Royal Ascot is Britain’s most historic racing event and it also has a huge global reach. The pomp and ceremony is loved by millions around the world, and even the Queen herself attends all 5 days.
Fashion and racing combine to create an atmosphere second to none and whether you’re a horse lover or not, you cannot fail to be awestruck by the whole pageantry of the event.
Here are seven horses for you to follow, which will hopefully provide you with a profitable few days at one of the most famous, if not THE most famous horse race meeting in the world. Keep an eye on the 888sport blog for all the latest Royal Ascot news...
Royal Ascot 2019: Tuesday
Accidental Agent (Queen Anne Stakes)
Where better to start than with a selection in the Queen Anne Stakes, the race which kicks off the meeting. Accidental Agent, one of the 2018 Royal Ascot winners, looks very interesting at 10/1.
He was a shock 33/1 winner last year which was quite surprising given his decent run in the Lockinge prior to that race.
In this year’s Lockinge he ran even better considering he’d had a 232-day break over the winter compared to the 17-day break last year and he came home with what was arguably a better run than Le Brivido.
He can give antepost punters a good run for their money in the Ascot opener.
Mabs Cross (King's Stand Stakes)
Blink and you will miss it as the fastest horses in the world thunder down Ascot’s straight five furlongs.
Little over half a mile will be run in less than a minute and if the ground is quick, this race can fall into the lap of the popular mare, Mabs Cross (currently 7/1).
Trainer Michael Dods hopes the return to a stiffer track will help Mabs Cross turn the tables on Battaash after the two met in the Temple Stakes last time.
The Prix de l'Abbaye winner had no answer to Battaash’s blistering speed at Haydock, but giving away a penalty and losing a shoe certainly didn’t help her and connections are hopeful of a closer showing this time.
Royal Ascot 2019: Wednesday
Lady Pauline (Queen Mary Stakes)
American speedball Lady Pauline can emulate her half-sister Lady Aurelia by blasting home in the two-year-old fillies feature, the Queen Mary Stakes.
Trained by Wesley Ward, Lady Pauline suffered a surprise defeat at Ascot last month with her jockey John Velazquez reporting she did no cope with the narrowed straight that day.
Connections also felt that the race probably came far too soon after coming over from the States, so a bit of acclimatising and a few workouts against some of Brian Meehan’s best horses should see her in a much better frame of mind.
Odds of 8/1 look decent.
Robin Of Navan (Royal Hunt Cup)
If there was ever a horse that was bubbling under the surface and that was overdue a good prize in a decent handicap, then it’s the Harry Dunlop-trained Robin On Navan.
The six-year-old chestnut has already run a great race at Ascot this season, finishing third in a Listed race and this may be the ideal opportunity he needs to break his duck.
Dunlop’s runner has also contested some hot races in France and even ran in the Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin. He looks a decent each way shout at odds of 20/1.
Royal Ascot 2019: Thursday
Cross Counter (Ascot Gold Cup)
Melbourne Cup hero Cross Counter is very much on target to lower the colours of Stradivarius in the Gold Cup on Thursday.
The Charlie Appleby-trained four-year-old beat Marmelo in a thrilling finish to Australia’s most famous race last November, and followed up by also taking the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan in March.
Europe’s best stayer and Gold Cup defending champion Stradivarius will certainly be a tough nut to crack but the Godolphin four-year-old is on an upward curve and has certainly come a long way since I backed him at York in the Great Voltigeur – so it’s payback time!
I’m more than happy to take the 9/2 in Royal Ascot 2019 odds about him currently.
Royal Ascot 2019: Friday
Hermosa (Coronation Stakes)
I’ve probably been a little bit too slow out of the blocks and all the 7/2 has been snaffled up, but Hermosa is going to go down as my banker of the week.
The Galileo filly is unbeaten this season after following up her 1,000 Guineas success at Newmarket with an even better performance in the Irish equivalent.
It was those two runs that have marked her down as the leading three-year-old filly of the season thus far, an honour I cannot see her relinquishing any time soon.
With there being every chance that she may go off odds-on on the day of the race, I think 5/4 is still a decent price to take at the moment.
Royal Ascot 2019: Saturday
Cenotaph (Wokingham Stakes)
Classic-winning trainer Jeremy Noseda, who announced his retirement last week, will saddle his very last runner Cenotaph in this race.
The Wokingham, run over six furlongs, always boasts a big field and is often regarded as a pinstickers kind of race, but given the fact that Noseda has previous form in the contest (winner in 2010) there is always that possibility that there could be a fairytale end to his training career here.
Yet to win on the turf, the seven-year-old has won on the all-weather four times and is still owned by Mrs Doreen Tabor despite a switch of trainers.
Since moving from Aidan O’Brien to Jeremy Noseda, Ryan Moore still gets the phone call for the leg-up and it is highly probable that he will be onboard again for Noseda’s swansong.
“Retiring trainer finishes career with a Royal Ascot winner”? – I’ll take some 20/1 e/w that the hacks will be writing this line come the final day.
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
