Ascot Racing Tips: Best bets, expert picks, Lucky 15 multiple selections, Placepot tips (2024)

GILDED WATER has been guided into handicaps superbly by the excellent William Haggas and he can land the King George V Stakes for HM The King & HM The Queen. Haggas won this race for The King last year with Desert Hero who gradually stepped up in trip and Gilded Water has a similar profile for all that he was unraced at two. Instead he has qualified for handicaps with three runs in seven weeks in April and May, with the two runs over a mile readying him nicely for a Chepstow assignment where he bolted up by over seven lengths on his first go at 10 furlongs. He beat a nice sort from the Sir Michael Stoute yard in James Webb that day and he did it easily, while this half-brother to Circle Of Fire could have even more to offer over 1m4f.

Click here for Ben Linfoot's Verdict

Matt Brocklebank: Starlore – 5.05 Royal Ascot

Sir Michael Stoute hasn’t won the Britannia Stakes since 2005, having first landed the three-year-old cavalry charge in 1991, but he’s got a major chance this year with STARLORE who was quite a classy two-year-old and looks to be coming to the boil at the perfect time for this after an eyecatching effort at Goodwood last time. He got no run that day, stuck behind a wall of horses at a key moment, and finished with loads in the tank which – on the plus side - means he can run off the same mark here. He is 4lb better off with the reopposing winner and looks a good bet under Richard Kingscote.

Click here for Matt Brocklebank's Value Bet

Andrew Asquith: King’s Gambit – 17:40 Royal Ascot

KING’S GAMBIT had some strong juvenile form and he made a mockery of his opening mark when making a winning return in the notoriously strong London Gold Cup at Newbury last month. It is a race the yard has often targeted with one of their best middle-distance prospects and King’s Gambit looked another top-level performer that will come out of the race. The fact he was gambled on also suggests he is held in pretty high regard and the manner in which he travelled and quickened in that race marked him out as a horse ready for a higher grade, so he is strongly fancied to take this step up in class in his stride before having his sights raised even further.

Click here for the best of Timeform tips

He had a few options this week but William Haggas has opted for the King George V Stakes for GILDED WATER, the same race he won last year with Desert Hero, and it looks as if he’s been working back from a Royal Ascot handicap from day one with this royal runner. He comes out 3 lb clear on the Timeform ratings and is open to further improvement stepping up in trip again.

15:45 Ascot – Kalpana

KALPANA chased home Inisherin at Newcastle before making a mockery of a mark of 78 when winning by 10 lengths at Newmarket in April and produced a career best when second to Friendly Soul back at HQ last month. She’s progressing with every run and can serve it up to Diamond Rain, who has to be respected having been supplemented by Charlie Appleby.

17:05 Ascot – Native Warrior

The form of the conditions race at Kempton in April has been working it remarkably well with the winner, Notable Speech, winning the 2000 Guineas and the third, Persica, finishing fourth in the London Gold Cup before scoring on Derby weekend at Epsom, and NATIVE WARRIOR can be the latest winner to come from that race. Fourth that day, Karl Burke sent him to Nottingham for a maiden on his next start to protect his mark and it looks to have paid off, sneaking in towards the bottom of the weights on 90.

18:15 Ascot – English Oak

Timeform race-by-race verdict

14.30 Norfolk Stakes

It's really hard to escape the claims of WHISTLEJACKET, who is the clear pick on form and can chart a similar path to his very smart brother Little Big Bear in tasting defeat on debut at the Curragh before getting it right on second outing and following up at this meeting. Shareholder runs just 12 days on from his winning start and this costly breeze-up buy is arguably open to the most improvement, with Loom another to consider for each-way purposes.

14.30 King George V Stakes

GILDED WATER is improving in leaps and bounds, looking better the further he went when powering clear for an authoritative success at Chepstow 3 weeks ago. Representing Royal connections, who landed this prize 12 months ago, he looks sure to be suited by this longer trip and earns the vote on handicap bow. Going The Distance is another of firm interest, with Aidan O'Brien trained-pair Gallantly and Chantilly also respected. French Duke and Poniros complete the shortlist.

15.45 Ribblesdale Stakes

The regally-bred DIAMOND RAIN looked a smart prospect when following up her debut win in a Newbury listed event last month and, with scope for plenty more progress over this still longer trip, she's a really appealing candidate. Kalpana has progressed significantly with each run and heads up the opposition, along with You Got To Me, who stuck to her task in admirable fashion when fourth in the Oaks at Epsom.

16.25 Gold Cup

KYPRIOS suffered an interrupted campaign in 2023 but he was a high-class stayer the season before, the first of his 4 Group 1 wins coming in this race, and the way he shaped when winning both starts this term suggests he's as good as ever. He can provide his trainer with a record-extending ninth success, though the Gosden stable has an excellent recent record in this and hold a strong hand once again with Gregory and Trawlerman, who will both be suited by this marathon trip.

17.05 Britannia Stakes

Kevin Ryan's VOLTERRA has had the form of his Newmarket handicap debut success boosted and might prove the answer to a typically wide-open renewal. The way Qirat stormed home to land a valuable 7f event at Goodwood last month suggests he'll be suited by the step up to 1m and he's second choice. Mickley is another who promises to benefit from 1m and is also shortlisted along with Starlore, who was a big eyecatcher behind Qirat at Goodwood.

17.40 Hampton Court Stakes

KING'S GAMBIT made a mockery of an opening mark of 93 on return at Newbury last month and with further progress on the cards, Harry Charlton's charge is fancied to take the step up to pattern company in his stride at the expense of French-raider First Look, who found only an unbeaten colt too strong in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly. Bracken's Laugh and Taraj (who changed hands for £480,000 on Monday) can fight out third.

18.15 Buckingham Palace Stakes

ENGLISH OAK is another one to be added to Wathnan Racing's burgeoning roster after a most impressive display at Haydock and he's comfortably the most progressive sort in this field, so he's preferred to Divine Libra, who is also going the right way. Awaal has an excellent record fresh and should have been primed for a big run.

Suggested Placepot permutation

Leg 1: 13

Leg 2: 6, 13

Leg 3: 2

Leg 4: 3

Leg 5: 5, 21, 23

Leg 6: 7

1 x 2 x 1 x 1 x 3 x 2 = 12 lines

More Royal Ascot previews, tips & features

• The Cunningham File: It's on the Horizon
• Mark Howard's Ascot Hitlist
• Simon Holt: Why the raiders love Ascot
• Best bets from our panel of pundits
• Donn McClean: The View from Ireland
• Karl Burke Stable Tour
• Harry Charlton Stable Tour
• Archie Watson Stable Tour
• Richard Hannon Stable Tour
• Dan Briden's Two-Year-Old Guide
• Timeform: Two-Year-Old pecking order
• Handicappers to note
• Royal Ascot Sky Bet Offers
• Latest Royal Ascot Build-A-Bet
• WATCH: The Stewards' Room Podcast

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.