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Royal Ascot Day 1 Preview
ROYAL ASCOT IS FINALLY HERE! 7 races on Day 1 with the King’s Stand and St James’s Palace taking centre stage. Find our previews for every single race.
Make sure you scroll right down to the bottom to see any multiples we are placing. These can be added direct to your bet365 bet slip.
Royal Ascot Day 1 Schedule
2.30 Ascot Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) 1m
3.05 Ascot Coventry Stakes (Group 2) 6f
3.40 Ascot King’s Stand Stakes (Group 1) 5f
4.20 Ascot St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1) 1m
5.00 Ascot Ascot Stakes (Handicap) 2m4f
5.35 Ascot Wolferton Stakes (Listed) 1m2f
6.10 Ascot Copper Horse Stakes (Handicap) 1m6f
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Royal Ascot 2.30 Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) 1m
The likes of Frankel, Toronado, Solow and Ribchester have justified favouritism in this over the years and PALACE PIER could be set to follow suit here for John and Thady Gosden. This son of Kingman is seriously talented and arguably the best miler in training right now. He dotted up at Sandown on return and again moved through the Lockinge much the best before always doing enough to win again at Newbury last time. He is just getting better and better and with the fast ground firmly in his favour it’s hard to see how he’ll be beaten here. With usual luck in-running he will take care of these and I predict impressively too so it might even be worth playing the distances.
In terms of who will finish second I really like Top Rank but I just fear the ground might be a bit quick for him and I know he’s won on a similar surface before but for him to be seen to best effect he does ideally want a bit of cut and he won’t get that here. I hope he runs well but there are probably more solid alternatives to finish second. Order Of Australia fits the bill for Aidan O’Brien. He won the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland in November last year and remains unexposed.
Royal Ascot 3.05 Coventry Stakes (Group 2) 6f
This renewal of the Coventry Stakes look wide open with plenty of class looking sorts in here. I am going to have an each way play in this with MASSETO who has some very good form to his name. He was impeded last time behind Castle Star who has some really good entries and clearly a good horse. He may not have beaten him with a clear run but it would have been close. A run to that level could see him go close but I think he will actually step-forward on better ground and be right in the mix at a decent price.
The main danger for me is Dhabab who could have been the selection after his very good run at Leicester which was ran in a good time but Frankie who you would assume has first pick is on Tolstoy which is interesting. You have to take note of any Wesley Ward sprinter at Royal Ascot but Kaufymaker would have to be very good to take this in a race where fillies don’t have an amazing record.
Royal Ascot 3.40 King’s Stand Stakes (Group 1) 5f
Battaash ran out a dominant winner of this last year which finally put to bed his Royal Ascot hoodoo and no doubt he’ll be popular again here but he hasn’t had an ideal preparation this time around and I just have my concerns about him this time. If he turns up at the top of his game then the others will be playing catch-up but if there is a chink in his armour then it might be exploited by NOTEBOOK. This filly was easy to back on return at York but the way she took the field apart was mightily impressive and given she is improving all the time and the form has worked out notably well since I think she’s worth chancing. I can see her pushing forward again and if she gets into that rhythm again there’s no reason why she can’t prove herself at the top level.
In a race of this nature there are obviously quite a few others that made the shortlist. I’m fond of Liberty Beach so I hope she runs well as she showed a good attitude to win on return at Haydock. My gut feeling is she is just a bit below this level though so a place might be her best hope. Oxted has disappointed all season and it looks a bit of a desperate move dropping him back to the minimum. He’d need everything to go his way for him to win this. Extravagant Kid and Que Amoro also add further spice in what looks a fascinating renewal.
Royal Ascot 4.20 St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1) 1m
I love this race as it’s usually always won by a top class miler and this looks like a cracking renewal and Guineas star POETIC FLARE is the one for me in this. He has ran in all 3 Guineas (English, French and Irish) winning one and going close last time in the Irish Guineas which he probably should have won. The busy campaign so far would usually put me off but this is quite common with Jim Bolger so I am not too worried. If he runs to the level of any of those Guineas runs it will take a good one to beat him and at 9/2 he has to be the selection.
