Royal Ascot 2023 - Day 1

One of my favourite weeks of the year has arrived with Royal Ascot offering up an excellent week of top class flat racing, 35 races in total across the next 5 days so there is plenty to get stuck into. It'll be a struggle to cover all of those on this blog but I'll aim to cover most of the group one contests and any bets I'll be having in the handicaps etc. I'm also going to make the most of the Tote this week, all races are World Pool which often results in some nice overpays so I'll give some angles on that too.

Day 1 is packed full of top class races where I'll likely be playing smaller stakes, waiting for some of the handicaps later in the week.

14:30 - Queene Anne Stakes 1m (Group 1) (4yo+)

This race largely revolves around the top 2 in the market Inspiral and the globetrotter Modern Games. The latter has won group 1 contests in the US, Canada, France, and most recently the UK when landing the Lockinge at Newbury. He will, however, have to concede weight to Inspiral and although she comes here off the back of an absence, a look at her record indicates that's probably more of a positive than a negative.

The Gosden's filly defied a similar absence when routing her opposition in the Coronation Stakes at last year's royal meeting. I think she could take the beating from a win perspective but not sure she offers a huger amount of value at around 7/4 at the time of writing. I'll probably use this as an opportunity to play some exotics on the tote with the hope of finding some bigger prices to fill the places.

One which stands out at around 25/1 is BERKSHIRE SHADOW. Course form counts for a lot at this meeting and this lad won the Coventry back in 2021 and ran well in defeat in the St James's Palace Stakes last year when beaten just under 2 lengths. That race was dominated by prominent racers so that effort is worth upgrading given he was last turning for home, returning to the straight course here should aid his cause. He was behind Modern Games in the Lockinge and if the market principals run to form, then it's hard to see him winning, but he's probably a decent one to chuck in your exotic bets and I'll play him to small stakes each-way.

BERKSHIRE SHADOW 25/1 - 0.5 Points Each-Way (use firms paying 4 places)

15:05 - Coventry Stakes 6f (Group 2) (2yo)

This race has been the centre of some entertaining exchanges on racing twitter in the last week regarding time analysis vs 'using your eyes'. Asadna was visually very impressive when bolting up at Ripon and the clock watchers have since suggested the performance was as good as it looked. River Tiber won by 10 lengths himself on debut and although he was less emphatic in terms of the distance he won by at Naas last time out, he did it in nice style and the form of the race looks strong. With so much chat in recent days focusing in on those two, it's easy to forget how open this race usually is, the last three winners were priced 8/1, 11/1 and 150/1.

I'm going to take a chance on one at a big price who could run into a place with many bookies offering extended each-way terms, with that horse being HAATEM. Annoyingly the price is collapsing as I type this, I've already missed the 40/1 but I'm still happy to take the 33/1 currently available with 5 places. Richard Hannon's charge did remarkably well to finish 3rd at Epsom when beaten favourite behind Bobsleigh after completely blowing the start. I think he can turn the tables with that rival and with the extra places on offer I'll have a small bet on him each-way.

HAATEM 33/1 - 0.5 Points Each-Way

15:40 King's Stand Stakes 5f (Group 1) (3yo+)

HIGHFIELD PRINCESS sits at the top of the market for this group 1 and her rise through the ranks from 57 rated handicapper to three time Group 1 winner has been astonishing and I really hope we see the fairytale continue here. I've been guilty of underestimating her multiple times throughout her career and I'm keen not to make the same mistake again. Instinctively you'd say her running style isn't exactly perfect for Ascot but she's proven that theory wrong when winning the Buckingham Palace Stakes a couple of years ago.

I won't even pretend to have a grasp on Australian form, so I'll pass over Coolangatta and Cannonball - but it does appear the vibes are they are not the same calibre of horse as Nature Strip who won this for the Aussies last year.  Mitbaahy and Manaccan were I liked earlier in the week, but their prices have collapsed so this will be a rare bet on a favourite for me here

HIGHFIELD PRINCESS 5/2 - 1.5 Points Win

16:20  - St James's Palace Stakes 1m (Group 1)

This looks like a decent match up between the British and Guineas winners in the shape of Chaldean and Paddington respectively, they dominate the front of the market but I'm not sure the track will suit the former as well as Newmarket did. Paddington would be my pick of those two if it was a straight choice between the two, but it's not so I'll look for a bigger price each-way again today.

GALERON ran in both guineas finishing 4th in the British version and 5th over at the Curragh last time out, but he ran much better than the placing suggests on both occasions. He outran his 150/1 odds when 5th at Newmarket depsite missing the kick and meeting trouble in-running, then was caught too far back last time out in Ireland faring by far the best of those held up. Royal Scotsman is another who was inconvenienced by how that race panned out, but he is 12/1 and the selection is 40/1, so I'll go for Charles Hills' runner.

GALERON 40/1 - 0.5 Points Each-Way 

 

17:00 Ascot - Ascot Stakes Handicap

The first handicap of the meeting comes over 2m4f and it's a race usually dominated by jumps trainers and the market is currently headed by Bring On The Night for Willie Mullins and Ryan Moore. Not seen since 2nd in this race last year to Coltrane, who is current favourite for the Gold Cup on thursday and rated 19lb higher, so Willie Mullins' charge must have a huge shout off just 4lb higher today. I'll make sure I have him onside in some way, but I'll also have a bit on CALLING THE WIND each-way.

Ascot form figures of 12323 don't need elaborating on hugely to explain why he looks a solid each-way proposition here. The booking of top apprentice Billy Loughnane is another positive and after an eye-catching run in what looked a decent renewal of the Chester Cup, I'll take him with six places widely available.

CALLING THE WIND 12/1 - 1 Point Each-Way (firms paying 6 places)