Royal Ascot preview: five more big priced tips for the first two days
Flat season 2022: bets 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16
If you are not excited about the next five days at Royal Ascot, then you are not interested in the so-called “Sport of Kings”. For lovers of Flat racing, this week is to die for.
Three pieces of general advice for the week, none of them blindingly original. Even with watering, the ground is likely to ride really fast all week. Soft ground specialists either won’t run or will be highly unlikely to show their best form. So stick to backing horses with form on quick ground.
For the big handicaps of up to 30 runners, hunt around for bookmakers paying the maximum number of places, often Sky Bet. When backing horses at decent odds, the extra places could well make the difference between a winning or losing week in your battle with the bookies.
Trainer-wise, the big yards such as Godolphin and the Gosdens will almost certainly scoop a few of the top prizes. But I am more interested in runners from in-form stables such as Clive Cox, Ralph Beckett, Andrew Balding, Alan King and Hughie Morrison. All of them target this meeting with their best horses. Some of the smaller Irish yards are also worth a second look, with their handful of runners.
Day 1
Day 1 is my favourite day of the week, but the Coventry Stakes (2.35pm) is not my cup of tea and I have nothing to put up against the short-priced favourites of Baaeed in the Queen Anne Stakes (2.30pm) or Coroebus in the St James’s Palace Stakes (4.20pm)
I have already covered the King’s Stand Stakes (3.40pm) in my newsletter from last week. I would like to see Cadillac win the Wolferton Stakes (5.35pm) for Jessica Harrington’s yard but he has now been backed into favouritism so he is not a bet for me in another open race.
I am much more interested in the two long-distance handicaps – the Ascot Stakes (5pm) and Copper Horse Stakes (6.10pm).
If the ground had been soft or heavy, I would have been all over two horses: Ian Williams’ Reshoun, who won this race last year and is back down to the same mark, and Hughie Morrison’s Surrey Gold. The latter, in particular, looks nailed on to win a big staying handicap off his current mark. But he loves cut in the ground and so I will overlook him this time.
Both horses could win even on fast ground. But with the prevailing conditions I am going to go instead for Ralph Beckett’s ROCK EAGLE, even though he has to carry a hefty 9 stones 11 lbs for more than two and a half miles.
He ran a cracking race in the 2020 Cesarewitch at Newmarket when fifth to Great White Shark, despite being ill-suited to the soft ground. I have had him in my horse tracker ever since. Take the 20-1 each way with Sky Bet, paying seven places.
I have two concerns about the horse, however. He has no previous Ascot form and he has clearly had some injury issues over the past couple of seasons, being lightly raced. But there was plenty to like about his seasonal debut at Haydock last month and this horse will be staying on when others have cried enough.
I am going to go in double handed in the Copper Horse Stakes. If RAYMOND TUSK runs likes he did at Newmarket last time – last of five runners beaten 25 lengths – he might as well stay at Alan King’s Wiltshire yard.
But if he runs like he did at this meeting last year, he has every chance of being involved in the finish. This horse seems to go on any ground so take the 33-1 each way with bet365, Paddy Power of Betfair, all paying five places.
The other one I have backed is GET SHIRTY, who has two wins and a second to his name this season and has raced at up to two miles. This trip of 1m 6 furlongs looks ideal, he is well handicapped and he appears to go on all ground conditions. Back David O’Meara’s six-year-old gelding each way at 14-1 with bet365, paying five places.
Day 2
Some horses, for no obvious reason, always seem to race at bigger odds than they should be. Step forward SYMBOLIZE, who has top course form over Ascot’s straight track from last season when he was twice second in big handicaps at tasty prices.
He would probably prefer some cut in the ground but he seems to go on all terrains. So I make him an outstanding each way bet in the Royal Hunt Cup (5pm), especially as the season’s star apprentice, Harry Davies, claims 5 lbs. Back him each way at 18-1 with Sky Bet paying eight places.
I would have put him up weeks ago for this race when he was still 25-1 but he had a choice of engagements later in the week, and I didn’t want to risk advising a non runner, ante post. I think his high draw of 29 will be an advantage but, at Ascot, the draw is always a bit of a mystery. I make Symbolize my best bet of the week.
I have also already put up Aratus for this race at 40-1 and he also has an encouraging high draw in stall 24.
I am not going to offer up bets in the non handicaps. My only other tip for day 2 is more of a hunch than a bet based on rock solid racecourse form.
ROSEMARY AND THYME has only one win from 16 runs to date but she ran well on her only visit to Ascot last year. Hughie Morrison looks to have targeted her at this race from some time ago and he has booked Tom Marquand for the ride.
Back this four-year-old filly each way at 40-1 in the Kensington Palace Stakes (6.10pm) with one of several bookies offering five places.
Good luck one and all. And as ever, please forward this email to other racing fans. Once you’ve got your own bets on, that is.
One for the horse tracker
Eagle Day ran very green in his racecourse debut at York on Saturday. He ducked right coming out of the stalls but made good late headway before finding trouble in running over the last two furlongs of this six furlong contest. Kevin Ryan’s two-year-old colt, who is well bred, can step up on this run next time out. The son of Kodiac cost 160,000 guineas and, if he fills into his ample frame, he could be interesting for this season and next. His North Yorkshire handler will certainly maximise the horse’s talents.
Bets record for the 2022 Flat season
Pending:
1 point each Moneista at 16-1 in the King’s Stand Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Rock Eagle at 20-1 in the Ascot Stakes, 1/5 odds, 7 places.
1 point each way Raymond Tusk at 33-1 in the Copper Horse Stakes, 1/5 odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Get Shirty at 14-1 in the Copper Horse Stakes, 1/5 odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Aratus at 40-1 in the Royal Hunt Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Symbolize at 18-1 in the Royal Hunt Cup, 1/5 odds, 8 places.
1 point each way Rosemary and Thyme at 40-1 in the Kensington Palace Stakes, 1/5 odds, 5 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.
2022 Flat season running total – 4 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).