'Willie Mullins has a huge chance' - Key connections to follow on the final day of Royal Ascot

Niall Tierney selects the key connections to follow on the final day of Royal Ascot.

Trainer Willie Mullins

Willie Mullins is often associated with the big National Hunt festivals like the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree, but in the last few years he has enjoyed successes at the Royal Ascot meeting, with some of his horses transferring their form over obstacles to the Flat quite well, with the likes of Ethical Diamond in the past.

I feel that Willie Mullins has a couple of nice chances to keep an eye on on Saturday.

That starts in the 15:05 Hardwicke Stakes with Ethical Diamond, a winner last year of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at the Royal Ascot Festival before going on to win the Ebor and then gain a phenomenal victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar, which was an absolutely mind-boggling display and an excellent performance from the horse.

He was slightly disappointing in Meydan, but Willie Mullins, in an interview, said that tactics may not have suited on the day and he'll be ridden differently.

I think that this horse has a big chance in this race and, at odds of 11/1 with jockey Dylan Brown McMonagle, who steered the horse to Grade 1 success in America, back on board, I feel like this horse has a massive chance.

We then go to the final race of the day, the Queen Alexandra Stakes, where Willie Mullins is double-handed in this race with Le Destrier, a horse that I felt was actually good enough to run in the Ascot Gold Cup, so he definitely has a huge chance in this race.

He was a brilliant third behind Scandinavia in the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown, and I feel that this horse definitely has a favourite's chance, with Willie Mullins winning this race last year with Sober.

He also has Columbus, who is a recent purchase to the yard from France, and he had a run over hurdles in Killarney in May, so I feel that this horse will be in tip-top condition for the race, and the sounds coming out about this horse are all positive.

Willie Mullins definitely has a huge chance at winning this race, and Ethical Diamond is a good each-way chance.

Shane Foley

My jockey to watch out for on the Saturday of Royal Ascot is Shane Foley. Shane Foley has a couple of really, really nice rides, which include the likes of Double Rush in the Wokingham Stakes.

This horse is drawn wide, which will suit, and he looks to have a favourite's chance in the race. He was impressive when winning at Newmarket at the start of the season and backed up that success again.

Although he has a rating of 105, I still think that this horse can improve further, and he will suit the Ascot track.

He has another good ride in the following race, the 17:35 Golden Gate Stakes, which is a handicap over a mile and a quarter. He rides Harmonics for the same owners and the John Gosden team.

This horse was fifth on debut at Southwell but has since gone on to win at Southwell and backed up that success recently at Doncaster. Off a mark of 97, there definitely is still more upside to this horse, and he is one that can improve further.

Wathnan Racing

My owner to watch out for is Wathnan Racing. Look, I suppose they just target this meeting. It's what they want to win at. They buy to win at it. On the Saturday card, they have an unbelievable amount of chances.

We start off with Flight Signal in the Norfolk Stakes, the first race of the day. He was an extremely impressive winner at Bath on debut, and he cost £180,000 in a breeze-up sale. He just has a great chance of starting off in the first race.

They have Best Secret in the Hardwicke Stakes, and his form looks quite good as he won a Goodwood handicap last year and has since gone on to improve and win a Group 3 in France this year. So he'll hold every chance at a big each-way price.

Then, looking at the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, they have Kind Of Blue and Flora Of Bermuda, two extremely quick horses with big chances in a Group 1. Again, with jockeys James Doyle and William Buick, they will be sure to have a great chance in that race.

Moving on to the 16:20 Jersey Stakes, they have The Prettiest Star, who has been a new acquisition for Wathnan Racing. The Prettiest Star ran a career-best race when fourth in the 1000 Guineas, and she definitely is a horse that looks special and can improve in this sort of race.

Moving on to the Wokingham Stakes, they have Realign for William Haggas. He was an impressive winner at Carlisle the last day and just looks like another one that's thrown in for a handicap.

They also have Evening Saigon at 25/1 and Leovanni at 33/1. They're just stacked in races. They obviously have a plan throughout that they want to have horses for this meeting, so they're willing to throw horses at it.

In the 17:35, we see them again double-handed at the top of the market, this time with Lost Boys, who is also another recent acquisition after he won the London Gold Cup at Newbury. They've also bought the second from that race, Sahara King.

So obviously they feel the London Gold Cup is a good trial for this race. James Doyle and James McDonald will ride the two horses, so it'll be extremely interesting to see how they get on.

In the final race of the day, they are represented by French Master. French Master was an extremely impressive winner of last year's Copper Horse Stakes and looks a good acquisition for Wathnan Racing. Again, he'll hold every chance in this race, as he began his season with two runs and looks like one that will be able to improve for the step up in distance.

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