety of last season, but assuming he’s ready to go he could prove to be well handicapped now.

Rumstar

Four-year-old Rumstar is in a unique position. We would argue that his latest form is his best, yet he was given a mark of 109 last season as a three-year-old and is running off only 104 now.

His high mark came from being dragged along behind Shaquille last year at the highest level, and while Group 1’s may have seemed ambitious, he is clearly very well thought of.

Unequal Love 

William Haggas’ filly won a Listed race at Newmarket in May and is in good form overall. She’s not the easiest to assess, but she is likely still ahead of the assessors.

Summary

Before heading to the All Weather Championships Finals Day, COVER UP had looked imperious in victory at Newcastle

He appeared to be some way ahead of the handicapper at that stage back in March and he has had plenty of time to carry on improving. He has handled quicker surfaces before and he gets the nod to scoot home under William Buick for Godolphin.

Dark Trooper, Harry Three and Rumstar all remain very interesting too.