A poor day yesterday but we’re back into action today with a half-point each-way double on Campanologist (11/4) and Sacred Kingdom (3/1).
The former (3.05) needed his seasonal debut at Sandown and can follow up his victory at the meeting last year - he looks to only have the dangerous Doctor Fremantle to beat.
Sacred Kingdom (3.45) is a fabulous Hong Kong sprinter and can see off his Golden Jubilee rivals in style - although we do have a liking for Kings Apostle also.
Our ‘fun’ picks in the other races are as follows:
2.30 Shakespearean looks best of Mark Johnston’s raiders and can go very well.
4.25 Mega-competitive Wokingham as always and we’ll go with Sohraab (e/w) to beat Genki while Joseph Henry is also very interesting at huge odds.
5.00 Old stager Young Mick can have one more day in the limelight by taking this, while Camps Bay holds some each-way appeal under Kirsty Milczarek.
5.30 Michael Jarvis’ team are not in top form but Amerigo has the class to land the finale.
It’s time to ‘bet like men’ now as finally we have some solid investments for Royal Ascot.
Number one on our list is Elusive Wave in the Coronation Stakes at 3.45.
How is this superb filly 3/1 with Paddy Power? Hit the banner on the right side of the page, get a free bet and stick the equivalent of two points on the nose (four points is our max).
She has the best form in the race, a marvellous in-form trainer in Jean-Claude Rouget and a top jock in Christophe Lemaire.
Second, in the 4.20 Wolferton Stakes, our best handicap bet of the week is Indian Days.
Unfortunately there only three places in the race following a non-runner but James Given’s inmate will relish the drop in class and fast pace here.
We’ll have a 0.5 point each-way bet at 20/1 with Ladbrokes.
Lastly, Native Ruler is another cracking each-way proposition in the 12-furlong King Edward VII Stakes (3.05).
Henry Cecil is a master at this meeting and can saddle this progressive colt to gain a seventh win in this race - go one point each way at 7/1 with Sporting Bet (or a bit bigger win only at Betfair).
Elsewhere our sporting picks (non-account) would be Lillie Langtry (2.30), Stately Home (4.55) and Dhaular Dhar e/w (5.30).
The ‘no account bets’ sign remains up for day three of Royal Ascot but our top fancies of the week are due to run on Friday and Saturday so imminent action is likely.
Our ‘fun’ bets haven’t been setting the world alight so we offer up the following without massive confidence - albeit Twice Over looked the likeliest winner of the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes for a very long way.
2.30 Not an imaginative selection, Monsieur Chevalier looks rock-solid for the opener.
3.05 Fascinating renewal of the Ribblesdale with any number of potential winners and therefore a small each-way on Flame Of Gibraltar could provide a return at 14/1.
3.45 Yeats is the ‘daddy’ here and we fully expect him to take a fourth Gold Cup. Veracity has an each-way shout.
4.20 Desert Creek merits real respect in a typically open Britannia, as do Hyades, Invisible Man and Roman Republic.
4.55 Freemantle is a short-priced favourite but is no certainty - perhaps Monitor Closely could go close at bigger odds for the Peter Chapple-Hyam yard.
5.30 Zarinski and Highland Glen are very interesting contenders and should go well. Topolski is our sporting choice to give Mark Johnston a big priced winner though.
Keep stakes sensible if you back any of these as our real Ascot bets haven’t even begun.
We’re not unloading our betting ammo at Royal Ascot just yet - it’s a long week - although we know you like some fun tips for the best racing of the year, so here goes.
2.30 Loch Linnhe has only won a maiden but looks mighty talented and could go close.
3.05 We just can’t split Lush Lashes and Heaven Sent - pro punters might want to back both as it looks between them.
3.45 Compelling running of the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes - if there had been rain at Ascot, we might have had an account bet on Twice Over.
At 10/1, he could still be worth an each-way saver.
4.20 Incredibly difficult heat to solve - Dunn’o, under Philip Robinson, looks an interesting contender at 18/1.
4.55 Capercaille appeals most in a race with a number of strong challengers.
5.30 Godolphin have let us down lately but Moonlife has a real squeak at odds of 10/1 after a very good run last time.
Royal Ascot starts with a bang with a host of Group races but, while it’s tempting to get involved with account bets, we’re going to keep our powder dry until later in the week when better opportunities appear.
