Royal Ascot tips and best bets on day five as meeting comes to a close with Diamond Jubilee Stakes

Natalie's Joy got her career off to the perfect start at Goodwood - and that’s just the tip of the iceberg ahead of the Chesham Stakes (2.30pm).

The bay daughter of Lope De Vega was sent off at 4-1 in a field of nine for her debut in a nine-runner event over six furlongs at the end of last month.

Racing keenly early on, Natalie’s Joy held a prominent pitch under Joe Fanning before being asked to lengthen to the front on the approach to the final furlong.

Despite looking in need of the experience, my selection surged clear through the last 150 yards to beat Swift And Sure by six lengths.

The clock watchers were doing handsprings over the time recorded by Natalie’s Joy and, with plenty of progress to draw upon, she is expected to remain unbeaten.

Of an assembly of lightly raced and promising juveniles, Beyond Reason, Arthur Kitt and Nate The Grate appear the most likely candidates for the minor medals.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3

1 NATALIE’S JOY
2 NATE THE GRATE
3 BEYOND REASON

3.05: Hardwicke Stakes

Crystal Ocean will go off at cramped odds - and deservedly so.

After finishing third to the ill-fated Permian in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes 12 months ago, the Sea The Stars colt registered a comfortable success in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in August, before finishing an half-length second in the St Leger at Doncaster the following month.

The extended mile and three quarters of the final Classic proved Crystal Ocean’s undoing, so it is no surprise Sir Michael Stoute has campaigned him over shorter distances in 2018.

Ryan Moore’s mount denied Fabricate by a short head in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes over 10 furlongs at Sandown Park on his return and, back at a mile and a half, obliterated the field for Newbury’s Group 3 Al Rayyan Stakes by six lengths.

Crystal Ocean should prove hard to beat, with Barsanti and last year’s winner Idaho the chief threats among his four opponents.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3

1 CRYSTAL OCEAN
2 IDAHO
3 BARSANTI

3.40: Windsor Castle Stakes

Mutawaffer steps up in class and down in distance - but is fancied to cope.

Given his debut by Charlie Hills in a novice stakes over course and distance last month, the son of Kodiac looked clueless during the early stages.

But he finished to good effect to take fourth to Blown By Wind, and made the expected leap forward at Goodwood 12 days later.

Sent off at 5-4 for a similar event over six furlongs, Jim Crowley’s mount made all the running and soon had matters under control, beating next-time winner Shaybani by two and a quarter lengths.

The pace he showed on his second start suggests he’ll be just as effective back at the minimum trip, and Mutawaffer’s future looks bright.

In a Windsor Castle less competitive than the numbers might have you believe, Moonlight Romance, Queen Of Bermuda and Van Beethoven all have their best days ahead of them and are capable of having a say.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3

1 MUTAWAFFER
2 MOONLIGHT ROMANCE
3 QUEEN OF BERMUDA

4.20: Diamond Jubilee Stakes

Harry Angel has yet to win at Ascot in four previous visits - but can put that right here.

Two of those defeats - on his racecourse debut and when second to Blue Point in the Group 3 Pavilion Stakes over this course and distance last May - were when Clive Cox’s four-year-old was on his way up through the sprinting ranks.

Twelve months ago, Harry Angel finished three parts of a length second to Caravaggio in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, but got no peace from the winner’s stablemate Intelligence Cross - attention that left him vulnerable to a late swoop.

Adam Kirby’s mount then added not one but two top-level prizes to his CV, landing Newmarket’s July Cup and the Sprint Cup at Haydock Park on his next two outings.

And although a fourth Ascot loss was to follow - Harry Angel ran fourth to Librisa Breeze in Champions Sprint here last October - my selection reared in the stalls before pulling furiously during the early stages.

The son of Dark Angel got back on track with a cosy victory over Brando in the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes on the Knavesmire last month, and gets the nod to seal a first victory on the royal heath.

Australian challenger Redkirk Warrior must enter the reckoning, along with Merchant Navy, formerly Down Under but now with Aidan O’Brien, while The Tin Man, successful in this race 12 months ago, also comes into the picture.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3

1 HARRY ANGEL
2 REDKIRK WARRIOR
3 THE TIN MAN

5.00: Wokingham Stakes

Victory Angel makes plenty of appeal in a typically wide-open Wokingham.

Six furlongs on fast ground show the Roger Varian-trained four-year-old in his best light - his three career wins, at Doncaster, Newmarket and Yarmouth, have been gained under identical conditions.

And there was much encouragement to be gleaned from his return to the fray on Newmarket’s 1000 Guineas undercard.

A 9-1 chance in a 15-strong field, Victory Angel was held up during the early exchanges by today’s pilot Silvestre De Sousa.

Once given the office, my selection ran on strongly up the hill to finish fourth, beaten half a length and two necks, to Gifted Master.

That handicap, in which those at the head of affairs may have been favoured, carried a valuable pot in its own right, but master of his craft Varian almost certainly had an eye on this race - and the Acclamation colt can be expected to take a step forward.

There are dangers at every turn, with unbeaten favourite Dreamfield, the consistent Major Jumbo, last year's winner Out Do and his stable-companion Intisaab at the top of the shortlist.

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3

1 VICTORY ANGEL
2 INTISAAB
3 MAJOR JUMBO