Frankie Dettori on first three favourites as Ascot going changes to good to soft

Frankie fever could be starting early at Royal Ascot with the first three favourites of the famous five-day fixture ridden by the charismatic Italian jockey.

Bookmakers had to run for cover on the Thursday of last year's royal meeting when Frankie Dettori won the first four races of the day, and the 49-year-old, a man synonymous with Ascot thanks to his magnificent seven at the course in September 1996, now partners the first three favourites for Tuesday after Terebellum replaced Circus Maximus as market leader of the Queen Anne Stakes (1.50).

The Dalhia Stakes winner drops down to a mile and faces the boys for the first time, but she is now the 10-3 favourite after the drift of last year's St James's Palace winner Circus Maximus to 4-1 (from 3).

Frankie Dettori's opening day rides

1.15 Daarik
1.50 Terebellum
2.25 Frankly Darling
3.00 Arthur's Kingdom
4.10 Wasmya
4.40 Pianissimo

Dettori starts his meeting on Buckingham Palace (1.15) favourite Daarik with the recent Newcastle winner the 7-2 favourite.

He also partners another impressive Newcastle winner, Frankly Darling, in the Ribblesdale Stakes (2.25). Anthony Oppenheimer's daughter of Frankel is the 6-4 favourite.

Going eases at Royal Ascot

The going at Royal Ascot has eased to good to soft after 10mm of rain on Monday evening.

The Berkshire track enjoyed warm weather for most of Monday, with clerk of the course Chris Stickels describing the going as good on both the straight and round courses late on Monday afternoon.

However, he also warned thundery showers were a threat, and rainfall at the track has caused the going to be eased slightly on the morning of day one. The rain fell before 8pm on Monday, with conditions remaining dry overnight.

Latest GoingStick readings

Standside: 6.7
Centre: 6.7
Farside: 6.9
Round: 6.1

(Correct as of 8am this morning)

The new-look meeting kicks off with a seven-race card, starting with the restored Buckingham Palace Handicap at 1.15.

Battaash remains the odds-on favourite for the King's Stand Stakes (3.35), but there has been some support for recent Haydock winner Liberty Beach. The John Quinn-trained filly has won four of her five starts at the minimum trip and has been supported into 6-1 (from 8).

Liberty Beach has been supported for the King's Stand StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Dahlia Stakes second Queen Power is dropping in trip to a mile for the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (4.10) and punters appear to think that may suit, with her price contracting into 4-1 (from 6).

Royal Ascot market movers

1.15 Glen Shiel 14-1 (from 16), Flaming Spear 20-1 (from 25), Ebury 20-1 (from 25)
1.50 Mohaather 6-1 (from 8), Skardu 10-1 (from 14)
3.00 Pyledriver 14-1 (from 16)
3.35 Liberty Beach 6-1 (from 8), Sergei Prokofiev 22-1 (from 33)
4.10 Queen Power 4-1 (from 6)

Trainer Marcus Tregoning has had a good start to the season and his lightly raced Mohaather has been trimmed into 6-1 (from 8) for the Queen Anne Stakes.

William Haggas had declared Born With Pride a non-runner from the Ribblesdale on Monday, with the trainer hoping to run her in Friday's Queen's Vase instead.

William Haggas has declared Miss O'Connor a non-runner in the Duke Of Cambridge StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

However, her stablemate Miss O Connor is a significant non-runner on the morning of the opening day.

The unbeaten filly had been a general 6-1 shot for the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (4.10).

Full list of Royal Ascot non-runners

1.15 Lethal Lunch
1.50 Bless Him
2.25 Born With Pride
4.10 Miss O Connor
4.40 Charlie D

Three more non-runners have been announced, all due to the change in going. Bless Him, a former winner at the royal meeting, will not take his chance in the opening Group 1 of the meeting, the Queen Anne Stakes (1.50).

Lethal Lunch (1.15) and Charlie D (4.40) have also been ruled out of the Buckingham Palace Handicap and the Ascot Stakes respectively.

Click here for in-depth cards for day one of Royal Ascot

Tote pool changes for Royal Ascot

The 36 scheduled contests over the five days offer a wealth of punting opportunities and those using the Tote will be betting into newly launched Superpools.

Superpools have been created to reflect the super-sized pools generated from international co-mingling between pool betting operators around major race meetings.

This will ensure there is far greater liquidity as racing fans from around the world, including places such as Hong Kong, bet into one giant pool.

The World Pool was introduced at Royal Ascot last year with great success, as total pool turnover enjoyed a 415 per cent year-on-year increase, while the win pool for the 2019 Diamond Jubilee Stakes exceeded £1 million.

One important rule change to note for the duration of Royal Ascot for those betting into the pools is that the Tote will be paying on three places only for races with seven or more runners regardless of whether it is a handicap or not.

This change impacts all bets, whether a World Pool or not, and includes place, Quadpot, Placepot and Scoop 6 bets.

This rule change is not permanent and will not be a standard Tote or World Pool rule for future events.

For all our exclusive Royal Ascot free bet offers and must-have daily promotions click the free bets button or go to racingpost.com/freebets