Diamond Jubilee Stakes Odds and Preview – Horse Racing Betting June 18

Twilight to emerge from the gloom in the Diamond Jubilee

Horse Racing Betting

It’s a been a damp Royal Ascot and soft ground usually brings about shock results. However, many of the favourites this week have actually found easier conditions in their favour and upheld the form book – will that trend be replicated in this Saturday’s Diamond Jubilee Stakes, the feature on the last day?

Diamond Jubilee Stakes History and Trends

Established in 1868, the Diamond Jubilee Stakes was known as the Cork and Orrery Stakes between 1926 and 2002 in honour of the 9th Earl of Cork, who served as the Master of the Buckhounds in the 19th century.
It was promoted to Group 2 status in 1998 and renamed to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2002. From this point it held Group 1 status and, after another 10 years, the race was renamed to the current Diamond Jubilee Stakes to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of The Queen.
It became part of new international race series, the Global Sprint Challenge, in 2005. Prior to 2015 the race was also open to three-year-olds but was restricted to four-year-olds and upwards when a new 6f Group One race, the Commonwealth Cup, was created at the meeting for three-year-olds only. Australian raider Holler is technically listed as a three-year-old but is allowed to take part having being foaled in the year before Europe-based three-year-olds.
Nine of the last 12 winners of the Diamond Jubilee Stakes had raced previously at Ascot – Jungle Cat actually finished fourth in the King’s Stand Stakes over 5f at the meeting on Tuesday, and those that have tried the double have run well previously in this race.
Only one UK-based sprinter has won this in the last four years and three six-year-olds have been successful in the last 10 years, reversing the trend that favoured younger horses previously. Undrafted is bidding to repeat last year’s success and has only run once this year, winning a Grade 2 at Keeneland in April. But the going was good to firm 12 months ago and he has never raced on ground this soft.

The draw is unlikely to be a factor this year with only 10 runners and Magical Memory must have a decent chance of completing his hat-trick. Frankie Dettori’s mount finished behind Twilight Son in last year’s Sprint Cup at Haydock but the placings were reversed in last month’s Duke Of York Stakes when Charlie Hills’ grey edged out Suedois with Mattmu further behind.

Several form lines involve TWILIGHT SONG in this and Henry Candy’s colt would be a danger to all if back on song being a previous Group 1 winner and having found only one too good in the British Champions Sprint Stakes here in October when he finished two places ahead of recent Windsor winner The Tin Man. Ryan Moore is back in the saddle and that has to be a plus.

The general 4/1 about Twilight Son is giving nothing away but The Tin Man is quoted at the same odds and is still rated 2lb lower, despite recent progress. Magical Memory is the general 3/1 favourite yet is rated another pound lower. Bet365 and betway are offering each-way betting on the first three at a quarter the odds even though this is not a handicap and there are two less runners than for when the criteria normally applies.

Diamond Jubilee Stakes Best Current Odds

Magical Memory (3/1), Twilight Son and The Tin Man (4/1), Gold-Fun and Undrafted (9/1), Holler (10/1), Suedois (12/1), Jungle Cat and Mattmu (20/1), Signs Of Blessing (25/1)