Royal Ascot preview: after our 14-1 winner yesterday, three more tips for day 3
Flat season 2022: bets 17, 18 & 19
It is always good to kick off the first day of a big meeting with a winner at a double figure price, and Get Shirty duly delivered in the Copper Horse Stakes yesterday. I was there, but left to beat the traffic just before the race. More fool me.
Hopefully, it is just the start of a profitable week as there are still plenty more betting opportunities to come at Royal Ascot.
The big race tomorrow, indeed for the whole week, is the Ascot Gold Cup (4.20pm). Several of those entered would prefer softer ground. One of them is the Irish-trained PRINCESS ZOE, but Tony Mullins’ grey mare has at least proved she can handle good to firm ground.
She ran well last time out on that going, winning at Ascot over two miles, and performed even better when second to Subjectivist in the Ascot Gold Cup last season. Given the quality of her form, she seems overpriced. Take the 13/2 with Sky Bet each way, paying a very generous four places.
The Buckingham Palace Stakes, with no fewer than 29 runners and over seven furlongs, is just the sort of challenge I like on the straight course. It will not surprise regular readers to know that I am going to put up a couple of horses with rock solid course and distance form at this specialist track.
The first is STAR OF ORION, who ran a cracker here last July when a close second to Danyah in the Moet & Chandon International Stakes. He has been a bit disappointing since but as a result is back down to a lovely mark of 98. Back Ralph Beckett’s four-year-old gelding each way at 20-1, seven places, with bet365.
For my second selection, I was torn between Dance Fever and Ouzo, both of whom also have excellent Ascot form.
Ouzo is 4 lbs “well in” with the handicapper after his second at Sandown in late May and the trainer/jockey team of Jamie Osborne and his daughter Saffie are more than capable of landing a Royal Ascot winner.
However, I marginally prefer Clive Cox’s DANCE FEVER, who was only a neck behind Star of Orion in that Moet & Chandon International Stakes 11 months ago.
His draw in stall 31 could prove to be a big advantage too so back him each way at 20-1, also with bet365 paying seven places. As with Star of Orion, Dance Fever needs to step up on some of his recent runs but he will love the ground riding like a road.
I intend to put out one more Royal Ascot newsletter, probably tomorrow, covering the final two days. Good luck and happy punting.
Finally, a favour: if you’re enjoying this letter, and even making a slight profit, please could you recommend it to a friend?
One for the horse tracker
Reshoun put up a decent effort yesterday in trying to win the Ascot Stakes for the second successive year, but he was always likely to find the ground too fast – last year’s victory came on “soft”. Held up by in-form jockey Richard Kingscote, Ian Williams’ eight-year-old gelding eventually finished 5th, beaten just three and a half lengths. When back on soft ground over a marathon trip later in the season, Reshoun can regain the winning thread as he is likely to stay on the same rating of 97 after this run.
Bets record for the 2022 Flat season
Pending:
1 point each way Princess Zoe at 13/2 for the Ascot Gold Cup, 1/5 odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Star of Orion at 20-1 in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, 1/5 odds, 7 places.
1 point each way Dance Fever at 20-1 in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, 1/5 odds, 7 places
1 point each way Minzaal at 14-1 in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Gulliver at 33-1 in the Wokingham Handicap, ¼ odds, 4 places.
Settled:
1 point each way Arcadian Sunrise Cup at 16-1 in the Chester Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. 4th. + 3 points.
1 point each way Morph Speed at 25-1 in the Chester Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Auditor at 16-1 in the TRU7 Handicap, 1/4 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Moss Gill at 12-1 in the Temple Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Caradoc at 11-1 the Cazoo Handicap, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Westover at 20-1 in the Cazoo Derby,, 1/5 odds, 3 places. 3rd. + 3 points.
1 point each way Changingoftheguard at 9-1 in the Cazoo Derby, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each Moneista at 16-1 in the King’s Stand Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Rock Eagle at 20-1 in the Ascot Stakes, 1/5 odds, 7 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Raymond Tusk at 33-1 in the Copper Horse Stakes, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Get Shirty at 14-1 in the Copper Horse Stakes, 1/5 odds, 5 places. 1st. + 16.8 points.
1 point each way Aratus at 40-1 in the Royal Hunt Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Symbolize at 18-1 in the Royal Hunt Cup, 1/5 odds, 8 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Rosemary and Thyme at 40-1 in the Kensington Palace Stakes, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2022 Flat season running total: + 0.8 points.
2021-2 jumps season + 77.95 points.
My gambling record for the seven years: I have made a profit in 12 of the past 13 seasons. To a 1 point level stake over this period, I have made a profit of 460 points. All bets are either 1 point each way or 2 points win (a "point" is your chosen regular stake).