Royal Ascot Day 5 Tips and Preview by Dave Stevos

We started the day on a high on Friday then things went downhill rapidly. Hopefully we get back on track with our Royal Ascot Day 5 selections. Illusionist proved his run here last year was no fluke in the opener. He just failed for 5th on the nod but we were on e/w for 6 places and we got paid out at a starting price of 150/1!

The rest of my selections didn’t fare so well. Mariance wasn’t good enough, while Nelson Gay ran no sort of race either. He must not like any type of ground… Eagles By Day ran better than his finishing position suggests. There is a big one in him on better ground. Royal Lytham tried to make all on the wrong side and though he showed speed, he looks a tricky customer.

Old Guard lost his race in the preliminaries. He behaved like an absolute nutter and was too keen from the get-go in the race. Johnny Drama ran no sort of race either, posted wide throughout and fading badly late on. Let’s hope for a change in fortune on Saturday. Check out Dave Stevos’ Royal Ascot Day 5 free tips below…

Royal Ascot Preview: 12.40pm – Silver Wokingham Handicap (Class 2)

22 horses will go to post for this consolation race. The Wokingham will be run later on and this is the race for the horses that didn’t get in. It is still a valuable pot, though some in this field will have bigger prizes in mind later on this season. The bias towards high numbers was still apparent on Friday and it is impossible to ignore, especially in big fields.

The one I like here at a big price from a decent draw in stall 10 is Cosmic Law. This son of No Nay Never will need to tack across to the near side and once he breaks well it is achievable. Slowly away on his comeback, he is better judged on fine handicap efforts at Chester, Newcastle and especially York last season. A slight ease in the ground should be perfect for Cosmic Law and he is the e/w pick at 40/1.

Royal Ascot Day 5 Tips: Cosmic Law e/w @ 40/1 (6 places)

Royal Ascot Preview: 1.15pm – Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2)

A 5f Group 2 for 2yo fillies with 19 runners, a high draw will probably be important again. The one I will be taking a chance on here at monster odds is Caroline Dale for David Loughnane and David Egan. This daughter of Lethal Force ran a very pleasing race on debut at Lingfield. She was 20/1 but she belied those odds and finished 2nd to Undertake and that horse boosted the form here yesterday.

Undertake finished a gallant 4th in the G3 Albany here, losing 2 places in the closing stages. She did show up very well for a long way though and that bodes well for Caroline Dale ‘s chances in this. David Loughnane thinks a lot of this filly and is adamant that she isn’t going there to simply make up the numbers. There are plenty of 2yo winners in her pedigree, including her dam who was rated 92. With very little form to go on, Caroline Dale is a speculative e/w pick at odds of 80/1.

Royal Ascot Day 5 Tips: Caroline Dale e/w @ 80/1 (4 places)

Royal Ascot Day 5: 1.50pm – Coventry Stakes (Group 2)

Only 15 go to post for this year’s Group 2 Coventry Stakes. For 2yos only, this 6f contest is all about speed and some of these showed plenty of that first time up. The one I like here is the Haydock winner Lauded for Tom Dascombe and Richard Kingscote. This colt looked very professional and he seemed to relish the good to soft ground. He led, travelled strongly until the 2 pole and then when Kingscote gave him one smack he quickened smartly at the 1 pole and put the race to bed.

A son of top sire Acclamation, Al Shaqab purchased him after his taking debut win. His dam was a Listed placed 2yo winner at 6f so he is certainly bred to be a fast 2yo. The ground is probably going to be very similar at Ascot, if not a bit better than at Haydock, and that should suit this fella very well. He has an excellent draw in stall 16, Tom Dascombe is in good form too and at odds of 10/1 Lauded is the each way selection.

Royal Ascot Day 5 Tips: Lauded e/w @ 10/1 nb (4 places)

Ascot Preview: 2.25pm – Coronation Stakes (Group 1)

Disappointingly, only seven go to post for this year’s Coronation Stakes. French raiders have a fine record in this contest, winning 3 of the last 4 renewals. They have no representative in the race today but there is some international interest with Sharing representing Graham Motion and the USA. He is worried about easy ground for his colt, Sharing, so the more it dries out the better it should suit the son of Speightstown. Last year’s Breeders Cup hero’s form is on firm and good ground so his connections will hope the sun is shining today.  

Connections of Alpine Star will be hoping for some compensation after Albigna flopped in the 1000 Guineas. This daughter of Sea The Moon is proven on easy ground and was 2/3 over 7f last season. Her G2 win on her final start at the Curragh gave the impression 8f would really suit. Frankie is booked for the ride and will fancy his chances of a big run on this filly. So Wonderful has the best form of the O’Brien pairing and is the pick of Ryan Moore. She ran well in the Irish 1000 Guineas last week and if she improves on that she could sneak into the money. However, I don’t have a very strong opinion on this race and with just 2 places available each way, I’ll be sitting it out. No bet.

