2021 Royal Ascot Tuesday Tips by Dave Stevos
2021 Royal Ascot Tuesday Tips and Preview
And so it begins. Five days of top class horse racing action at Royal Ascot. Thankfully the weather has played ball this year and we should have safe, quick ground for the first couple of days at least. On Day 1 we have a trio of Group 1s, a Group 2, a Listed heat and two class 2 handicaps. Hopefully, we got all of the losers out of the way last weekend at Sandown and York. Check out Dave Stevos 2021 Royal Ascot Tuesday tips and preview below.
2.30 – Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1)
In a slightly smaller field than usual, favourite backers will be looking to Palace Pier to get the week off to a perfect start. This winning machine is well clear on official ratings and it is hard to pick holes in his form. We took him on last time with Lady Bowthorpe at a big price and while she didn’t beat the son of Kingman, she gave him an almighty fright. Frankie Dettori’s mount did beat her convincingly in the end though and he is back on board again today.
Order Of Australia returns to action and Ryan Moore has picked him over Lope Y Fernandez. He won over 8f at the Breeders’ Cup last season on firm ground at huge odds. He had been running over longer trips but the drop to a mile clearly suited him. Lope Y Fernandez was a length behind in 3rd that day but he flopped behind Palace Pier last time. Maybe the ground was a bit too easy for him though and I would expect a better showing back on a sounder surface.
No Accident If Agent Runs Well
I tipped up Accidental Agent when he won this race as a 4yo. I also tipped him the following year when he refused to race and last year, I looked elsewhere. However, he defied his huge odds to run a blinder behind Circus Maximus and this course and distance on fast ground brings out the very best in him. He comes into the race rated 106,which leaves him with a bit to find. However, his comeback run at Newbury was a fine effort (off 107) on ground plenty soft for him. That will have given him plenty of confidence after his wind surgery.
If this horse is on a going day, I still believe he is capable of running to around 115. That wouldn’t be enough to beat Palace Pier but I think it would be good enough for him to sneak into the first four. Two of those rated higher than him are making their seasonal comebacks and I think this 7yo son of Delegator is worth a small investment each way at odds of 80/1.
2021 Royal Ascot Tuesday Tips: Accidental Agent e/w @ 80/1
3.05 – Coventry Stakes (Group 2)
The hype horse in this year’s Coventry Stakes is American raider Kaufymaker. John Velazquez rides for Wesley Ward and this daughter of Jimmy Creed showed a lot of speed when hacking up on debut at Keeneland (4.5f st). How strong is that form? It is tough to know but Ward has a good record at this meeting with his sprinters. In receipt of weight from the boys, it would be no surprise if this filly went and hacked up.
However, the one I like at a bigger price is Berkshire Shadow for Balding and Murphy. This son of Dark Angel did a lot wrong on his sole start yet he still managed to win at Newbury (5f gd). He was very slowly away but he knuckled down well and he showed a nice turn of foot late on to get up and score by a half-length. Admittedly, that form hasn’t exactly worked out so far. But, Andrew Balding’s 2yo usually come on leaps and bounds for their first run so he must have plenty of raw ability.
Hopefully, Berkshire Shadow is better from the stalls today. It will be far tougher to overcome a tardy start than it was at Newbury. His pedigree suggests that stepping up to 6f is going to suit. The way he finished off his race the last day also suggested that this distance will be right up his street. Once he doesn’t blow the start, Berkshire Shadow could go very close at odds of 20/1.
2021 Royal Ascot Tuesday Tips: Berkshire Shadow e/w @ 20/1 (4 Places)
3.40 – King’s Stand Stakes (Group 1)
Blink and you’ll miss it! 5f awaits the field of 16 in the King’s Stand and all eyes will be on superstar sprinter, Battaash. Now a 7yo, this gelded son of Dark Angel had the season of his life in 2020. Three starts resulted in three wins, including a victory in this race. Last year he was odds on but this year he is as big as 9/4 with some firms.
The emergence of Winter Power is the reason for his price. This daughter of Bungle Inthejungle gets weight allowances for her age and sex and she was mightily impressive last time at York. She did throw in a couple of stinkers as a 2yo but she has now won her last three starts. Also, the form of her last win was boosted by the runner up over the weekend. Tim Easterby’s charge should not be underestimated.
Don’t Stop Believing
One horse that has been completely overlooked in the market is Ubettabelieveit. This 3yo son of Kodiac flopped in France on his return but the ground was against him. Last season he ran a massive race at the Breeders’ Cup (5.5f gd) when beat just under 2L into 3rd by Golden Pal. He had previously beaten subsequent Nell Gwyn winner Sacred in a G2 at Doncaster (conceding 4lbs) and Nigel Tinkler’s charge also won a Listed heat at Sandown.
The key to this horse is a sound surface. His form figures on good or better over 5f read 111 so he will be getting his optimum conditions at Ascot. Rowan Scott is not a household name but he knows this horse inside out and Tinkler has kept the faith in him. A strongly run race should suit and he’ll hopefully be finishing stronger than most. At odds of 25/1, Ubettabelieveit is the each-way pick.
2021 Royal Ascot Tuesday Tips: Ubettabelieveit e/w @ 25/1 (4 places Coral)
4.20 – St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1)
What a race this is. Stacked with the best 3yo milers around, this year’s St James’s Palace Stakes is going to take some winning. Newmarket 2000 Guineas winner and Irish 2000 Guineas runner up Poetic Flare heads the market. Jim Bolger’s son of Dawn Approach will love the ground at Ascot and this hardy horse will not go down without a fight. He deserves to be fav and he is the one to beat.
