Our top tipster Daryl Carter heads into day two of Royal Ascot with seven selections on Wednesday afternoon. Check out his tips and thoughts on each of them below, and why not sign up to bet365, which is offering £50 In Free Bets to new customers, when you sign-up and bet £10.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
2.30 Ascot – Dramatised (2pts win – 7/2 Sky Bet, 3/1 generally)
DRAMATISED, although a little green on debut, left a striking impression and it’s not often a two-year-old debut performance leaves you with a wow factor. She did just that at Newmarket despite not looking entirely at home on the track, and today’s fast ground will just see her skip along.
She is very speedy but also finished her race off at 37mph, hitting the line very hard. The form has worked out well. The second has scored the next twice, and the fourth is since a winner. There is a danger that she may not produce that electric performance the second time up, but she looked right out of the top draw, and she is extremely hard to overlook.
Lady Tilbury is feared, having clocked a good time on her latest start, and she looks thoroughly professional and Maria Branwell who may be seen to best effect at six furlongs but will be finishing strongly and should not be underestimated.
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3.05 Ascot – Nahanni (1pt win – 9/2 Paddy Power, Betfair, 4/1 generally)
This may come too soon for NAHANNI, but no other horse in this field would have been considered for the Derby, and his performance deserves a big upgrade after being squeezed out at the start and forced to race at the rear of the field. He is one of only a few that will be well-suited by this step up in distance, having seen the drop to 1m2f on his penultimate start in the Derby trial against him.
He is a real grinder, and providing connections allows one of the other front runners to give him a lead; it’s hard to see him beaten on stamina, and that’s more than you can say for most in here who have it all to prove.
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3.40 Ascot – Bay Bridge (2pts win – 11/8, Will Hills, Unibet, Boylesports)
There’s no pace on in this contest, and that will be a big concern. Still, the class should come to the fore, and there are none classier than the improving BAY BRIDGE.
He is on a sharp rise to the top on the evidence of his seasonal return win at Sandown, and he has overcome a pace disadvantage previously showing a useful turn of foot. He recorded an excellent figure at Sandown, and this doesn’t look like the strongest Group 1 in the world, so this looks like a fantastic opportunity to grab his first Group 1 win.
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5.00 Ascot – Fantastic Fox (1pt each-way – 22/1 Sky Bet, Coral, Will Hills, Ladbrokes)
This usually goes to a progressive four-year-old, and FANTASTIC FOX left the impression at Epsom that we have yet to see the best of him, and that’s been the case when finishing strongly off steady gallops in the past.
The recent gelding operation looks to have brought out further improvement, given he recorded a career-best time figure and RPR at Epsom when staying on strongly from off the pace. It paid to be ridden prominently at that meeting so his effort can be upgraded, and it’s easy to write off his seasonal return run.
He has two strong pieces of form on this straight track and fast ground has seen him to best effect in the past, and he could go on to better things judged on the balance of his form, notably his Newbury Maiden third to Snow Lantern (115) and Derab (113). Today’s mark of 98 is well within reach, and he looks as though he will be a better four-year-old than three and makes plenty of appeal at large odds.
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5.00 Ascot – Etonian (0.5pt each-way – 40/1 bet365. Unibet, Betfred)
ETONIAN is another unexposed four-year-old who it takes a little more faith to back, but he has the form in the book to play a big hand on this second start in a handicap.
He caught the eye on seasonal return after 358 days off the track when a fast-finishing ninth (denied a clear run) in the Spring Cup at Newbury. He had an impossible task at the same venue next time in the Lockinge, but its interesting connections kept that entry for him. Something wasn’t quite right that day, given he hung immediately after coming out of the stalls and then did so under pressure.
Still, that run is easily forgiven, and he is so lightly raced – there’s surely more to come from the Group 3 Solario Stakes winner. His first two runs at two years read extremely well, and he may be worth chancing from a high draw on his second start in a handicap. He looked extremely exciting not too long ago. Connections have persisted.
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5.00 Ascot – Symbolize (0.5pt each-way – 12/1 bet365, 11/1 Paddy, Betfair, Ladbrokes)
SYMBOLIZE looks a rock-solid each-way proposition for punters, and it’s clear this race has been the target, having been waited with after his promising seasonal return at Thirsk when touched off by Mutasaabeq.
His Ascot form figures read extremely well 4 (Windsor Castle), 3 (Jersey Stakes), 8 (Balmoral Handicap 2020), 11th (Victoria Cup), 7th (Buckingham Palace), and his latest two runs were both runner-up efforts in the Challange Cup and Balmoral Handicap behind the very smart Aldaary (now rated 117).
The selection is only two pounds higher than both of those runs, but it’s interesting if you take out the winner he has won both of those outings by seven lengths and one length (the latest has seen the 3rd score again an now four pounds higher). He is drawn well in stall 29, and although the ground may be slightly quicker than ideal, he must have valid claims, especially with the excellent Harry Davies claiming five off his back.
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6.10 Ascot – White Moonlight (1pt win – 8/1 bet365, 7/1 Unibet, Betfred)
WHITE MOONLIGHT was a big eye-catcher on her seasonal return after a lengthy absence, and although the bounce factor is certainly apparent with this one, she looks well handicapped on her time figures, notably her Newmarket win in October 2019.
Her latest run and speed figure confirmed that she retains all of her ability, and it looked as though her trainer left something to work on that day. Its interesting connections have persisted with her, and the drop back to 1m will do her no harm. This division is not riddled with stars, and she is potentially one.
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Daryl Carter’s Best Bets
2.30 Ascot – Dramatised (2pts win – 7/2 Sky Bet, 3/1 generally)
3.05 Ascot – Nahanni (1pt win – 9/2 Paddy Power, Betfair, 4/1 generally)
3.40 Ascot – Bay Bridge (2pts win – 11/8, Will Hills, Unibet, Boylesports)
5.00 Ascot – Fantastic Fox (1pt each-way – 22/1 Sky Bet, Coral, Will Hills, Ladbrokes)
5.00 Ascot – Etonian (0.5pt each-way – 40/1 bet365. Unibet, Betfred)
5.00 Ascot – Symbolize (0.5pt each-way – 12/1 bet365, 11/1 Paddy, Betfair, Ladbrokes)
6.10 Ascot – White Moonlight (1pt win – 8/1 bet365, 7/1 Unibet, Betfred)
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