Vision to show his true colours at Ascot

Colour Vision wins the 2012 Ascot Gold Cup

When Rite Of Passage landed a most dramatic renewal of the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot last October, Dermot Weld’s lightly-raced Giant’s Causeway gelding was returning from a 510-day absence.

Supporters of the eight-time career winner, then, wouldn’t have been overly concerned to learn he’d bypass his intended prep-run in the Listed Saval Beg, a race in which he finished third behind Fame And Glory in 2011, and head straight to Royal Ascot for a date in the Group 1 Gold Cup, the race he won at odds of 20-1 in 2010.

Paddy Power are currently 5-1 about him repeating that feat and, versatile in regards to underfoot conditions, he ticks plenty of boxes and is a worthy favourite at this stage.

Estimate gave Her Majesty a winner at the Royal meeting 12 months ago when Sir Michael Stoute’s progressive filly notched in the Group 3 Queen’s Vase and, on the back of her successful reappearance in the Sagaro over that 2m trip, she steps up in class and warrants close consideration.

Ground conditions are key to Saddler’s Rock’s chance and he’ll be bang there on a rattling quick surface, while last year’s Ascot Stakes and Queen Alexandra Stakes hero Simenon must also come into the reckoning.

This 2m4f trip looks absolutely made for COLOUR VISION, however, and last year’s winner can be backed at 10-1.

He represents great each-way value for the in-form Saeed Bin Suroor and while his seasonal reappearance in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown was somewhat uninspiring, the outing is expected to have brought him forward and he can reverse the Long Distance Cup form with Weld’s charge going back up in trip.

Selection: Colour Vision 10-1 (1pt e/w)