The Intelligent Punter's Guide to Royal Ascot 2022 Day Three

Another good day for the IP Guide yesterday with wins for Dramatist (5-2) and Dark Shift (13-2 from 11s), a place for Maria Branwell at 9s and each-way selection Tempus (40-1 in the morning) third in the Royal Hunt Cup. Here are my thoughts for Thursday. 2.30 David Loughnane came very close to winning this last year but looks to have a good chance of going one better with WALBANK. THE ANTARCTIC looks well drawn in 10 and could be the main danger, while PILLOW TALK, in receipt of a handy 3lbs fillies allowance, has a definite each-way claims for trainer Karl Burke, who landed the Queen Mary yesterday. 3.05 It's a big price (33-1), but given his record in the race (6 wins), Mark Johnston's sole representative ACHNAMARA has to go on the each-way shortlist for the King George V. Charlie Hills landed the Royal Hunt Cup yesterday and his runner iNVERNESS, who won his maiden on good-to-firm, is another to consider for a place at big odds. 3.40 It's a very open Ribblesdale but MAGICAL LAGOON bypassed the Oaks for this and rates the likeliest winner. 4.20 A win for STRADIVARIUS will bring the Ascot roof down, but will he do it? A three-times winner of the Gold Cup, the legendary stayer was only fourth in the race last year when he didn't get the best of runs. No eight-year old has won the Blue Riband event since 1900 so the stats are against him but against that he is a very special horse and you couldn't put it past him. KYPRIOS has an obvious favourite's chance if he stays the trip while PRINCESS ZOE, second last year, looks quite solid each-way. At very big odds (66-1) EARLOFTHEOTSWOLDS, who has good form at the track over jumps ,may be overpriced from an place perspective. 5.00 So many with chances but well-drawn CD winners ATRIUM and WANEES are the each-way suggestions. 5.35 The Queen may be watching at home but she looks likely to have a winner to cheer on as REACH FOR THE MOON should be hard to beat in the Hampton Court. Jane Chapple-Hyam's runners have been in good form this week and CLAYMORE could be next best. 6.10 Horses drawn high are likely to prove the solution to this 7f event; it was won by a horse drawn 31 last year, while yesterday the 7f finale saw 40-1 shot Rising Star (drawn 17) narrowly prevail over another 40-1 shot Random Harvest, in stall 22. DANCE FEVER is the widest drawn in 31, while in 30 we have SILENT FILM, a winner of his last three starts. OUZO is 27 is another to consider, he ran very well in the Royal Hunt Cup last year and jockey Saffie Osborne was onboard Random Harvest yesterday.

The Intelligent Punter's Guide to Royal Ascot 2022 (Day Two)

After a great opening day with three winners and some good placed selections, here are my thoughts on Day Two. Good luck with your punting! ROYAL ASCOT DAY TWO Neil Clark 2.30 The Queen Mary is a tricky start to the day with 21 runners for the 5f Group 2 for juvenile fillies. U.S. trainer Wesley Ward has won the race four times so LOVE REIGNS obviously needs to be on our shortlist, though she could have been better drawn. DRAMATISED is well drawn and has to be respected along with MARIE BRANWELL who has won both her starts. At longer odds LADY TILBURY, ridden by last year’s winning jockey Gary Carroll, is another who should run well. 3.05 Aidan O’Brien has a great record in the Queen’s Vase, so his sole representative this year, ANCHORAGE, (he had five in at the five-day stage), has to be of each-way interest at around 15-2. AL QAREEM was staying on strongly at the finish over 1m4f at York last time and is another possible. 3.40 BAY BRIDGE, the even-money favourite in the Prince of Wales for trainer Michael Stoute (who won the race in 2018 and 2019) will be a hard nut to crack, as he looked very good last time in the Brigadier Gerard, but we can expect a bold show from the Japanese raider SHAHRYAR, who won the Sheema Classic in Dubai in March. 4.20 MOTHER EARTH, a Group One winner, has to be seriously considered for this Group 2 while at longer odds (12-1), German raider NOVEMBA looks interesting from an each-way perspective. The filly ran really well in a Group One over the same distance at the meeting last year, only being headed in the final furlong on heavy ground so a combination of the drop in class and better going should in theory see her getting even closer. 5.00 Charlie Hills has a good record in the Royal Hunt Cup cavalry charge so you have to have his DARK SHIFT on your short-list especially given that he’s a CD winner whose form at Ascot has generally been excellent. TEMPUS is 1-1 over CD and could be overpriced at 40-1 representing the Watson-Doyle combo who landed the Coventry yesterday, while the well-drawn PERCY’S LAD is another outsider to consider for a place.

The Intelligent Punter's Guide to Royal Ascot 2022

THE INTELLIGENT PUNTER’S GUIDE TO ROYAL ASCOT 2022 Neil Clark DAY TWO: TUESDAY 2.30 The unbeaten BAAEED is a very short odds-on favourite but is very hard to oppose after his romp in the Lockinge last time. 3.05 Aidan O’Brien is the go-to man in the Coventry with nine wins and the unbeaten BLACKBEARD looks to have a strong chance of adding to his tally. PERSIAN FORCE looks like the main danger. 3.40 An electrifying renewal of the King’s Stand with Aussie raider NATURE STRIP narrowly preferred to American speed ace GOLDEN PAL on the basis that the course and trip may suit him better. There are plenty of decent sprinters available at big prices for each-way alternatives to the market leaders including Czech raider PONNTOS, a winner last time at Longchamp, and EQUILATERAL, who might be overpriced at 66-1 considering he was second in the race two years ago and goes well fresh. 4.20. 2000 Guineas winner COROBEUS is a worthy favourite and should win barring accidents. NEW ENERGY is a big price (40-1) but was a fast-finishing close second behind Native Trail in the Irish 2000 Guineas last time so could be worth an each-way investment. 5.00 Favourite BRING ON THE NIGHT, ridden by Ryan Moore, looks like the one they all have to beat, given trainer Willie Mullins’ good record in the race, but there are plenty in with each-way shouts including last year’s winner RESHOUN, who looks good value at around 12-1. Trainer Ian Williams is in fine form (had a 33-1 winner at York on Saturday), won the race in both 2019 and 2021, and his charge is able to race off the same mark as when successful 12 months ago. 5.35 John Gosden has had a great record in the Wolferton down the years so his runner HARROVIAN, currently available at 12-1 could represent some decent value. All of Frankie Dettori’s mount‘s career wins have come on good-to-firm which is what the going will be at Royal Ascot today. 6.10 OKITA SOUSHI has attracted market support, backed in from 12s to 7-1 so Joseph O’Brien’s runner could be the answer to the Day One finale. Good luck with your punting!