ITV racing tips: Royal Ascot Day 1 – Tuesday, June 17
It doesn't get any better than Royal Ascot when it comes to top-quality Flat racing and the meeting opens with a tremendous card on Tuesday, which is being televised live on ITV1 (1.30-6pm) and ITV4 (5.50-6.30pm), plus Sky Sports Racing.
NAP:
Field Of Gold (4.20, Ascot) @ 6/4 with William Hill ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Next best:
Endless Victory (6.10, Ascot) @ 8/11 with William Hill ⭐⭐⭐
Others:
Lead Artist (2.30, Ascot) @ 11/2 with William Hill ⭐⭐⭐
Gstaad (3.05, Ascot) @ 9/2 with William Hill ⭐⭐
Regional (3.40, Ascot) @ 7/1 with William Hill ⭐⭐⭐
Reaching High (5.00, Ascot) @ 4/1 with William Hill ⭐⭐⭐
Align The Stars (5.00, Ascot) @ 40/1 with William Hill ⭐⭐
Ambiente Friendly (5.35, Ascot) @ 16/1 with William Hill ⭐⭐
Odds provided by William Hill and correct at the time of writing. Stars denote strength of selection (maximum five).
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2.30 Ascot – Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1, 1m)
Ascot's straight track is best suited to horses who travel strongly and stay the trip thoroughly, and the John and Thady Gosden-trained LEAD ARTIST ticks both of those boxes.
The selection is still progressing and comes into this race off the back of a Group 1 success over this trip in the Lockinge at Newbury, where he kept on well and had three of today's rivals behind him.
3.05 Ascot – Coventry Stakes (Group 2, 6f)
GSTAAD looked good when winning at Navan on his debut and is the chosen mount of Ryan Moore from the two runners Aidan O'Brien sends to post.
The selection cost 450,000gns as a foal and is a half-brother to Vandeek, who won two Group 1s over this trip as a two-year-old.
Selection: Gstaad @ 9/2 with William Hill
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3.40 Ascot – King Charles III Stakes (Group 1, 5f)
REGIONAL did well to finish second behind Asfoora (who doesn't look like being the same force now) in this race last year, considering he had a tricky track position throughout, and he shaped well after a long absence when third in Dubai in March.
On that occasion the seven-year-old was just behind the winner, Believing, and he can be expected to build on that. He finished ahead of the same rival in this race 12 months ago.
4.20 Ascot – St James's Palace Stakes (Group 1, 1m)
FIELD OF GOLD was beaten into second by Ruling Court in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, but the winner got a head start on him in a steadily run race.
The John and Thady Gosden runner was then super impressive in taking the Irish 2,000 Guineas, being caught a bit wider than ideal yet still way too good for some smart rivals.
This is a top-class colt and he can reverse the Newmarket form and prove himself to be the leading three-year-old miler in Europe.
5.00 Ascot – Ascot Stakes (Heritage Handicap, 2m 4f)
There's a straightforward case for REACHING HIGH. He was useful and progressive for Sir Michael Stoute and looks like taking his form to a new level for Willie Mullins.
The Royal-owned Reaching High was a close second in a 1m 4f Leopardstown handicap on his debut for Mullins and now goes up fully a mile in trip, which should suit him as his dam, Estimate, won the Ascot Gold Cup over this trip. Ryan Moore takes over in the saddle for the first time.
In the same race, a chance is taken on ALIGN THE STARS, whose connections hoped he might make a Group 1 horse at one point.
Charlie Johnston's runner lost his way after landing three handicaps in a row last year, but he's up in trip, with cheekpieces added, and this thorough stamina test has long looked to be what he wants.
5.35 Ascot – Wolferton Stakes (Listed, 1m 2f)
Last year's Derby runner-up AMBIENTE FRIENDLY is quirky – he has often been too headstrong – but this test will suit him.
The quick ground, turning track and drop in trip will all help, and he's down from Group company for the first time since hammering this week's Ascot Gold Cup favourite Illinois in last year's Lingfield Derby Trial.
6.10 Ascot – Copper Horse Stakes (Class 2, 1m 6f)
ENDLESS VICTORY can be headstrong, so he'll need to relax now he steps up in trip. But he has potential as a stayer, being a brother to the same connections' 2018 Melbourne Cup hero Cross Counter.
Ron Wood 2025 horse racing P/L
(up to and including Thursday June 12)
Star ratings explained
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - confident selection
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - strong fancy
⭐⭐⭐ - fair claims
⭐⭐ - tentative choice
⭐ - minimum confidence
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