Royal Ascot Day 3 Tips and Preview by Dave Stevos

I rolled the dice on rain arriving at Ascot and it backfired spectacularly. The weather forecast was wrong, no rain arrived and most of my selections finished out with the washing. Addeybb was the only one to run with credit, though he was no match for the winner on quick ground. I won’t even bother describing how the other horses ran and instead will move forward in the hope of better things happening today. Check out Dave Stevos’ Royal Ascot Day 3 preview and free tips below…

Royal Ascot Preview: 1.15pm – Golden Gates Handicap (Class 2)

The opening race on Day 3 at Royal Ascot is a 10f handicap and 16 go to post. There is still uncertainty about the ground but they had rain after racing on Wednesday and more was forecast on Thursday afternoon. Currently it is good to soft but that could change during the afternoon. If it doesn’t turn too soft before the start of racing then Bronze River could run a big race. This son of Archipenko has yet to finish out of the first three in four career starts. He sneaks in here off a mark of 82 and Hayley Turner takes the ride.

The form of this fella’s last run at Newmarket (10f gd) received a big boost on Wednesday. He finished 3rd, 3L behind Arthurian Fable who ran a cracker off 82 in the King George V Stakes. That is the same mark that Bronze River races off here and if he can step up on his seasonal return he should be capable of hitting the frame. Andrew Balding has his string in great shape and with his stable jockey David Probert unable to do the weight, Hayley Turner gets a chance on him. It could be a nice spare ride for her and at 20/1 Bronze River is the e/w pick.

Royal Ascot Day 3 Tips: Bronze River e/w @ 20/1 (5 places)

Ascot Preview 3: 1.50pm – Wolferton Stakes (Listed)

Sir Dragonet is the favourite for the Wolferton Stakes and he is the class horse in the race. We were on him at Chester the day he won and boy did he do it easily. He was a very close 5th in the Derby subsequently and then disappointed on his final three starts of the season. The son of Camelot enjoys an ease so any rain would be welcomed by his connections. It will be interesting to see how he fares on his comeback but at his current odds I won’t be backing him.

Fox Tal is next best in the betting and he is rated just 1lb inferior to Sir Dragonet. He has some strong form in the book too but it is mostly on decent ground. He did run well behind Magical at Ascot on soft but he seems to be best on good or better. One that has the potential to go well at a bigger price is Mountain Angel for James Doyle and Roger Varian.

This son of Dark Angel ran a blinder in this last season when not much went right for him. He is extremely versatile regarding ground and he won’t mind once it isn’t bottomless. Another cause for optimism is his record fresh. His form figures after breaks of 100 days or more read 211 and he is likely to be ready for this. Some of his French form is top notch too. At odds of 12/1 Mountain Angel is the each way selection.

Royal Ascot Day 3 Tips: Mountain Angel e/w @ 12/1 NAP

Ascot Preview: 2.25pm – Jersey Stakes (Group 3)

I think anyone who follows my fancies regularly will know who I am going to tip here. This is a horse that the bookies consistently dismiss and we had a couple of nice e/w touches with him last season. Ropey Guest is amazingly still a maiden after 10 runs but he has run some huge races in defeat. You could say his 0.5L defeat to Kenzai Warrior last season took a knock yesterday, but the ground was against him. This horse has run three times at Ascot, including when beat just 2.5L by Arizona in the G2 Coventry.

He ran a good race over 7f in a Listed race afterwards (gd/sft) when his jockey had a shocker. You can forgive his poor Novice effort on account of the way the race was run and the rattling quick ground. Ropey Guest is at his best in truly run races and he should get that here. He won’t mind rain (also handles good) and his trainer reports him to be in great nick. He will be hopefully doing his best work at the finish and at odds of 33/1 he is the e/w pick.

Royal Ascot Day 3 Tips: Ropey Guest e/w @ 33/1 (5 places)

Royal Ascot Day 3: 3.00pm – Chesham Stakes (Listed)

An unusually small field of just 8 line up for this year’s 7f Chesham Stakes. Battleground is edging favouritism in this Listed contest for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore. He only finished 5th on debut over 6f at Naas. The impeccably son of War Front shaped like 7f would suit and stayed on in eye-catching fashion. However, rain would be a worry given his pedigree. War Front’s offspring usually prefer very quick conditions.

Given the lack of form in this race the market is more than likely going to be worth following. Modern News won first time up and he too shaped like 7f would be a good move. The 5th home was runner up in a maiden next time so it could turn out to be decent form. To be honest, this race makes no appeal whatsoever as a betting heat so I will be sitting it out. No bet.  

Royal Ascot Day 3 Tips: No Bet

Royal Ascot Preview: 3.35pm – Gold Cup (Group 1)

Stradivarius is back to defend his crown and with a run under his belt he will be hard to stop. The 6yo loves his racing and he hasn’t been out of the first three since November 2016. He won a handicap off 78 on his seasonal comeback (at 9/4!!) at Beverley and since then his progress has been relentless. He won 10 in a row between 2018/19, his winning run ended in agonising fashion by Kew Gardens here last season (15.5f gd/sft).

John Gosden’s charge is odds on here and bids to win the race for the third year running. This son of Sea The Stars only ever does enough and it would be great if he could regain the winning thread. If you are looking for one at a price, Mekong looks tailor made for this type of test. A son of Frankel, he has plenty of form at between 14f and 16f and he has shaped as though further would suit more than once.

This horse has 5L to find with Stradivarius on their meeting here in the Champions Long Distance Cup. However, over this longer trip there is every chance he could get closer. Rain won’t hinder Mekong’s chances and his trainer seems confident of a big run. At odds of 33/1 he is the each way pick.

Royal Ascot Day 3 Tips: Mekong e/w @ 33/1

Royal Ascot Day 3: 4.10pm – Britannia Stakes Handicap (Class 2)

The penultimate race on Day 3 at Royal Ascot is the 8f Britannia Stakes handicap. The draw bias has been remarkable the first two days and the threat of rain has hindered the course in correcting it via watering. There has been a 5 to 6 length advantage for those drawn high so those are the ones to focus on. The one I like at a nice price here from a good draw in stall 24 is Grove Ferry. Another from the in form Andrew Balding yard, this son of Excelebration shaped very nicely on his return to action at Lingfield (7f).

He finished off his race really strongly after getting slightly outpaced and a mile should suit. Most of his relations stayed 8f or further and one of them even won over jumps. He has won on good to firm and soft so rain won’t be a worry and he is capable of reversing that Lingfield form with Ziggle Pops and Kondratiev Wave over this distance. At odds of 20/1 Grove Ferry is worth backing each way.

Royal Ascot Day 3 Tips: Grove Ferry e/w @ 20/1 nb (5 Places)

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

The fillies take centre stage in the last race of the day in this 8f handicap for 3yos only. I fancied Onassis to run well at the weekend when she was pulled on account of the good ground. Her trainer has opted to come here instead and off 81 she could be dangerous off a feather weight. However, it is impossible to be too confident given her draw in stall 1. If the low drawn horses run well in the earlier races on the straight course she is worth backing but if not, she has no chance.

It looks like most of the pace horses are drawn high too and that could play into the hands of Al Rasmah. This daughter of Iffraaj likes to be played late and starts from stall 17. Andrea Atzeni gets the leg up and his record for this owner is 8 wins and 10 top 4s from just 29 rides. Al Rasmah shaped like further would definitely suit last time at Haydock (gd/sft) and this step up should be right up her street. At odds of 18/1 Al Rasmah is worth chancing each way.

Royal Ascot Day 3: Al Rasmah e/w @ 18/1 (5 places)