The nearest we came to investing today was a potential each-way bet on Evasive.
At 5/1 and a quarter the odds the first three, Sir Michael Stoute’s inmate could be a bet to nothing, as he should be placed along with Delegator and Mastercraftsman.
He was bang alongside the latter at Newmarket in the 2000 Guineas after an interrupted preparation yet that rival is now odds-on following a hugely impressive last run.
The value is with Evasive and we would put no-one off backing him but our one doubt is whether he’ll stay a very fast-run mile in this St James’s Palace Stakes (3.45).
Elsewhere on the card, we’ll obviously not be having any account bets but pop forward a few sporting suggestions for you to consider on day one:
2.30 Gladiatorus looks a cut above these and should take the opener.
3.05 Amour Propre just gets our vote here ahead of Fleeting Spirit.
4.20 Air Chief Marshal is a big price at 9/1 for the all-conquering Ballydoyle team, who love this race, so we’ll select him while respecting No Hubris and Canford Cliffs.
4.55 Not a race to savour for us but we’ll pick Kayf Aramis if forced.
5.30 Star Rover should run his race and looks a fair each-way proposition in the finale.
We’ll probably combine a few of these in a multiple to get the juices flowing on day one - no serious bets yet though!
Be lucky.
We’re still wiping our mouths after taking a whacking at Epsom - the theory about following Goldolphin proved way off the mark, epitomised by Kite Wood’s mediocre Derby effort - and Midday’s narrow defeat still hurts!
However, if Cheltenham is our favourite jumps meeting of the year then our top Flat meeting is only a week away in the shape of the fabulous Royal Ascot.
Let’s hope we replicate our punting success at the Festival and we’re very hopeful as we’ve got a mix of strong form fancies and interesting inside info to think about already.
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Midday hit the cross bar for us in the Oaks, being agonisingly touched off by Sariska, so let’s hope for a better result in today’s highly intriguing running of the Derby.
Goldolphin’s two runners at Epsom yesterday were most disappointing and that definitely affects our confidence in Kite Wood - let’s just hope Dettori keeps him close to the pace and gives him a chance to win.
We’d be against the horses that ran in the Guineas - Sea The Stars, Gan Amrhas and Rip Van Winkle - as there’s certain to be a fast pace with the likes of Golden Sword in the race.
Black Bear Island and Fame And Glory are two that should definitely stay and make most appeal of the Ballydoyle legions - we wouldn’t put you off backing both but will settle for just one account bet on the former.
Ryan Moore is aboard, he won the key trial in the Dante and the general 8/1 (Paddy Power, Bet365 etc) is worth a half point account bet - win only for us, but save for a place if it suits you, as he should be in the frame.
Ok, we’ve got the value at 11/2 on Midday (she’s now 7/2) and we haven’t changed our view that she’s an each-way steal but we’re also ready for more action.
We’ve already told you that we think Goldolphin are being ridiculously written off this season - it always pays to go against the crowd and we’re keeping a close eye on the ‘boys in blue’ as they’re still major players.
Kite Wood let us down in the Dante but our best Newmarket mole tells us that he really needed that run and the camp are much happier with him now. We’ll go into the Derby in more detail tomorrow but we’re putting Kite Wood up at 25/1 for a half-point each-way account bet with Paddy Power.
Either that or consider punting him at around 32/1 on Betfair - we’ll be truly amazed if you can’t lay back at a smaller price on the day - he’s ridden by Frankie Dettori after all!!
Goldophin have runners at Epsom on Friday also and two of them look betting propositions - Eastern Anthem and Hatta Fort. We’ll recommend a 0.25 point each-way double on the pair BUT ONLY IF there are eight runners in both of their races, as any non-runners would spoil the place part. Leave your bets until near the first race.
However 0.25 points win account bets are put up for both, again with Paddy Power. Hatta Fort (1.40) was finishing fast over two furlongs shorter at York and 7/1 is a fair price.
Eastern Anthem beat Youmzain off level weights in Dubai yet is four times the price of that rival for the Coronation Cup - we’re not obsessed with Godolphin (honestly) but, as soon as they’re fashionable again, this won’t happen for long.
Get 10/1 with Power - and go each-way if we’ve not got a live place double via Hatta Fort.