Royal Ascot Day 1 Tips and Preview by Dave Stevos

Hopefully you all managed to nick a few quid for your betting banks over the weekend. We had a pretty good run and Lyzbeth made sure we didn’t go without a winner on Sunday. She won well enough, advised at 10s and retuned at just 4/1. My three handicap selections from Leopardstown shortened in the betting but all ran like they needed the outing. Encore D’Or looked flat too, while Hillwalker drifted like a barge and ran accordingly. The fanless Royal Ascot meeting starts this Tuesday and it promises to be a storming week of racing. Check out Dave Stevos’ Royal Ascot Day 1 free tips below…

Royal Ascot Preview: 1.15pm – Buckingham Palace Handicap (Class 2)

This race is one of six new handicaps that will be run at Royal Ascot this year. 24 will go to post for this 7f heat and as you would expect, it’s a minefield. Daarik is the current favourite for Frankie and John Gosden. I am not one for backing horses at single figure odds in races like this. With extra places available, Ebury is the each way selection. Martyn Meade did us a favour on Sunday with Lyzbeth and this horse has had the benefit of a run.

By Iffraaj, he won 2 races last season and was 2nd twice from just 5 starts. His turf win came here over a mile on good to firm and this will be his first try at 7f. He was slowly away and keen at Newmarket on his return and he should come on heaps for that outing. A furiously run 7f on good ground could be perfect for this strong traveller. He also has the assistance of the brilliant Andrea Atzeni in the saddle. His draw in stall 3 should be alright as there is plenty of early pace around him. At odds of 22/1 with 6 places available, Ebury is the each way pick.

Royal Ascot Day 1 Tips: Ebury e/w @ 22/1 (6 places)

Royal Ascot Day 1: 1.50pm – Queen Anne Stakes (group 1)

The Queen Anne is usually the first race of Royal Ascot but this year things are different. A field of 16 talented performers go to post and you could make a case for almost all of them. Accidental Agent is an old favourite of mine as I put him up for this race when he won two years ago. He hasn’t won since and he blotted his copybook last year by refusing to race. However, his trainer is likely to have targeted this race again for him and he is now a gelding. At odds of 50/1 he could surprise a few with a bold showing. 

Circus Maximus is the market leader and as we saw at the weekend, Aidan O’Brien’s horses are in good shape. However, the one I like in this is Mohaather for Marcus Tregoning and Jim Crowley. This lightly raced son of Showcasing won three in a row after his debut defeat. His best run was a length defeat of Great Scot at Newbury (7f gd/sft) in a Group 3, his second win at that level. He tried a mile on his last start of the season here but heavy ground did for him. Back on better ground he should have no issues getting the trip. His full brother won 3 races at a mile (Prize Exhibit) and at odds of 14/1 hopefully Mohaather can follow in his hoofsteps.

Royal Ascot Day 1 Tips: Mohaather e/w @ 14/1 (4 places)

Ascot Preview: 2.25pm – Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2)

This race is normally run at York but this year it is at Royal Ascot. A 12f contest for 3yo fillies this is another open looking race. The bookies make Franky Darling the favourite for Dettori and Gosden at around 6/4. She looked a good filly when opening her account at Newcastle 2 weeks ago over 10f and this step up to 12f could eke out further improvement. Miss Yoda is the highest rated in the race with a mark of 102 and she is the mount of Rob Havlin (again for Gosden). She has achieved more than her stablemate and odds of 5/1 look pretty generous  in comparison given her profile.

So I Told You was 3.5L behind Miss Yoda last time out at Lingfield and it looked like she would come on for the run hugely. She was keen, lost her position turning in but she did keep on pretty well in the closing stages. This filly is nicely bred, by Gleneagles and out of a Rock Of Gibraltar mare that is related to a couple of German 12f G1 winners. Good ground should suit her better than good to firm and she is in excellent hands. At odds of 33/1 with 4 places on offer, So I Told You is worth backing each way.

Royal Ascot Day 1 Tips: So I Told You e/w @ 33/1 (4 places)

Royal Ascot Day 1: 3.00pm – King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2)

Next up at Royal Ascot on Day 1 is the 12f Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes. This is a race for 3yo colts and geldings only and just 6 go to post. It looks like Ballydoyle hold the aces here with Mogul and Arthur’s Kingdom. Ryan Moore has chosen the former and he is odds on to land the prize. His form behind Kameko at Newcastle last season looks strong now and the return to good ground will suit this son of Galileo. Arthur’s Kingdom only win from 4 starts came on heavy and he needs to prove his effectiveness on a sounder surface.

