The eagerly anticipated Royal Ascot meeting (20-24 June) is finally upon us – five days of top class racing, a star-studded cast of horses and jockeys, and eye-catching millinery are the buzzwords this week, so what about some Royal Ascot tips?
We’ve asked some horse racing experts to share their expertise for this historic Flat racing event, the first Royal meeting of the new reign of The King and Queen Camilla. It is one of the highlights of the British racing calendar, with equine stars from four different continents descending on the Berkshire track.
And let’s not forget the stars of the saddle, with all eyes on Frankie Dettori as he rides at Royal Ascot for the final time after a career spanning five decades. Can he add to his 77 Royal Ascot winners?
ITV Racing will be live at Royal Ascot from 1.30pm every day while horseandhound.co.uk will keep you updated with all the latest news and stories, as well as bringing you all the insight and exclusive interviews in next week’s magazine, in the shops on Thursday 29 June.
Enjoy this great spectacle!
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Royal Ascot tips from the experts
ITV Racing presenter Ed Chamberlin says: “SAKHEER in the Commonwealth Cup (3.05pm on Friday). Conditions went against him in the Guineas and now he reverts to sprinting, I think he could be pretty special. I’ve also plumped for PEROTTO in the Royal Hunt Cup (5pm on Wednesday). He looks well handicapped for his new yard and has all important Ascot, big field, handicap form.”
Racing journalist Tom Peacock has similar thoughts to Ed for the Hunt Cup but also picks out some other interesting Royal Ascot contenders: “BEAUTIFUL DIAMOND in the Queen Mary Stakes (2.30pm on Wednesday) is an expensive recent breeze-up purchase who clocked the quickest time at Doncaster sales. She made a fluent transition to her new career by cruising home at Nottingham. PEROTTO (Royal Hunt Cup, 5pm on Wednesday) caught the eye on stable debut for Roger Varian at the track and this former winner of the Britannia Handicap for Marcus Tregoning has slipped to a reasonable handicap mark.”
ITV Racing commentator Richard Hoiles offers his Royal Ascot tips as: “FREE WIND in the Hardwicke Stakes (4.20pm on Saturday). She gained a remarkable success last year when very badly hampered in the Lancashire Oaks and has the credentials to be a genuine Group 1 horse this season. SUMMERGHAND in the Wokingham Stakes (5pm on Saturday) is a regular in these sorts of races. He was just touched off in this race a few years ago and has dropped to a very dangerous mark. He also showed last time at York that he is not one to right off yet.”
Racing journalist Julian Muscat says: “In the Coventry Stakes (3.05pm on Tuesday), the hot favourite, River Tiber, has a single-figure draw in a race where most of the fancied runners are drawn away from him. The possibility that he could get isolated, makes ASADNA an attractive proposition from stall 17. The selection blitzed home on his Ripon debut and looks extremely precocious. The St James’s Palace Stakes (4.2opm on Tuesday) looks a straight shoot-out between Paddington and CHALDEAN, with the latter much preferred. The form of his 2000 Guineas triumph has been questioned but he keeps winning with authority. His penchant for racing prominently should serve him well here.
Moving on to Wednesday, all the main protagonists for the Queen Mary Stakes (2.3opm on Wednesday) have high stalls draws, among them RELIEF RALLY, who has finished strongly in winning her two starts to date. Her positive attitude will be an asset in this veritable cavalry charge and she looks overpriced at double-figure odds. Later in the afternoon, in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (4.20pm on Wednesday) there is little to choose between the market leaders in a fascinating race, but the anticipated end-to-end gallop should enable MY PROSPERO to deploy his finishing kick. The colt the eye over an inadequate trip on his seasonal comeback and will strip fitter this time. Finally the Queen’s Vase (5.35pm on Wednesday), features a host of progressive young stayers, the best of which may be PEKING OPERA with Ryan Moore up. A son of Galileo, the selection looks sure to thrive in this stamina test and hails from a stable with an excellent record in this race.
In the Norfolk Stakes (2.30pm on Thursday), Elite Status is a warm favourite but will have to go some to keep tabs on AMERICAN RASCAL, who hails from Wesley Ward’s US stable that does so well with its two-year-olds here. He will be ridden with patience and should be hard to resist. In the Gold Cup (4.20pm on Thursday), Kyprios’ injured absence gives this race a wide-open look. In the circumstances it is worth chancing that SUBJECTIVIST will recapture the form that saw him run riot in this race two years ago. He ran with plenty of zest last time, having been absent through injury all last year. Ralph Beckett’s runners in handicaps at this meeting are always worth a look, and his QUANTUM IMPACT comes to The Britannia Stakes (5pm on Thursday) after winning with authority at York last time. Frankie Dettori aboard the selection, who should relish the fast underfoot conditions.
In Friday’s Commonwealth Cup (3.05pm), Little Big Bear corners the market here but he faces a formidable adversary in SAKHEER, from Roger Varian’s stable. The selection ran much better in the 2000 Guineas than his finishing position suggests. This drop back to six furlongs is just what he needs and his prospects would increase on a fast surface.”
Racing journalist Carl Evans gives his Royal Ascot tips as: “FANDOM and POLITICO (both each-way) in the Coventry Stakes (3.05pm on Tuesday). A big field of two-year-olds for the Coventry Stakes is likely to result in some long-shots getting among the action. Fandom, bred in Britain, but trained in the USA by Wesley Ward, and the Charlie Johnston-trained Politico are drawn 15 and 4 respectively – so if there is a bias on one side of the track you are covered – and could give each-way backers a run for their money. I also pick out CHALDEAN in the St James’s Palace Stakes (4.20pm on Tuesday), where the recent 2000 Guineas winner can provide Frankie Dettori with another victory in his valedictory season while BEAUTIFUL DIAMOND and OUT OF THE STARS (each-way) are my picks for the Queen Mary Stakes (2.30pm on Wednesday). Two-year-old filly Beautiful Diamond has run just once when scoring in style at Nottingham, but prior to that she went through the breeze-up sale process in which she was taught to gallop. That may give her a slight edge this early in the season and her £360,000 sale says plenty. Out Of The Stars could run well at a big price.
AL ASIFAH in the Ribblesdale Stakes (3.40pm on Thursday) is a daughter of Frankel and unbeaten after two runs. Her latest win at Goodwood was visually very impressive. She will be a short price to add a Royal Ascot success, but deserves her place at the top of bookies’ lists. I also like PINK SATIN in the Albany Stakes (2.30pm on Friday). This choicely-bred filly scored in good style when making her racing debut at Windsor and can cope with a step-up in grade. LITTLE BIG BEAR in the Commonwealth Cup (4.20pm on Friday) finished last of 14 in the 2000 Guineas, but was immediately returned to sprinting and scored in easy style at Haydock Park. This a lot tougher, but can follow up. And finally, TAHIYRA in the Coronation Stakes (5pm on Friday). This filly’s rematch with Mawj, who beat her in last month’s 1000 Guineas, is one of the most intriguing head-to-heads at this year’s Royal Ascot. Tahiyra has since won the Irish 1000 Guineas and can gain revenge on her conqueror.
How to bet on your Royal Ascot pick
It is important that you gamble responsibly and you can read more advice on how to bet here. Enjoy!
Get £10 in FREE bets
Want to place a bet on any of these races? Sign up to Betway and receive a £10 welcome bet.
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