Mostahdaf is the main danger as the unbeaten Frankel colt has improved with every run and looks capable of stepping up but he still has to prove it at this level. Lucky Vega who went close behind the selection in the English Guineas could bounce back after the Irish Guineas wouldn’t have suited him. The other who could be in the mix for a place is Highland Avenue who gets a reversal at the weights with Mostahdaf so he could well be thereabouts. It’s a great race and hopefully Poetic Flare can add another Group 1!
Royal Ascot 5.00 Ascot Stakes (Handicap) 2m4f
This has been won by a horse at double-figure odds for the last 3 years (10/1, 12/1 and 16/1) and it doesn’t look any easier this time around. I’ve decided to take two against the field with my main hope being CAPE GENTLEMAN for Emmet Mullins. This son of Champs Elysees has looked thoroughly progressive over hurdles prior to running a bit flat at Punchestown last month. He remains open to further improvement in this sphere and if he bounces back I think he has the ability to mix it with these. Rachael Blackmore has been booked for the ride and I think everything suggests he’s going to run a big race. The only downside is I was hoping for slightly bigger odds but that’s probably a good reflection of his chance.
Given the nature of the race I’ve also backed ROCHESTER HOUSE here for Mark Johnston. He finished fifth to Coeur De Lion in this last year beaten less than four lengths at the line having been given too much to do. This sort of test clearly suits and 18/1 is a bit insulting. In my book I have him more of a 10/1 chance so definitely value in backing him each way. He’ll be ridden quietly again but hopefully doesn’t get too far back as if he starts lengthening with the leaders in reach I’m sure he’ll get involved at the business end. Of the rest M C Muldoon has to be respected for Mullins and Moore who both do so well in this race. Coeur De Lion is defending his crown and also has to be feared.
Royal Ascot 5.35 Wolferton Stakes (Listed) 1m2f
It is hard to rule many of these out of this but there are a few in here I particularly like with the main one being VALUE TIP. He ran a cracker in the Group 1 Dubai Turf behind Lord North last time which would be good enough to win this. He has form with quite a few of these rivals and with 80 days off he should be fresh to run a big race at a good price.
Blue Cup is the other one I like, he put it all together in the handicap at Epsom in a very good time and it looked just as classy. He can’t be fully trusted and with Oisin Murphy on the selection instead of Blue Cup I had to go with him instead. Patrick Sarsfield has good Group form and is a fair favourite but usually finds 1 or 2 too good and the Group 1 form of the selection swayed it in the end coupled with the fact he is a bigger price.
Royal Ascot 6.10 Copper Horse Stakes (Handicap) 1m6f
Saldier will be popular here for Rich Ricci, Willie Mullins and Ryan Moore and he is a classy sort but in a race like this with a 4lb penalty he might just be worth taking on. THRONE HALL really impressed winning on return at Doncaster and while he has been beaten twice since at Thirsk and then at York last time he has held his form well and there could be more to come yet given how lightly raced he is. This step up in trip could unlock further improvement and at 10/1 he has to be included. I’ll be very surprised if he is out the frame.
Night Of Thunder gelding Global Storm is progressive and arrives here with confidence high. He is up 4lb which again makes life a bit tougher but his win was backed up by the clock and I think he could end up being the main danger. It’s a race with strength in depth and Arthurian Fable also enters calculations. It will be interesting to see how this pans out from a pace perspective as I don’t expect the selection to be far away which should suit.
Royal Ascot ITV Racing Each Way Trixie
With 7 races live on ITV Racing from Royal Ascot on Tuesday and we have included an Each Way Trixie which includes 3 of our best bets on the channel this afternoon. If 2/3 win we should still lock in some good profit.
Royal Ascot ITV Racing Each Way Trixie
Royal Ascot 3.40 NOTEBOOK
Royal Ascot 4.20 Poetic Flare ONE TO WATCH
Royal Ascot 5.35 VALUE TIP
Pays 194/1!
Royal Ascot ITV Racing Each Way Double
With so much quality racing on Tuesday live on ITV Racing we’ve also included an Each Way Double. These are two horses at decent odds we can see running big. If both place we should still make a return. Pays 170/1!
Royal Ascot ITV Racing Each Way Double
Royal Ascot 5.00 Rochester House
Royal Ascot 6.10 Throne Hall
Pays 170/1!