The Albany Stakes is a Group 3 race open to two-year-old fillies. It is run over a distance of 6 furlongs. The event was established in 2002, and it was initially classed at listed level and run as the Henry Carnavon Stakes in memory of Henry Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnarvon, Queen Elizabeth II’s racing manager, who had died in September 2001.
It was first run under its present title in 2003 and was promoted to Group 3 status in 2005. Let’s go through the runners ahead of the race and see which horses offer the best Royal Ascot odds on the market.
Carla’s Way
Trainer: Simon & Ed Crisford
Jockey: James Doyle
Won her maiden in fine style at Doncaster and beat subsequent winner in Star Of Mystery trained by Charlie Appleby. Star Of Mystery won by eleven lengths just the other day, so the form does look quite smart and she is entitled to plenty of respect.
Dawn Charger
Trainer: Karl Burke
Jockey: Clifford Lee
Has plenty of experience coming into this which is certainly useful, including a win at this track. She stepped up to this trip at Carlisle last time and beat the likes of Charged Up and Arc Shadowfax in the process. Clifford Lee is retained for the ride and the pair look to have leading claims.
Do It With Style
Trainer: Donnacha O’Brien
Jockey: Gavin Ryan
A winner on debut over this trip at the Curragh last month. Multiple winners have come out of that race including Mary The Priest and Port Louis. Brave Anna won this race for Aidan O’Brien following a similar path back in 2016, so a big run cannot be ruled out. One negative is the general quietness of the yard.
Flaccianello
Trainer: Richard Fahey
Jockey: Rossa Ryan
A winner on debut over five furlongs at Catterick earlier in the month beating Lady Pink Rose. The form has been subsequently franked by Noo Point, but this will take a career-best performance to win here. Flaccianello also has to prove he gets home over this extra furlong.
Gushing Gold
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Was beaten a length on debut at Leicester by Zabriskie Point when completely unfancied and was partnered by Hayley Turner on that occasion. Nothing from that race has come out to boost the form so hard to see her making an impact here as she takes a massive jump in grade.
Jabaara
Trainer: Roger Varian
Jockey: David Egan
A convincing winner at Newmarket when getting the better of Miss Roberts at this trip. The yard took this back in 2019 with Daahyeh so this daughter of Exceed And Excel has to be respected. Fully entitled to improve and one of the more likely ones.
Komat
Trainer: Dominic Ffrench-Davis
Jockey: Hollie Doyle
A winner on debut at the minimum trip of five furlongs back in April. One subsequent winner has come out of the race in Vitarli and multiple others have raced thirteen times between them without success. That form does not look good enough and she has to prove herself at this trip too.
Mapmaker
Trainer: Daryl Holland
Jockey: Jason Watson
Stepped up on a debut third at Redcar to win a maiden at Newbury just a couple of weeks ago. Whilst the form of that race has been franked by Queues Likely, she will need to take another significant step forward for her fledgling trainer. Not completely ruled out though.
Matrika
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Won a race over this trip on debut at the Curragh and represents last year’s winning trainer. The form has been boosted following a subsequent win for Mysteries at Cork. The team at Ballydoyle know exactly what type of filly it takes to win this having done so twice since 2016 and she commands respect as Ryan Moore has been retained to ride.
Navassa Island
Trainer: Michael O’Callaghan
Jockey: Colin Keane
Has a little to find with the re-opposing Porta Fortuna as she beat her by under a length at Naas on debut over this trip last month. Improvement is possible but each one of the last ten winners of this race won last time out so that is a massive negative despite being placed in a Group Three last time.
Passionately
Trainer: Amy Murphy
Jockey: Jason Hart
Made a winning debut over the minimum trip at Wetherby earlier in the month and beat Hot Front quite convincingly. The form has been tested on numerous occasions without producing a subsequent winner and she is unproven over this extra furlong. This race looks too hot for her to handle.
Persian Dreamer
Trainer: Dominic Ffrench-Davis
Jockey: Kevin Stott
Has run twice now over the minimum trip winning on debut at Newmarket back in April. She was a disappointing favourite next time out when beaten three lengths by Got To Love A Grey. That rival didn’t do much for the form here the other day so others are preferred.
Porta Fortuna
Trainer: Donnacha O’Brien
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Porta Fortuna is now two wins from as many starts and seemed to improve when upped to this trip for the first time in a Group Three race at Naas last time. There looks to be significant more improvement to come and the booking of Frankie Dettori certainly catches the eye. She is certainly bringing some of the best form to the table and is hard to ignore.
Pretty Crystal
Trainer: Richard Fahey
Jockey: Oisin Orr
A winner on debut at Ripon racecourse on similar ground and beat the re-opposing Snafiya by almost two lengths. Oisin Orr takes over in the saddle today but this represents a massive step up in grade. Richard Fahey has a history of doing well with his juveniles at this meeting but he has never won this race. Unfortunately, that doesn’t look like changing here.
Rating
Trainer: Brian Meehan
Jockey: Sean Levey
Improved for the switch to the all-weather at Kempton last time but is now a twice-raced maiden. She is vulnerable to any number of these and looks to have been thrown in at the deep end by Brian Meehan.
Sarakana
Trainer: Ed De Giles
Jockey: Trevor Whelan
A winner on debut on similar ground at Haydock just last month and got the better of Crooked Crown on that occasion when completely unexpected. The form has been boosted by the runner-up subsequently and numerous others who featured in that race have run well in defeat since. This is a huge rise in grade, but she could well run another big race and give worry to a few lower-priced market rivals.
Snafiya
Trainer: George Boughey
Jockey: James McDonald
Comes here looking particularly exposed and is now a three-time raced maiden. Although not beaten far in any of her starts the stats suggest you need to have a least won a race prior to taking this prize. Looks here as a possible pacesetter for her stablemate Soprano.
Soprano
Trainer: George Boughey
Jockey: Will Buick
A winner on debut over the minimum trip at Newmarket beating Midnight Affair by almost two lengths. The runner-up has come out and boosted the form by winning at Beverley subsequently, and the third-placed horse has also won. She looks the pick of the stable pair and if improving for this extra furlong, she will be hard to keep out of the frame with Will Buick retaining the ride.
Albany Stakes Betting Tips
Porta Fortuna could well be the one to beat here having won a Group Three race at the Curragh last time out. She saw off the attentions of Navassa Island on that occasion and should be able to confirm that form off the same weights once more.
Carla’s Way kept on well at Doncaster on debut to see off Star Of Mystery, but she will need to improve for the step up in grade. Jabaara represents connections that have already had a winner at the meeting this week and with improvement likely, she cannot be ignored either.
Matrika was an eye-catcher at the Curragh when winning on debut but needs to take another step forward.
1. Porta Fortuna @ 7/1 e/w with Bet365 bonus code
2. Navassa Island @ 6/1 with Bet365
3. Jabaara @ 6/1 with Bet365
All odds are accurate at the time of writing.
