How to watch Royal Ascot this week
As everyone gets tophatted and tailed to watch the best week’s flat racing of the year, we bring you previews for all the major races over the five days.
Royal Ascot
When: Tuesday June 18th to Saturday June 22nd – 14:30 to 18:30
Where: Ascot, Berkshire
How:
UK – ITV 1/ITV 4
UK – Sky Sports Racing
Ireland – Virgin Media 1
Australia – Sky Racing/Sky Thoroughbred Racing
DAY FIVE – SATURDAY JUNE 22nd
The final day of Royal Ascot will probably continue Aidan O’Brien’s dominance with five victories already. He has the favourite Bedtime Story in the Chesham, the first race at 14:30, Continuous in the Hardwicke at 15:05, River Tiber in the Jersey Stakes at 16:25 and Queenstown in the last the Queen Alexandra over 2 miles 5 furlongs at 18:15. A four timer is a distinct possibility as Coolmore go on their relentless way and Old Faithful in the Golden Gates Stakes at 17:40 is not without a chance.
The other new powerhouse on the block is Wathnam racing who seem to have been buying every available horse to run at Ascot. They have Shartash in the Group 1 Jubilee Stakes at 15:45, Haatem in the Jersey Stakes who finished third in English 2000 Guineas and second in the Irish equivalent. Dropped back to 7 furlongs, he is probably their best chance of the day. They also have the favourite Dark Trooper in the Wokingham at 17:05, but try Ryan Moore on a non-Ballydoyle horse Harry Three for trainer Clive Cox.
DAY FOUR – FRIDAY JUNE 21st
Two Group 1s today starting with the Commonwealth Cup over 6 furlongs at 15:05, Favourite is Inisherin, sixth in the 2000 Guineas, but successful when dropped back to sprinting. His owner Sheikh Obaid Al Maktoum also the second favourite Elite Status, trained by Karl Burke who has already won the top two-year-old races this week. He is our selection.
This is followed by the Coronation Stakes at 15:45 over 1 mile for 3-year-old fillies. Opera Singer, who won the top 2-year-old race the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day, could only finish third in the Irish 1000 Guineas, but is favourite.. Aidan O’Brien’s horses are in fine form at Ascot and his other horse Content will make sure this is a tactical race. However the winners of both the English and French 1000 Guineas are both in the field, Emalka and Rouhiya, making this a very strong renewal. Rouhiya is owned by the Aga Khan, who also won the English Oaks with Ezeliya and he still manages to produce homebred Classic winners. French horses haven’t performed well at Ascot this week, but I take Rouhiya to reverse the trend.
In the King Edward VII Stakes at 17:40, known as the Ascot Derby, Aidan O’Brien has four runners, of which Ryan Moore has chosen Diego Velazquez, unplaced in two French Classics. I’ll go with one of O’Brien’s other runners, Chief Little Rock.
The first race of the day at 14:30 is the Albany Stakes for 2-year-old-fillies.O’Brien again has the favourite, Fairy Godmother, but Karl Burke is having a wonderful meeting, especially with his two-year-olds, so I’m going with Liberalised.
DAY THREE – THURSDAY JUNE 20th
The big race of the day is the Gold Cup at 16:25 and it is very hard to oppose the 2022 winner Kyprios, trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore. If Vauban wins he will be first horse to win a Triumph Hurdle and run in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and then win the Ascot Gold Cup. It must be fun to own a dual purpose horse and he will be the best since Le Paillon in 1947, who finished second in the Champion Hurdle and then went onto win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. So Vauban the sentimental choice, but the favourite to win.
The first race on Day Three is the Norfolk Stakes at 14:30 for 2-year-olds over 5 furlongs, Wathnan Racing have become a power in the land and have the second and third favourites in Shareholder and Aesterius. Retained jockey James Doyle has chosen the former trained by Karl Burke, the same combination that won on the Tuesday for Wathnan with Leovanni in the Queen Mary. So the race is probably between James Doyle and Ryan Moore on Ballydoyle’s Whistlejacket. A second win for Wathnan on the cards.
