Among a number of specials surrounding next week’s Royal Ascot, the markets surrounding Top Trainer and Top Jockey are traditionally the most popular with punters, There are odds-on favourites in both, however.
Royal Ascot 2019 Top Trainer – will Ballydoyle prove irresistible again?
Aidan O’Brien has been Top Trainer at the Royal meeting for the past five years. A powerful team has been assembled again to ensure the master of Ballydoyle takes the lion’s share of the prize money back across the Irish Sea.
O’Brien won his ninth Royal Ascot trainers’ title in 2018 and his fifth in a row. He has already sent out three of the four UK classic winners this season and has the ante-post favourite in 10 of the 22 races at the Royal meeting this year. Le Brivido, Magical, Ten Sovereigns, Hermosa and Lope Y Fernandez are just a few of his strong team.
Bookmakers are fearing a bloodbath if the first-named comes back to form in the opening Queen Anne Stakes, though O’Brien didn’t manage a single winner on the first day last year. It was only on count-back that he edged out John Gosden and Sir Michael Stoute. William Hill are offering 15/8 that Aidan O’Brien has five or six winners at Royal Ascot in 2019 and he is a best 4/7 to be Top Trainer again at the meeting this year.
John Gosden is a general 5/1 to be Top Trainer with Charlie Appleby and Sir Michael Stoute at 10/1 and 16/1 respectively with bet365.
Top Trainer Royal Ascot 2019 Current Odds
Aidan O’Brien 4/7
John Gosden 5/1
Charlie Appleby 10/1
Sir Michael Stoute 16/1
Charlie Hills and Mark Johnston 33/1
Roger Varian and William Haggas 40/1
Richard Hannon 66/1
Andrew Balding 80/1
Wesley Ward 100/1
(Odds correct at 2.45pm June 13)
Royal Ascot 2019 Top Jockey – Moore of the same for Ryan?
Ryan Moore was top jockey at Royal Ascot last year for the eight time and is only a best 8/15 to make it nine next week. Moore did need some help from old employer Sir Michael Stoute to edge out Frankie Dettori 12 months ago, however.
The enigmatic Frankie, now a veteran of the weighing room, could again provide the chief opposition to Ballydoyle’s number one and is a general 7/2 with James Doyle at 6/1. Doyle will ride the best of the Godolphin runners thisn year with William Buick currently out of action. Champion jockey Silvestre De Sousa is 33/1 with Betfred.
Top Jockey Royal Ascot 2019 Current Odds
Ryan Moore 8/15
Frankie Dettori 7/2
James Doyle 6/1
Jim Crowley 20/1
Silvestre De Sousa 33/1
Donnacha O’Brien and Oisin Murphy 40/1
Andrea Atzeni 66/1
Jamie Spencer 100/1
(Odds correct at 2.45pm June 13)
The Queen’s Hat Colour on Tuesday – Pink, blue or red anyone?
Here is a market for those dedicated followers of fashion!
William Hill are quoting odds on what colour hat The Queen will wear in the opening day carriage parade at Royal Ascot. Pink and blue currently share favouritism at 3/1 – red, brown and black are all 25/1.
