Royal Ascot Advice

Royal Ascot in the Stands

The following Royal Ascot advice is given by pro bettor Michael Wilding of Race Ratings Pro.

1. Avoid poor performers

2. Focus on brilliant performers

3. Horses that have performed well in similar conditions

4. Avoid horses showing a decline in similar conditions

Thus 2. and 3. gives us a group of horses to consider betting. The remainder will be average horses which are best left out of the equation.

Some races may not contain any average runners so it is best to avoid betting in these.

5. Check the market and eliminate any of your shortlist where the price is too high.

6 Check any favourite or 2nd favourite that is not on your shortlist as you may have missed something. You may end up with more than one selection in which case consider backing both or dutching them.

Staking

Create a separate bankroll for the festival. If you have say £1000 then use £333 per day for a 3 day festival. Divide that equally between each race - for an eight race day that would be £41 per race.

Bet as many contenders as possible (while still making a profit) to reduce the risk. Use dutching, each way or forecasts.

Race analysis for 2015 renewal

Tuesday 16th Royal Ascot Queen Anne Stakes

Night Of Thunder rates a decent each way bet at 6/1 generally against the likes of Solow and Able Friend.

Solow is a likely winner after his breathtaking display in Dubai despite the form being slightly suspect while Able Friend plies his trade primarily at Sha Tin.

The straight mile of the Ascot race will suit Night Of Thunder as his success in this year’s Lockinge demonstrates and the 6/1 on offer looks too good to pass up.

Win Solow - Each Way Night Of Thunder

Royal Ascot St James Palace Stakes

Gleneagles is hard to oppose after his demolition of the 2000 Guineas field at Newmarket and despite the presence of strong opposition in the form of the French runner Make Believe and the unbeaten Consort, Aidan O’Brien’s charge should see them off.

Wednesday 17th Prince Of Wales Stakes

Free Eagle stands out in a big International field. The 3/1 about Dermot Weld’s charge looks generous after running away with a Group 3 race at Leopardstown last September and then finishing a good 3rd in the Group 1 Champion Stakes. Despite not having a run this season his trainer is sure to have him spot on for this assignment and his evident potential could see come out on top.

An each way saver on the 8/1 Grey Gatsby is also worth considering. He won the Dante at York and overcame Australia in the Irish Champion Stakes; most recently finishing runner up to Solow in the Dubai Duty Free.

Win Free Eagle Each Way Grey Gatsby

Thursday 18th

Gold Cup

The Gold Cup has been won by Irish yards in 7 of the last 9 years and Dermot Weld’s Forgotten Times holds strong claims being unbeaten in 3 outings last term, one of them a Group 2.

He extended his unbeaten run by winning the Group 3 Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan last month and open to further improvement is a worthy favourite at a general 5/2.

However there are others with progressive profiles who could offer better value , most notably Mizzou at a general 6/1, who has the pedigree to stay the 2m4f distance.

Mizzou won the the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes over 2m at Ascot in April, form that has been franked by the runner up Vent De Force who won the Group 3 Henry II Stakes at Sandown in May.

The best way to approach the race may be to back Forgotten Times to win with Mizzou backed each way.

Royal Ascot 2014

The Royal Ascot meeting runs from Tuesday 17th June until Saturday 21 st June and I shall be analyzing a few of the most high profile races with the help of Nick Hardiman of Betting School.

If you are planning on attending then you will need to check out the latest Fashion Trends and Beauty Tips that everyone is using at the Ascot Festival.

Royal Ascot Fashion at Ladies Day

Royal Ascot Queen Anne Stakes (Gr 1 1m)

Trends:

3 favourites have won in last 17 renewals

7 2nd favourites have won in last 17 renewals

13 4yo's have won since 1997

14 of the last 17 winners had run within 4 months

Only 1 filly has won since 1997 (Goldikova)

Recent trainers to have won the race include Aidan O'Brien (3 wins), Richard Hannon (2 wins)

Toronado is the current favourite but has not run for 10 months

Sky Lantern is a filly

Magician is out of form having been beaten by Noble Mission in the Tattersall's Gold Cup

Verrazano was well beaten by Olympic Glory in the Lockinge although the latter's poor run in the Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp can be excused as he failed to get the trip.

Aidan O'Brien's Verrazano has strong claims on the trends as 2nd favourite.

King's Stand Stakes (Gr 1 5f)

Royal Ascot Trends:

6 of the last 8 renewals have been won by overseas runners - Australia, New Zealand, France

Favourites and joint favourites have won just 2 races since 1997

Only 3 winners since 1997 have been returned at 6/1 or less

3yo sprinters have a poor record with just 3 winners from 67 entries

8 of the last 10 winners were aged between 5yo - 7yo

8 of the last 17 winners won this on their seasonal debut

A lot will depend on the going and if "soft" is in the going then Hot Streak will be hard to beat after his eye catching win in the Temple Stakes.

Shea Shea is the only runner from overseas and is a worthy 2nd favourite but it is worth noting he has yet to win in this country after 3 attempts.

If the going firms up to good, good to firm, last year's winner Sole Power could reprise his winning performance.

Maarek and Pearl Secret also merit respect if there is cut in the ground while Ahtoug could gain a place at a decent price.

Prince Of Wales Stakes (Gr 1 1m 2f) Wed 18th

Royal Ascot Trends:

15 of the last 17 winners came from the top 3 in the betting

16 of the last 17 winners were 4yo or 5yo

12 of the last 17 winners won last time out

8 of the last 17 winners had not won at the distance but are more likely to be stepping down rather than up in distance

French trainers have won 3 of the last 7 renewals and Aidan O'Brien 2

French raider Treve is the ante-post favourite while Aidan O'Brien runs Magician.

Ascot Gold Cup (Gr 1 2m4f) Thur 19th

Royal Ascot Trends:

No National Hunt trainer has won in the last 17 years

Aidan O'Brien has won 5 of the last 8 renewals (Yeats won 4 times)

13 of the last 17 winners came from the top 4 in the betting

15 of the last 17 winners were aged between 4yo and 6yo

14 of the last 17 winners had a run between 16 - 60 days prior to the race and most achieved a LTO top 3 finish

12 of the last 17 winners had winning form over at least 2m

On these trends Leading Light and Brown Panther make most appeal while the consistent Royal Diamond could make the frame at a big price.

Diamond Jubilee Stakes (renamed Platinum Jubilee Stakes in 2022) (Gr 1 6f) Sat 21st

Trends:

5 winners have come from overseas since 2002

3yo's have a poor record with just 2 wins from 54 runners

Only 2 winners from the last 17 have defied an absence of more than 60 days

Only 3 favourites have won from the last 18

Only 4 winners from last 17 have been returned at 6/1 or less

All of the last 8 winners were rated higher than 110

Until the final declarations it is hard to be too specific about the runners however if they turn up Slade Power and Gordon Lord Byron have solid claims especially of the rain arrives.

One stand out entry is Kevin Ryan's Astaire who is only entered for this race. Although a 3yo he is rated 114 and beat Hot Streak in the Middle Park Stakes and ran 2nd to Maarek in the Duke Of York Stakes.

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