Ryan Moore is on another favourite Chantilly in the King George V Stakes at 15:05, but go for the King’s horse Gilded Water who won his last race at Chepstow very easily.
At 15:45 there is the Ribblesdale Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over a mile and a half. Favourite is Charlie Appleby’s Diamond Rain, but I like the look of Forest Fury who finished seventh in The Oaks after winning Chester Oaks.
Other selections are First Look in the Hampton Court (17:40) second last time out in the French Derby and King’s Time in the Buckingham Palace Stakes (18:15)
DAY TWO – WEDNESDAY JUNE 19th
Only one Group 1 race today, The Prince of Wales’s Stakes for 4-year-olds+ at 16:25, has last year’s Derby winner Auguste Rodin as favourite. But which Auguste Rodin will turn up, the Derbys winner (English and Irish) or the Guineas and King George flop? Difficult to know. Second favourite Inspiral, running this race over 1 mile 2 furlongs rather than the mile of the Queen Anne, has obviously convinced the Gosdens that she stay the extra two furlongs. I’m not sure. The French filly Blue Rose Cen won the French 1000 Guineas and Oaks last year, flopped in the Nassau at Goodwood, but came back to win the Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp on Arc day. She has since changed trainer, but on her day she has the class to win and this is her best distance. Another French winner.
Day Two starts at 14:30 with the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes for two-year-old fillies. Try American filly Ultima Grace trained by Wesley Ward who is always competitive in these Ascot sprints.
The Queen’s Vase at 15:05 is often a pointer to St Leger. Irish horses dominate with the race probably between two of Aidan O’Brien’s three entries, Illinois and Highbury. Illinois finished second in the Lingfield Derby Trial to Ambiente Friendly, who then finished a close second in The Derby, and is expected to go one better here.
There are 30 runners lined up for the charge down the straight mile. More commonly known as the Royal Hunt Cup at 17:05. This is always an extremely competitive handicap where outsiders dominate. Can Sonny Liston emulate Jimi Hendrix, who won last year at 22/1? I like the look of Aerion Power, who finished fourth in this race last year and this year is ridden by Ryan Moore.
DAY ONE – TUESDAY JUNE 18th
Day One of Royal Ascot in many ways is the best day of Royal Ascot with three Group 1 races, The Queen Anne, The King Charles III (formerly the King’s Stand Stakes) and the St James’s Palace.
The first, The Queen Anne Stakes at 14:30, is for 4-year-old+ milers and has been won in the past by Frankel and Baaeed. The Gosden’s Inspiral was favourite until rerouted to the Prince Of Wales’s on Wednesday. Stablemate Audience beat the mare in the Lockinge, another Group 1 at Newbury, last month. Charyn and Witch Hunter, who finished second and third are also in the race. I think that the French will have a good Royal Ascot and their horses are often underrated compared to the locals. Big Rock won the Queen Elisabeth II over this course and distance on Champions Day last October beating compatriot Facteur Cheval and is fancied to repeat the feat.
The second, The King Charles III Stakes at 15:45, is a five furlong sprint. Big Evs had a stellar 2-year-old career culminating in a win at the Breeders’ Cup and is rightly favourite. I will oppose him with Kerdos, trained by sprint specialist Clive Cox.
The third, The St James’s Palace Stakes at 16:25, is for 3-year-old milers and is often a rerun of the 2000 Guineas as it is this year. Notable Speech, trained by Charlie Appleby, won well against a fast finishing Rosalion, trained by Richard Hannon. Rosalion went to Ireland to win the Irish 2000 Guineas by a head from stablemate Haatem. Again I think that the French horse Darlinghurst has been overlooked and at currently 16/1 is good value. I’m sure he won’t start at such long odds.
The other main races are The Coventry Stakes for 2-year-olds at 15:05 over six furlongs which should go to the Irish, either father Aidan O’Brien’s Camille Pissarro his son Joseph’s Cowardofthecounty and The Ascot Stakes at 17:05 over 2m miles and 3 furlongs which should also go to the Irish with Ryan Moore teaming up with Willie Mullins’s My Lyka.
