Royal Ascot 2018 Day One Odds and Preview – Horse Racing Betting June 19

Battaash can pick off Lady Aurelia in the King's Stand

Horse Racing Betting

France has won three of the last 14 renewals of the Queen Anne Stakes, the traditional curtain-raiser to Royal Ascot, and have a serious contender this year in the shape of Recoletos.

Trained at Chantilly by Carlos Laffron-Parias, the colt won last month’s Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp having won over a mile at Saint-Cloud before that. However, there are questions to answer on the  much quicker ground and he may not have the pace to cope with some of these. The general 5/1 is not overly enticing.

Benbatl won the Dubai Turf at Meydan in March but is another that had been racing over longer trips prior to this year. Also a general 5/1, there is something to prove against these specialist milers and his form in this country would not be good enough.

Yoshida enhances the international appeal of this Group 1 contest being that rarity of a top-class American miler who prefers Turf to Dirt. However, what he’s achieved suggests a general 16/1 quote is about right.

Lightning Spear was probably unlucky not to catch RHODODENDRON in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury but was only ninth in this last year after a similar effort and Aidan O’Brien’s filly is fancied to confirm the form.

We are back to that trend of fancied horses having shown smart form over further but Ryan Moore’s mount was second in the 1000 Guineas last year on fast ground and will again have Deauville in the race to ensure a strong gallop. Four-year-olds have won 20 of the last 26 renewals of the Queen Anne and 13 of the 15 winners since the race was made a Group 1 had won at the highest level previously. Canford Clifs, Frankel and Ribchester have all completed the Lockinge-Queen Anne double in recent years and O’Brien has won the race three times previously with Ad Valorem, Haradasun and Declaration Of War. Fillies don’t run in the race often but those that do are usually top-class and Rhododendron fits the bill on every score. She is 3/1 with Unibet and is a worthy favourite.

Queen Anne Stakes Current Best Odds

Rhododendron 3/1, Benbatl and Recoletos 5/1, Lightning Spear 8/1, Deauville and Yoshida 16/1, Beat The Bank 18/1, Limato and Lord Glitters 20/1, Suedois 22/1, Century Dream 28/1, Accidental Agent 33/1, Zonderland 40/1, Oh This Is Us and So Beloved 50/1

Lady Aurelia blitzed her 16 rivals in the King’s Stand Stakes 12 months ago but Wesley Ward’s filly does not have a weight-for-age allowance in her favour this year. She has been beaten in all three starts since, including on her reappearance at Keeneland, and may not be able to hold off BATTAASH this year.

Charlie Hills’ gelding lives on his nerves so Jim Crowley and his trainer will be doing their utmost to keep the four-year-old switched off on the way to post but he is arguably the best sprinter in Europe when temperament doesn’t get the better of him. He won four of his five races last year, showing his run behind Marsha and Lady Aurelia at York in August to be all wrong when reversing form with the winner in the Prix de l’Abbaye at Chantilly. He was fully wound-up in the Temple Stakes on his reappearance but still beat Washington Dc and previous winners Kachy and Mabs Cross. Fifth Muthmir won next time to frank the form – six winners since 1990 had won the Temple Stakes on their previous start so the 5/2 with Unibet looks good. Finsbury Square might be a decent each-way bet at 33/1 with BetVictor.

King’s Stand Stakes Current Best Odds

Lady Aurelia 2/1, Battaash 5/2, Blue Point 9/1, Kachy 11/1, Washington Dc 18/1, Mabs Cross 20/1, Different League 25/1, Bucchero and Finsbury Square 33/1, Declarationofpeace 40/1, Gifted Master 50/1, Battle Of Jericho and Primo Uomo 66/1, Ornate 100/1

Classic form is not always replicated in the St James’s Palace Stakes, the last of three Group 1 races on day one at Royal Ascot, but it is usually a good guide and there has not been a winner of the race at double-figure odds since 1992. Aidan O’Brien has won seven of the last 18 renewals and six of those winners ran in the Irish 2000 Guineas. U S Navy Flag, Gustav Klimt and Threeandfourpence all finished behind ROMANISED (6/1 with Ladbrokes) at the Curragh, however, and there is no real reason why that form should be reversed.

Without Parole has won three out of three. he missed the 2000 Guineas because of injury but no colt has won this in 29 years racing in his first Group 1. Wootton (8/1 with Boylesports) had an unlucky run in the French 2000 Guineas but, along with Newmarket 2000 Guineas second Tip To Win (11/2 with Ladbrokes) has been done no favours by the draw.

St James’s Palace Stakes Current Best Odds

Without Parole 11/4, Tip Two Win 11/2, Romanised 6/1, U S Navy Flag 13/2, Wootton 8/1, Gustav Klimst 11/1, Gabr 12/1, Chilean 28/1, Kings Shield 33/1, Threeandfourpence 50/1 (All odds correct at 3.30pm on June 18)

Tuesday’s Tip of The Day: CALYX (11/4 with Ladbrokes in the 3.05) looked a potential superstar at Newmarket.