Royal Ascot Best Bets - Days 1 & 2

It’s almost upon us once more, the meeting which for many represents the finest five days of the flat season. Getting underway on Tuesday afternoon, Royal Ascot 2022 promises to provide the usual variety of speed, stamina, and class on the track, whilst glad rags are donned and the champagne flows in the stands. Plenty to look forward to for those in attendance and tuning in on tv, and of course the action is always enhanced with a winner or two. Here we pick out our best bets from the first two days.

Day 1: Tuesday 14th June

Coventry Stakes: Royal Success for Scotsman

Noble Style, Blackbeard and Persian Force all merit respect here, hailing from top yards and boasting solid form in the book. Preference would be for the last named of that trio, but at the prices we just prefer to look elsewhere. Harry Time can go well at a really big price, but the value bet in the race for us is an each way pint on the Paul & Oliver Cole runner, Royal Scotsman. In need of the experience on debut at the beginning of May, he put that run well behind him when hosing up in a good time at Goodwood last time out. With the fourth placed finisher from that event since going on to an easy success of his own, the form looks solid, and we like this one’s chances of at least hitting the frame.

• Betting Tip - Royal Scotsman ew @ 12/1 with bet365

King’s Stand Stakes: Strip to Strike

US star Golden Pal is currently clear favourite for this but is zero from two on British soil which – despite his obvious talent – is enough to put us off. The likes of Henry Candy’s Twilight Calls and the Charles Hills duo of Khaadem and Equilateral look likely to go well at each way prices, but for us the one they all have to beat here is Chris Wallers Australian speedball, Nature Strip. Three pounds clear of the field on official ratings and already an eight-time Group 1 winner, his ability to win over both 5f and 6f may make him very tough to repel in the closing stages.

• Betting Tip - Nature Strip @ 11/4 with BetFred

St James’s Palace Stakes: Ascot Angel

2000 Guineas champ Coroebus will start hot favourite here, but there doesn’t seem to be too much upside in backing the Godolphin runner at 1/2 on what will be his first experience of a round course. Take a chance instead on Angel Bleu from the yard of Ralph Beckett. This son of Dark Angel has been completely dismissed in the market here, despite being the second highest rated runner in the field and scoring twice in Group 1 company as a juvenile, including over this trip at Saint Cloud. Likely to come on for a respectable comeback third to the speedy Perfect Power in the Greenham Stakes, he looks well capable of at least giving the jolly something to think about.

• Betting Tip - Angel Bleu ew @ 25/1 with William Hill

Day 2: Wednesday 15th June

Queen Marys Stakes: Love to Reign Supreme

A cracking sprint contest for the fillies kicks off the action on Wednesday. Karl Burke’s Dramatise made a striking impression when scooting five lengths clear on debut and looks the best of the home team. The suspicion is however that she – and everything else – may be biting off more than they can chew with Love Reigns. Going for a trainer in Wesley Ward who has taken this three times in the space of the past seven years, this one burnt up the track to win by an eased down 9½l on her first start at Keeneland and is taken to follow in the hoofprints of Acapulco, Lady Aurelia and Campanelle.

• Betting Tip - Love Reigns @ 3/1 with bet365

Queen’s Vase: Nahanni to Nab Vase

Charlie Appleby and Godolphin struck in this contest twelve months ago and may well repeat the trick with the Frankel colt Nahanni. Last sighted finishing seventh in the Derby; that was a particularly noteworthy effort considering he was badly sweating up at the start and missed the break. Staying on nicely at the end that day, this tenacious sort seems likely to be well suited by this step up in distance and looks worth a bet to see out the 1m6f best of all.

• Betting Tip - Nahanni @ 6/1 with Coral

Prince Of Wales’s Stakes: Barzalona to Strike for France

Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge looks set to be all the rage for the headline act, as he bids to back up a facile success in the Captain Brigadier Gerard Stakes. At the prices though we again just favour an each way bet - and the one to be on is French raider Grand Glory. Only 1lb inferior to Bay Bridge on ratings, she receives 3lbs courtesy of the mare’s allowance and proved herself in this grade when running down the talented Audarya at Deauville last season. Accompanied by the excellent Mickael Barzalona on her first visit to Britain, she is fancied to at least make the frame.

• Betting Tip - Grand Glory ew @ 8/1 with Coral