As is the case throughout the week, ITV Racing are broadcasting every race live from Royal Ascot on one of their channels. Joe Napier picks out his four best bets throughout the card for tomorrow on terrestrial TV.
3.05pm Royal Ascot – King George V Stakes
A top race this, but the suspicion is a gamble is about to come on GILDED WATER and while each-way odds are available, he is worth getting onboard with.
The son of Aussie star Fastnet Rock has an attractively progressive profile, stepping forward substantially with each start so far. After a fifth in a hot race on debut, he was a close third when still racing over 1m at Windsor. He then readily broke his duck by 7½ lengths at Chepstow when upped to 1m2f, and even that trip looked short of ideal.
He galloped strongly through the line, and he represents identical owner, trainer and jockey connections as those which won this race a year ago courtesy of subsequent Group 3 winner Desert Hero. William Haggas’ charge this year runs off 2lb lower than his 2023 winner, but could well develop into a similar level of performer over this 1m4f distance.
4.25pm Royal Ascot – Gold Cup
This probably isn’t a vintage Gold Cup as we emerge from a near decade of stars such as Order Of St George and Stradivarius appearing in, and often winning, the contest. It may feel harsh to exclude Kyprios from that list yet given he was clearly a brilliant horse at his best two years ago, but injury issues since have left him looking well shy of that even in two wins this season.
While not as strong as recent renewals, this is still the Gold Cup and inferior opposition he has been beating less than impressively would not be up to this standard. He is therefore opposable, while both Gregory and Vauban appeared to have their limitations exposed in the Yorkshire Cup last time, for all the former could progress. Four-year-olds have won the last three runnings and he is the only declaration in that age group this year.
However, another prospective improver in the lineup is CAIUS CHORISTER. David Menuisier’s mare was winning handicaps off marks in the 50s two years ago, but has simply continued to develop all the way through to this season, where she has been a head runner-up in two Group 3s over 2m to Coltrane and Sweet William, both of whom re-oppose here. This extra half mile looks set to convenience here though and she gets 3lb from that pair where she did not before. She appears a great each-way bet in this field.
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Royal Ascot Value Punts – Day 3 Selections for the Royal Meeting
It’s day three of Royal Ascot on Thursday 20th June and our Value tipster Matty Sutcliffe is back with his best bets across a hugely competitive day’s racing at the Berkshire racecourse… Published: 1.52pm, Tuesday, 18th June (Prices correct at time of publishing) 2:30 Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (2yo) – Loom 25/1 1pt EW…
Tue 18 Jun 2024
5.05pm Royal Ascot – Britannia Stakes
The only favourite to win this race in the last decade came last year courtesy of Docklands, who was runner-up in the Queen Anne Stakes earlier this week. Winning this at the head of the market is tough, and this is an easy contest for one to be lurking away further down the market.
Preference in that respect is for BLUE LEMONS, who may not have been successful since his debut, but otherwise appeals on quite a few factors. He has only ever raced on good-to-soft or slower, and yet results since November back up the opinion that he is worth a go on a quicker surface, which he should get on Thursday.
His mark of 98 remains on the high side, but he was beaten just a neck off this rating at Sandown. The third has since finished second in the Italian Derby and the winner went off at Evens with plenty of expectations that he will be useful. Blue Lemons nearly conceded him 5lb, 10lb without Joe Leavy’s claim factored in, and while his Haydock effort in May was disappointing, it is forgiven due to the soft ground factor. He also has the benefit of Jamie Spencer aboard here, who won back-to-back renewals of this race in 2016 and 2017.
6.15 Royal Ascot – Buckingham Palace Stakes
Favourite English Oak won with loads in hand at Haydock but finds himself hit with a 9lb rise here against 28 rivals. What’s more, none of the last nine winners of this revitalised race (not run between 2014-2020) have gone off at single-figure odds, with the shortest-priced winners being Manassas and Inver Park at 12/1 in 2011 and 2022.
Value alternatives abound, with the admirable NORTHERN EXPRESS taken to have his day in the spotlight. Michael Dods’ charge regularly excels at York, but he twice ran massive races at this venue last season, including when an unlucky third in this race. He led home those who raced towards the far side throughout by close to three lengths, then was fourth off 5lb higher the following month.
He is in top nick again this season after a slow start in his first two runs. His runner-up effort at York last time saw him finish 3¼ lengths clear of the first and behind only a front-runner who benefitted from the track’s pace bias and who has since finished a close fourth at Group 3 level. He and Northern Express raced off the same weight that day and the selection can now gain greater compensation.
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