2022 Royal Ascot Saturday Preview and Tips – DS

by Dave Stevos | Jun 17, 2022

2022 Royal Ascot Saturday Tips

Just the one place so far on Day 4 at the time of writing. Miramar ran a cracker in 5th in the Commonwealth and even better, drifted to 125s. Believing was withdrawn, Gis A Sub did too much too early and Invigilate ran a stinker. Check out Dave Stevos’ 2022 Royal Ascot Saturday Tips below.

2.30 – Chesham Stakes (Listed)

This Listed 7f heat is restricted to horses whose sire or dam won over 10f or further. Aidan O’Brien has the market leader in Alfred Munnings. By Dubawi and out of a Galileo mare, this horse hosed up on debut at Leopardstown. A half brother to Snowfall, he will surely get further than this in time but this trip looks grand for now. O’Brien’s horses are running well and he is sure to be popular with fav backers.

However, the one I am going to back at a bigger price is One World. He too is once raced, a soft ground 7f win at Haydock. On that occasion Rab Havlin waited with him near the rear until making his move on the outside 3f out. He travelled into it smoothly and a furlong out it looked like he’d win handy enough. However, he didn’t quite pick up on the easy ground and he was headed at one stage. He responded to Havlin’s urgings to get back up on the line to score by a nose.

By Sea The Stars, fast ground should suit this horse. His half brother Time Lock is a good to firm winner and his dam won on that ground too. She is a full sister to top class fast ground performer Time Test and a half to Tempus, who was 3rd in the Royal Hunt Cup earlier this week. Hopefully Colin Keane can make amends for Zechariah, at odds of 20/1 One World is the e/w pick.

2022 Royal Ascot Saturday Tips: One World e/w @ 20/1

3.05 – Jersey Stakes (Group 3)

There are only 15 runners in this year’s Jersey Stakes but it looks a very tricky puzzle. To be honest, it is hard to get away from the horses at the head of the market. Noble Truth is the 4/1 fav after his 7f Listed romp at Newmarket last time. His fast ground form is rock solid and a repeat of that effort will see him go close. Star Girls Aalmal came out of the 1000 Guineas at the Curragh with huge credit. Yes, she was no match for Homeless Songs but she met interference and she should have finished closer.

Monaadah is yet to taste defeat after three outings. By Giant’s Causeway, his first win came on good at Meydan (7f). He then followed up with Novice wins at Newcastle and Kempton and it would be no surprise if he went close. Alflaila represents the same owners and Owen Burrows’ charge hacked up off 102 in a C&D handicap last time. It was a career best by some distance and a repeat of that would give him a huge chance.

Sambury is another unbeaten colt but his form isn’t as strong as Alflaila’s. He landed a York handicap off 88 last time but he’ll need the cheekpieces to elicit another chunk of improvement to trouble these on all known form. Nothing jumps out at a big price here. I think Alflaila is the most overpriced of those at shorter odds so I’ll recommend a small e/w bet on him at 9/1.

2022 Royal Ascot Saturday Tips: Alflaila e/w @ 9/1 (4 places)

3.40 – Hardwicke Stakes Handicap (Group 2)

At odds of 20/1, Lafayette could go well here for Meade and Keane. By French Navy, this gelding has blossomed into a top class horse. He has won all three of his starts this season, stepping up in Grade each time. A 10f Listed win at Navan was followed by a G3 win at the Curragh and then a G2 win, also at the Curragh and both over 10f.

His last two wins have given the impression that he could be even better now over further. He is already a good ground Listed winner over this distance and it was heavy when he could only finish 3rd on his last try at today’s trip at Naas last October.

Lafayette also has course form on good to firm in the book. At last season’s Royal Meeting he ran a cracker over an inadequate 8f trip to finish 7th of 30 off 96 in the Royal Hunt Cup. Today’s distance will suit him a lot better and Colin Keane comes in for the ride. A mark of 109 does leave him with a bit to find but there could yet be more improvement to come at this distance and at 20/1, Lafayette is worth chancing e/w.

2022 Royal Ascot Saturday Tips: Lafayette e/w @ 20/1

4.20 – Platinum Jubilee Stakes (Group 1)

Double Or Bubble landed a nice gamble on her return at Newmarket last time and from stall 8, I can see her outrunning her odds of 66/1 here. A previous course winner over 7f, fast ground is vital for this daughter of Exceed and Excel. Last season she was campaigned mostly at 7f and she had solid G3 form at that distance. However, she is arguably better over today’s trip of 6f and her three starts at the distance have returned form figures of 211.

Yes, she was admittedly hanging on at Newmarket last time but it was her first run back and you’d expect her to improve plenty for that. She had Run To Freedom 3L back in 4th and he won a listed race at Windsor next time out (and he re-opposes here).

Double Or Bubble has met Highfield Princess a few times and she beat her by 2L in the Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster last season. There was a neck between them at Chelmsford earlier in the campaign so I am not sure why Highfield Princess is 14s here and Double Or Bubble is 66s. At those odds, she is surely worth chancing e/w.

2022 Royal Ascot Saturday Tips: Double Or Bubble e/w @ 66/1 (6 Places B365)

5.00 – Wokingham Stakes Handicap (Class 2)

At odds of 33/1, Urban Beat looks a massive price here for Murtagh and Frankie. By Red Jazz, this fella hasn’t had fast ground since he won the Rockingham Handicap at the Curragh back in June last year. That win came off 102 and he has his first run back in handicap company since off just 4lbs higher. Since then he has run some blinders in defeat in stakes company, including a close 3rd behind Winter Power (rated 116) at York.

This season he has had just one start, on good to yielding in a Curragh G2. Sent off at 50/1, the usual prominent racer was dropped out in rear by Ben Coen and it had all the hallmarks of a prep run for a bigger race. Lower numbers have done well in the sprints so far this week so stall 1 shouldn’t be too much of a hindrance. If he can repeat the level of form he showed when winning at the Curragh or when 3rd at York, Urban Beat can hit the frame at odds of 33/1.

2022 Royal Ascot Saturday Tips: Urban Beat e/w @ 33/1 (7 places B365) NB

5.35 – Golden Gates Stakes (Class 2)

The last handicap of the week and 16 go to post. At odds of 20/1, maybe Blue Trail can find a bit more improvement now upped in distance. He was due to run over 10f last time but he was withdrawn just before the off. The son of Teofilo has only raced at a mile so far and he has only finished out of the first three once (two wins). His first four starts came on artificial surfaces but he proved he could handle grass when a solid 3rd on his first turf run at Sandown (8f gd). He was 2L behind the winner Wanees (racing off 84) and he ran a massive race off 91 in the Britannia.

On that occasion he raced more prominently than usual and I am hoping quieter tactics are employed today. His best form came when held up at Kempton on his third start where he stayed on late to beat the 103 rated Harrow by a nose. His pedigree suggests that this new trip will suit. Teofilo has produced plenty of top class middle distance horses and his dam is a full sister to 12f Royal Ascot winner Monterosso. Quick ground should suit and James Doyle is 1/1 on him. At odds of 20/1, Blue Trail is the e/w selection.