Mostahdaf, unraced as a 2yo, is next best in the betting. He is 3/3 so far, including a Listed heat on soft last time. The son of Frankel is unraced on quick ground though and this represents a massive step up in class. Battleground spearheads the three-pronged Aidan O’Brien challenge. Moore rides, the tongue tie is applied and they must be expecting a better run than he produced at Newmarket. Wembley (Seamie Heffernan) and Ontario (Wayne Lordan) look to be up against it on recent form and the new equipment (tongue tie/blinkers) will need to work miracles.
Lucky Looks Overpriced
Highland Avenue chased home Mostahdaf in that Listed race at Sandown but his odds are too short in a field of this quality. If anything, Bullace would be the one to back at the current prices if you thought that form was strong enough. However, the one that looks most overpriced to me is Lucky Vega. We were on this fella in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and he ran a huge race to finish a close 3rd behind Poetic Flare (0.5L). That run dispelled any stamina doubts and the son of Lope De Vega backed up that effort with a solid performance in the Irish 2000 Guineas on ground that was way too soft for him.
The ground at Ascot will be absolutely perfect for Jessica Harrington’s inmate. I can’t understand how he is a bigger price than Mostahdaf and Battleground and the same price as Highland Avenue. He has very little to find with Poetic Flare on their Newmarket meeting and if Shane Foley can get him into a good position, he has the turn of foot to go very close here. 15/2 looks very generous about Lucky Vega and he is the e/w NAP of the day.
2021 Royal Ascot Tuesday Tips: Lucky Vega e/w 15/2 NAP (4 Places)
5.00 – Ascot Stakes (Class 2)
The first handicap of the week at Royal Ascot is this 20f marathon. A maximum field of 20 are due to go to post and unsurprisingly, Willie Mullins trains the favourite. The Irish handler has won this race four times since 2012 and he has enlisted the services of Ryan Moore to ride M C Muldoon. However, this horse is totally unproven on ground as quick as this and he makes absolutely zero appeal at odds of around 4/1.
One horse at double figure odds who is guaranteed to go on the ground and get the trip is Just Hubert. Trained by Muir and Grassick, this son of Dunaden won over 20.5f (gd) at Goodwood off 88 last season. He again ran well there over 16f two starts later when beat just 2L off 92. He couldn’t land a blow in the Cesarewitch on his final run of 2020 but he shaped with real promise on his comeback at Haydock last month (16f hvy).
Considering the state of the ground, he did exceptionally well to nick 3rd, beat just over 4L for the win (Postileo behind in 4tf). He finished off his race powerfully and stepping back up to 20f on better ground looks ideal. Danny Tudhope keeps the ride and he is 2/3 with a 2nd when riding for these owners. This has more than likely been the plan for this stout stayer and at odds of 14/1, he looks a solid each-way bet.
2021 Royal Ascot Tuesday Tips: Just Hubert e/w @ 14/1 (5 places)
5.35 – Wolferton Stakes (Listed)
13 horses will line up in the stalls for this 10f Listed heat. Euchen Glen is the top rated at 115 after his 10f G3 win at Sandown but he would probably prefer softer ground. Patrick Sarsfield (113) is the favourite for Joseph O’Brien and Tom Marquand. He is ground versatile and a repeat of his 1.5L defeat to Barney Roy in a German G1 last season would probably suffice here.
The one that could go well at big odds here is Palavecino. This 5yo has won 5 of his 14 starts and with a rating of 109, he hasn’t got a huge amount to find to be competitive. His best form so far has come on the all-weather but he is 2/6 on turf and his sole try on good ground resulted in an impressive handicap victory at Chester last August off 93.
In April he was only a neck behind Bangkok at Lingfield and he had Forest Of Dean (5/1 today) 1.5L back in 3rd. We backed this horse last time out at Chester and he was far from disgraced in that Group 2. The return to slightly quicker ground should suit and if Martin Dwyer can nick an early,easy lead he could well be hard to peg back. With 4 places on offer from multiple firms, Palavecino is the each-way selection.
2021 Royal Ascot Tuesday Tips: Palavecino e/w @ 25/1 (4 Places)
6.10 – Copper Horse Handicap (Class 2)
The show closes on Day 1 at Royal Ascot with a 14f, 16 runner handicap and we have another Willie Mullins favourite. Saldier is the market leader at around 5/2 and unlike M C Muldoon, he has plenty of form on decent ground in the book. He dotted up at Listowel last time (13f gd) and with Ryan Moore in the plate, he will have lots of supporters.
However, at odds of around 25/1 Hyanna could sneak into the money. Trained by Eve Johnson-Houghton, this daughter of Champs Elysees has a couple of pieces of Ascot form that make her of interest from an each-way perspective. The 6yo hasn’t won since scoring at Windsor on her seasonal return in 2020 off 94. She ran poorly next time in a Listed heat but she bounced back with a massive run at this track (12f gd/fm) when beat a head by Look Closely off 97.
Hyanna was then placed off 99 at Sandown (10f gd) and over 14f at Yarmouth off the same mark. She has run well on all three previous visits to Ascot and she should be spot on fitness wise with two runs under her belt. She is in off 96 today, 1lb lower than when beat a head here last summer and at odds of 25/1, this mare is capable of surprising with a big run.
