Royal Ascot Day 1 Preview And Tips

Race 1: Queen Anne Stakes

The opening race on the first day of what is one of the most important flat meetings on the planet is the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes and it looks a cracking renewal. The Aidan O’Brien trained daughter of Galileo, Rhododendron, is the current market leader at odds of 11/4 after her narrow defeat of Lightning Spear in the Lockinge at Newbury (8f gd/fm). She faces several of the same opponents in this contest and in receipt of weight from the boys she looks a worthy favourite.

Accidental Agent ran a cracker last time. 

However, one horse that really caught my eye that day at Newbury was the 6th horse home, Accidental Agent. Eve Johnson Houghton’s 4yo son of Delegator was slowly away and 3f out it looked like he was going finish well beaten. However, he stayed on very nicely in the closing stages to grab 6th and he was just over 5L behind the winner. He was less than a length behind Deauville, who is half his price for this race, and I think he could easily improve again.

Accidental Agent has some strong course form in the book, including when taking a competitive handicap on good to soft here over 7f off 104 last season. He was beaten just over 2L in a Listed heat over course and distance on unsuitably soft ground on his penultimate start behind Century Dream, a horse that relishes juice in the ground. If Accidental Agent breaks on level terms I think he could go well here, and at odds of 33/1 he is worth chancing each way for small stakes.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: ACCIDENTAL AGENT E/W @ 33/1

Race 2: Coventry Stakes

A bumper field of 24 of the speediest 2yos around will go to post for this year’s Group 2 Coventry Stakes. This 6f contest is a real blink and you will miss it affair, and after winning his last two starts over 5f by a combined total of 11.5L, Sergei Prokofiev is the clear favourite at odds of 9/4 for Coolmore. He has been visually impressive, but I am not sure about the quality of the form of his two victories and at that price in such a competitive looking race I would rather look for a bit of each way value elsewhere.

The one I like at an absolutely huge price here is Gee Rex, a colt by Requinto who ran a massively eye-catching race behind a trio of Ballydoyle horses in the Listed Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh last time (6f gd/fm). He looked like he would finish out with the washing at the half way stage, but he flew home for 4th, just 3L behind the winner Fairyland and less than a length behind the runner up Van Beethoven.

His Kildare based trainer J C Hayden is far from a household name on either side of the Irish Sea, and that is probably the reason that Gee Rex is available to back at odds of 100/1. Hayden has booked top jockey Jamie Spencer for the ride and given how Gee Rex ran last time, his style could suit this horse. They look sure to go at it hammer and tongs from the outset in this race, and if Gee Rex doesn’t get too far behind I think he will be staying on at the finish and at odds of 100/1 he could sneak into the frame.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: GEE REX E/W @ 100/1 (4 places available)

Race 3: King’s Stand Stakes

The second Group 1 on the first day of Royal Ascot is the 5f King’s Stand Stakes and a field of 14 horses have been declared for this sprint. Battaash and Lady Aurelia are battling it out for favouritism at around the 9/4 mark, and both those horses look to hold solid claims. Lady Aurelia gets 3lb from Battaash and given Wesley Ward’s excellent record at this meeting she is going to prove extremely popular with punters.
 

Mabs Cross hasn't got much to find to feature.

The one I like at a nice each way price is Mabs Cross for Michael Dods and Paul Mulrennan. This admirably consistent 4yo daughter of Dutch Art was less than a length behind Battaash at Haydock last time and she has only finished out of the money twice from 9 starts. Her trainer is in great form, she has a nice draw in stall 8, trip and ground look ideal and at odds of 20/1 I think she looks a cracking each way bet.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: MABS CROSS E/W @ 20/1 NB

Race 4: St James’ Palace Stakes

The third Group 1 of the day is the 8f St James’ Palace Stakes and Without Parole is the current clear market leader at a best price of 11/4. This son of Frankel was visually very impressive when hacking up at Yarmouth (8f gd/fm), showing a nice turn of foot to score by 6L from next time out winner Ostilio. It was harder work for him last time in a Listed contest at Sandown on ground with a bit of juice in it, but back on good to firm ground he should be more at home. This represents a massive step up in class though, and he has to prove he is a Group 1 performer.
 

Romanised looks overpriced after his easy win last time. 

Romanised did us a huge turn when scoring in the Irish 2000 Guineas a few weeks ago, and I am keeping the faith with him here. Ken Condon’s son of Holy Roman Emperor was a decisive winner at the Curragh, staying on strongly to score by over 2L from US Navy Flag. There was no fluke about the victory, and I am amazed to see the two of them priced up at near identical odds here. Romanised ran well in the Coventry here last year after a slow start, he will relish the ground and at odds of 6/1 he looks to represent serious value in an open looking race.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: ROMANISED @ 6/1

Race 5: Ascot Stakes

The first handicap at Royal Ascot is the Ascot Stakes, a 20f contest that sees a maximum field of 20 horses going to post. Willie Mullins has won three of the last six renewals of this race, including last year with Thomas Hobson. Ryan Moore has been on board for all three of those winners, so it is no surprise to see that Chelkar is near the head of the market, even if it is his first start for the guts of two years. A lot has to be taken on trust with the son of Azamour though and I think odds of 8/1 look too short.

Mullins runs a total of five horses here and the shortest priced of his entries is Stratum with Robert Winston booked for the ride. However, the one I like at a nice each way price is White Desert for Charlie Appleby, William Buick and Godolphin. This son of Teofilo is a half brother to a legend of a stayer in Red Cadeaux, and his full brother Amazing Red has proven himself to be a very useful stayer too.

White Desert was narrowly beaten by the 110 rated Glencadam Glory in a Novice heat at Wolves on his seasonal comeback (12f). He didn’t run his race on his next start at Newmarket in a 12f handicap off 83, but he seemed to relish the step up to 14f when hosing up off a pound lower back at Wolves last time. That was a poor race, and he is 10lb higher here, but I think the further he goes the better he will be, and at odds of 14/1 he is the each way pick.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: WHITE DESERT E/W @ 14/1

Race 6: Wolferton Stakes

The 10f Listed Wolferton Stakes is the concluding race at Royal Ascot on Tuesday and 16 horses will go to post for what looks an extremely open contest. The one I like at a decent each way price is Yucatan. This 4yo son of Galileo has failed to show his best thus far this season, but he has yet to get his optimum conditions. There has been an ease in the ground for all three of his starts this term, and hopefully on Tuesday he will encounter the rattling quick conditions he thrives on.

Yucatan gets his ground for the first time this season.

His last start on good to firm ground came in a Group 3 at Leopardstown over 10f and he split Douglas McArthur and subsequent Group 1 winner Capri. He was previously beaten a length by Rekindling in another 10f Group 3 contest on good to yielding at the same venue, and his conqueror has since gone on to win the Melbourne Cup. Ryan Moore is back in the plate, he takes a massive drop in class and this looks a very winnable race. At odds of 14/1 Yucatan should go very close.


STEVOS’ SELECTION: YUCATAN E/W @ 14/1 NAP