14:30 Royal Ascot

Thursday 19 June 2025

All14:3015:0515:4016:2017:0017:3518:10

Norfolk Stakes (Group 2)

Off time: 14:31 | Winning time: 58.87s

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Selected odds by:

(5)

Afjan^t1¹⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: Alexis Pouchin| T: H F Devin| D

7/1

Mehmas colt who impressively overcame the run of the race to make a successful debut in 9-runner maiden at Chantilly (5.5f, good) 18 days ago, quickening well to lead final 1f. Tongue tie retained and has scope for plenty of improvement.

Form: 1

(2)

Ameeq¹⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: K Stott| T: K A Ryan| D

100/1

Shaped much better than the bare result at Beverley on debut and confirmed that promise with victory in 7-runner maiden at Nottingham (5f, good, 6/1) 3 weeks later. Open to further improvement but this is a whole different ball game.

Form: 61

(15)

Charles Darwin³²

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| D

8/13

No Nay Never colt who confirmed debut promise when running out a dominant winner of a 12-runner Navan maiden (5.8f, soft) in April, quickening clear over 1f out. Produced a near smart performance in following up in 4-runner minor event at Naas (5f) and sets a clear standard.

Form: 411

(16)

Clear Force²¹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: C Lee| T: K R Burke| BF| D

33/1

Built on debut promise to readily land the odds in 5-runner novice at Ripon (5f, good to firm) in April. Not seen to best effect up in grade at Sandown since but others make more appeal nonetheless.

Form: 214

(6)

Comical Point³⁵

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| D

22/1

140,000 gns yearling, Blue Point colt who made a winning start in uncomplicated fashion in 8-runner maiden at Salisbury (5f, good to firm) last month, pushed out. Hiked in grade but should improve.

Form: 1

(12)

Exclamation⁴³

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: Finley Marsh| T: G Harris

100/1

Acclamation colt out of a French 1½m/12.5f winner. Produced his best effort to date when second of 8 in conditions stakes at Chester (5.1f, good) last month but is surely biting off more than he can chew here.

Form: 332

(13)

First Legion²¹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: S Foley| T: R Hannon

11/1

Mehmas colt created an excellent impression when making a winning debut in 11-runner novice at York (6f, good) on debut, showing a good turn of foot. Gave a good account up in grade when second in 7-runner listed event at Sandown (5f) since and likely to progress further.

Form: 12

(4)

Graft¹⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: K Shoemark| T: Mrs J Soudan| D

50/1

Much improved when off the mark at the fourth time of asking in 8-runner listed race at Chantilly (5f, good) 18 days ago, helped by being held up in strongly-run race. Uncertain to reproduce that form, however.

Form: 3231

(10)

Hey Tru Blue²³

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: Billy Loughnane| T: G Boughey

33/1

Blue Point colt. 175,000 gns breeze-up buy who unsurprisingly knew his job and made a promising start to career when second of 13 in 6f maiden at Leicester 23 days ago. Likely to improve.

Form: 2

(8)

Irish Fighter²³

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: S De Sousa| T: I Mohammed

50/1

Profitable colt who showed plenty to work on when second of 9 in maiden at Wolverhampton (5.1f) on debut 23 days ago. Entitled to progress but faces a very stiff task at this level.

Form: 2

(14)

Lil Brother⁷

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: T E Whelan| T: P Attwater| D

66/1

Showcasing colt who confirmed debut promise when winning 8-runner novice at Nottingham (5f, good to firm) last week, keeping on well. Still looked green there so further improvement should be forthcoming, but this is a big ask.

Form: 21

(9)

Naval Light²⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: James Doyle| T: K R Burke

14/1

An expensive breeze-up purchase who shaped very well amid greenness when 1½ lengths second of 6 in conditions event at Beverley (5f, good) on debut 26 days ago, finishing strongly. Open to significant improvement.

Form: 2

(7)

Sandal's Song⁴⁰

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: James McDonald| T: George Weaver| D

9/1

From a good US family and overcame a tardy start to make a winning debut in a valuable 8-runner minor event at Gulfstream (5f, firm, 79/10) 40 days ago. Open to improvement and an interesting contender.

Form: 1

(11)

Star Material¹⁵

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: Connor Beasley| T: A Keatley| D

66/1

Improved further to get off the mark in 8-runner novice at Ripon (5f, good to firm) 15 days ago, responding well. This demands a whole lot more, though.

Form: 621

(3)

Wise Approach³⁵

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| BF| CD

10/1

Well-made son of Mehmas who fetched 1,000,000 gns as a yearling. Highly promising start when seeing off one with experience in 13-runner C&D conditions race in April and ran at least as well in defeat when 1¾ lengths fourth of 11 to First Legion at York since. Remains open to improvement.

Form: 14

Non-Runners

(1)

London Boy¹⁰

Weight: 9-3| Age: 2

T: Raphael Freire J: D Egan

Forecasts

Charles Darwin (8/13), Afjan (7/1), Sandal's Song (9/1), Wise Approach (10/1), First Legion (11/1), Naval Light (14/1), Comical Point (22/1), London Boy (25/1), Clear Force (33/1), Hey Tru Blue (33/1), Graft (50/1), Irish Fighter (50/1), Lil Brother (66/1), Star Material (66/1), Ameeq (100/1), Exclamation (100/1)

CHARLES DARWIN posted an outstanding timefigure in seeing off a trio of newcomers at Naas and is very much the one to beat on that form, even before factoring in the potential for further improvement. Naval Light and Afjan both strike as the types to improve markedly from their debuts, so they look most interesting of the opposition.