Royal Ascot Day 5 Tips: No Bet

Ascot Preview: 3.00pm – St James’ Palace Stakes (Group 1)

Again, it is a disappointing turnout for e/w thieves in this Group 1 with just 7 going to post. Pinatubo looked a machine last season when winning all 6 starts. However, his bubble burst in the 2000 Guineas when sent off an odds on shot. He ran respectably in 3rd but it was an anti-climax after all the hype. Wichita was just ahead of Pinatubo and this race will show us how good Kameko’s winning run actually was.

If you are looking for one that could go well at a price, Threat has claims at 12/1. His form behind Golden Horde was boosted here yesterday and this horse won a pair of Group 2s subsequently. His only blip came when 5th behind Earthlight in the Middle Park but that was over 6f and he stayed on very well in the closing stages. The step up to a miles should suit this lad and few jockeys are riding better than Oisin Murphy. Threat comes here a fresh horse and if Murphy can get him to settle he is capable of producing a big run at odds of 12/1.

Royal Ascot Day 5 Tips: Threat e/w @ 12/1

Royal Ascot Preview: 3.35pm – Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Group 1)

The 6f Diamond Jubilee Stakes has the potential to produce the fairy tale result of the week. Sceptical, bought for buttons by his Irish connections, heads the market for Denis Hogan and Frankie is in the saddle. This 4yo colt has only improved since finishing 3rd on debut and his last performance suggested he is a sprinter to be reckoned with. The way he quickened at Naas was visually very impressive and he left some very solid sprinters trailing in his wake. However, he is unraced on easy ground and that has to be a slight worry if conditions deteriorate. Good should be fine though and I am looking forward to seeing how he gets on.

The one I am going to take a chance on here is a horse that loves this course and distance. The Tin Man ran a cracker here last season when denied a clear run behind Blue Point. His three subsequent runs were not as good, but this track seems to bring out the best in him when the ground is good or better. The 8yo won this race 3 years ago and was beat just over 1L in 4th in 2018. Even a repeat of his run in this last season could be enough to nick a place what looks a weaker looking renewal. At odds of 12/1 with 4 places on offer, The Tin Man is the e/w pick.

Royal Ascot Day 5 Tips: The Tin Man e/w @ 12/1 (4 Places)

Royal Ascot Day 5: 4.10pm – Wokingham Stakes Handicap (Class 2)

A field of 22 will line up in the stalls for this 6f handicap. A middle to high draw will probably be required and from stall 9 I think Dazzling Dan has the form in the book to be competitive off a mark of 101. This son of Dandy Man is trained by Pam Sly, a handler I have a lot of respect for. He had a cracking 3yo season, running big in a number of top handicaps and beating Oxted off 99 in a good race at Newmarket (6f gd).

Dazzling Dan has course form in the book too. He was only 3L behind Tinto off 104 here back in October (6f sft) and while that horse is 9lb higher here, Dazzling Dan is 3lb lower. He was behind that rival again on his seasonal return but that was likely a pipe opener. This horse is at his best in big fields and his prominent racing style usually helps him to avoid trouble in running. He is only 2lb above his last winning mark and at odds of 25/1 with 6 places available, Dazzling Dan is the e/w NAP of the day.

Royal Ascot Day 5 Tips: Dazzling Dan e/w @ 25/1 NAP (6 Places)

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

The finale of what has been a class week of racing is the 21f Alexandra Stakes. This marathon conditions contest has attracted a field of just 10 this season. Alan King and Holly Doyle teamed up for a big win yesterday and Who Dares Wins is a short price to give them more success here. A winner of the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle (16.5f st), this horse was a good 3rd here in the Ascot Stakes handicap back in 2017 (20f gd/fm). Good to soft ground is fine, he stays the trip and he is the one they have to beat.  

Last year’s Ascot Stakes winner The Grand Visir looks the biggest threat. He got the trip very well that day and the ground was very similar to what he’ll encounter here. However, given that there is a little bit of cut in the ground, Fun Mac could be worth chancing each way. On ratings he has it all to do but he has run well in this race previously. It was good to firm when he finished 8th (2018) and 5th (2017), but today’s conditions should suit much better. Jim Crowley knows the horse well and is riding with supreme confidence. At odds of 12/1, Fun Mac is the each way pick.

Royal Ascot Day 5: Fun Mac e/w @ 12/1