The one that looks overpriced here is Pyledriver. William Muir has his string in super form and this horse is very talented, when in the mood. He won a Novice race and a Listed race last season but he disappointed on his final run. His trainer reported that the horse had grown and lost some of his strength, but he looked back to his best in a G3 at Kempton last time. Sent off at 40/1, Pyledriver belied those odds with a super run in 2nd, staying on well. The extra 2f here should suit, he handles any ground and at odds of 20/1 he could sneak into the money.

Royal Ascot Day 1 Tips: Pyledriver e/w @ 20/1

Royal Ascot Preview: 3.35pm – King’s Stand Stakes (Group 1)

The big race of the day at Ascot is the King’s Stand Stakes over the flying 5f. Last year’s runner up Battaash is the hot favourite and plenty see him as one of the bankers of the week. However, he has never won at Ascot and while the lack of fans should help him, I wouldn’t be steaming into a horse like him at very short odds. The one I like here is Liberty Beach and at 12/1 I think she is one of the best each way bets of the week.

This filly is hugely talented and she carries just 8st 9lbs. John Quinn is firing in winners left, right and centre and this filly won over 6f on her return at Haydock. She ran a huge race when an unlucky 4th behind Raffle Prize in the Queen Mary so she handles the track. She followed that up with a very taking win in the Listed Dragon Stakes at Haydock (5f gd/fm) and a Group 3 win at Goodwood. Okay, she was beat into 2nd on her final start of the year at York in a Group 2 but that was over 6f.

She was just holding on over 6f on her seasonal comeback so the drop back to 5f looks a good move. She is rated 21lb inferior to Battaash so on the figures, even with her allowances, she shouldn’t get anywhere near to the fav. However, I believe this filly is at least a 115 horse and if I am right then there won’t be much between those two at the finish. At odds of 12/1 Liberty Beach is the each way NAP of the day.

Royal Ascot Day 1 Tips: Liberty Beach e/w @ 12/1 NAP

Royal Ascot Day 1: 4.10pm – Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2)

This Group 2 is for 4yo fillies and mares only and 11 of them will line up in the stalls. Nazeef won well at Kempton in the Listed Snowdrop Stakes 2 weeks ago and she heads the market at 3/1. The likes of Jubiloso, Miss O’Connor and Lavender’s Blue all look like interesting prospects too, but the one I am going to chance was 7th in the Snowdrop behind today’s favourite.

Agincourt is a 5yo daughter of Declaration of War who progressed very well last season. She scored in a Listed heat at Newmarket on her final start (8f gd) and the fact that connections kept her in training suggests they believe there could be more to come. She actually did very well to finish within 4L of Nazeef at Kempton given the trip she had. Agincourt was drawn 14 of 14 and was posted 6 horses wide throughout the entire race.

She travelled strongly but when Tudhope went for her she unsurprisingly didn’t find much. That can be put down to her wide passage and the fact she was sent off at 40/1 indicates that the run may have been badly needed. Good ground suits this filly well and a mile is her optimum trip. If they go fast early she should be able to travel well off the pace and hopefully deliver a late challenge. Odds of 40/1 look too big and she is the each way selection. Take advantage of any extra place offers if available.

Royal Ascot Day 1 Tips: Agincourt e/w @ 40/1

Royal Ascot Preview: 4.40pm – Ascot Stakes Handicap (Class 2)

The closer on Day 1 at Ascot is a race usually dominated by Irish jumps trainers (5 of last 6 winners). A 20f handicap, there are no Irish challengers this year because of the Coronavirus. Plenty of British jumps yards are represented but the one I like hails from the David Simcock yard. Teofilo is a sire I love and his 5yo son Smart Champion could run a big race here for Callum Shepherd. This race is all about staying power and this horse possesses plenty of that.

His last win at Newcastle came over 16.5f and he has placed form over 18f at Newmarket on good ground. The handicapper handed him a 3lb hike for his Newcastle win which looks more than fair and there could easily be more to come. Once there is no rain this fella should be capable of hitting the frame at odds of 14/1.  

Royal Ascot Day 1 Smart Champion e/w @ 14/1 NB (6 places)