The two Group 1 races might headline the card on the opening day of Royal Ascot but there are five other races which are attractive enough in their own right as the Royal meeting gets up and running in style on Tuesday.
You can see our full preview of both Group 1s elsewhere on this site, but we’re not all about the top level here. The other five races all appeal and we have previewed them all below, with bets pulled out in three of them.
1.15 Royal Ascot
Preview
A maximum field of 24 opens the Royal meeting for the 7 furlong Buckingham Palace handicap. Sheikh Hamdan has a very strong hand with 3 of the front 4 in the market. Daarik is the first of those, having won 3 of his last 4 including a Class 2 last time out when in front of another one of the market leaders in Kaeso, on the all weather at Newcastle. The one worry with Daarik is that his best 2 pieces of form have come at that track.
Kaeso has 7 lengths to make up and is just 7lbs better off but some excellent track form could see him finish a whole lot closer. The other 2 Sheikh Hamdan runners are Mutamaasik & Motakhayyel, both of whom have similar progressive profiles to the winner.
Typically, a draw near either rail should be favoured but the question is which rail? Most of the pace is drawn low although there are a couple drawn high who could go forward. We’ve decided to take one drawn on either side of the track.
Betting
Cliffs Of Capri is drawn in the highest stall & he’s a very good horse over either 7 furlongs or a mile. He’s also well suited by Ascot with track form of 1513, the 5th coming in a 20 runner handicap.
Recently his form has taken an upturn since the application of blinkers. In first time blinkers, he won a valuable handicap at Meydan in good style with the front 2 coming clear. He was then 2nd at Newmarket on reappearance when performing with credit against the massive pace bias. The winner made all & most definitely had the run of the race.
Drawn well, in form & with the blinkers on, he looks a good value each way bet.
On the other side of the track with the 2 most likely to make the runner is a lightly raced & improving type in Ebury, coming out of stall 3. He’s had just 6 races, winning twice and 2nd on 2 more occasions.
He won a really nice conditions race here last year, finishing 4 lengths in front of a horse who’s since won a Group 3 at Meydan. On his next start, at Newmarket, he was the one to come out of the pack to chase home a decent winner, the selection closing fast on the line. It’s easy to put a line through his reappearance where he got no cover at all & pulled hard for his head.
In a big field where he’ll get the cover he needs, the stiff finish should suit this big priced selection especially with his stable hitting top form.
Tips
PLACED at 20/1 – Back Cliffs Of Capri (e/w) for a 0.75/10 stake at 15.00 Betfair Sportsbook BOG (1/5 odds 1-6)
Back it here:
PLACED – Back Ebury (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 21.00 Betway BOG (1/5 odds 1-6)
2.25 Royal Ascot
Preview
The Ribblesdale Stakes is a Group 2 fillies even over a mile and a half, restricted to 3 year olds. This is a race dominated by Aiden O’Brien and John Gosden, the pair sharing 5 of the last 6 renewals and they look sure to add to that this year.
Frankly Darling, representing the Gosden / Dettori combination, won a maiden earlier this month at Newcastle by 5 lengths and has been installed as the favourite at around Evens. She quickened up well but they were several going well 2 furlongs out as they went no pace at all so the form has to have a question mark against it.
Miss Yoda, the second of Gosden’s, won the Lingfield Oaks Trial so probably rates as better value than her stablemate but it’s not often Dettori picks the wrong one. Trefoil is the nearest market rival to Frankly Darling after winning a Newmarket novice event in her only 2 year old run. She was then 4 lengths 3rd to the impressive Run Wild in the Pretty Polly earlier this month but there was a massive pace bias that day and the form isn’t sure to hold up.
Betting
O’Brien runs Ennistymon who won her maiden last week but preference is for her first string, Passion ridden by Ryan Moore. She looks to be the each way play here with good form in the book already.
She won a Cork maiden at 2 with the 4th (4 lengths back) & 5th (7 lengths) winning Group 3’s since. She then ran in the Group 2 May Hill where it was evident a step up in trip was needed. Even then she ran better than the result suggested as Cloak Of Spirits (1000 Guineas 2nd) caused quite the amount of interference just as she was making her challenge. She kicked off her season with a 4th in Ireland when looking in need of the run but staying on well late on.
This son of Galileo will relish the extra distance and it’s hard to see her finishing out of the frame.
Tips
PLACED at 13/2 – Back Passion (e/w) for a 1.5/10 stake at 6.50 Skybet BOG (1/5 odds 1-4)
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3.00 Royal Ascot
Preview
The boy’s equivalent is the King Edward VII Stakes but it’s attracted a small field of just 6. O’Brien saddles Mogul who won the Group 2 Champion Juvenile in Ireland & was then 4th in the Futurity behind 2000 Guineas winner Kameko.
Mohican Heights is 2 from 2 but in lesser races & it’s hard to know how good he is. Arthur’s Kingdom & Papa Power both have more in the locker too.
There’s no bet here although the favourite looks beatable.
4.10 Royal Ascot
Preview
Over the straight mile, the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes sees 11 fillies & mares go to post for this Group 2. Jubiloso is the favourite for the Sir Michael Stoute yard off the back of her 3rd in last year’s Coronation Stakes but she’s since finished 3rd and 7th in a pair of Group 3’s so has something to find on the book.
Nazreef has won her last 4 progressing from novice to handicap to a last time out Listed win on the all weather. This requires another step forward. Queen Power ran a huge race behind Queen Anne 2nd favourite Terebellum on her reappearance & rates a huge danger but the drop in trip is a concern.
Betting
The selection is Lavender’s Blue, a highly progressive filly. She spread eagled a field on debut at Newmarket before going down by a neck to today’s rival Queen Power in a Group 3 where the winner appreciated the extra 2 furlongs more than the selection. Over a mile, there would have been only one winner of that & it wasn’t Queen Power.
Her next run was in the Oaks but that’s easily ignored. The trip and track were both wrong & she was found to have had an issue post race. However, after a bit of a break, she came back & won the Group 3 Atlanta Stakes in style, today’s favourite Jubiloso over 6 lengths back (off level weights). In one subsequent, she ran well against her elders finishing 4th in the Sun Chariot. The 1-2-3 in that were Billesdon Brook, the 2018 1000 Guineas winner, Veracious who was 4th in the Group 1 QEII & Iridessa who then went on to win at the Breeders Cup meeting. That form looks rock solid.
An unexposed type who will relish this straight mile, she’s sure to go very close if fit & ready on reappearance.
Tips
Back Lavender’s Blue (e/w) for a 1.5/10 stake at 6.00 Skybet BOG (1/5 odds 1-4)
4.45 Royal Ascot
Preview
The final race of the day is the Ascot Stakes handicap over a marathon trip of 2 and a half miles. This sees a mix of stayers on the flat & jumps horses with Verdana Blue the favourite off top weight.
It’s not a betting race for us although big runs from Land Of Oz & Blue Laureate are likely.
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