'She was introduced at 25-1 and has been backed down to 7-4' - bookmakers reveal their biggest liabilities for Royal Ascot

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Royal Ascot 2026 has finally arrived, and we asked bookmakers to identify their biggest potential losers, as well as the other horses punters have been backing in the build-up to this year's meeting.

Ladbrokes: 'Galiyan has emerged as one of the biggest movers of the week'

Nicola McGeady, Ladbrokes

Galiyan (right) has been a notable market moverCredit: Edward Whitaker

The firm will look to lay Overpass at 100-30 in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes. Similarly, they have gone top price about the hot favourite in the Coventry Stakes. Confucius, for dream team Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien, is expected to be one of the most popular picks tomorrow at odds of 9-4.

Looking beyond Tuesday, Galiyan has emerged as one of the biggest movers of the week. Heading the Queen’s Vase market, Andrew Balding’s three-year-old has seen his odds tumble to 9-4 from 6-1 amid sustained support.

Blue Bolt (left) has attracted supportCredit: Getty Images

Balding is also responsible for another runner attracting strong interest in Blue Bolt. Partnered with Colin Keane, the filly continues to shorten in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes and is now priced at 11-4.

Friday could see a popular four-fold emerge, leaving bookies running for cover - Sun Goddess (9-4) in the Albany Stakes, Venetian Sun (5-4) in the Commonwealth Cup, Precise (4-7) in the Coronation Stakes, and Water To Wine (6-4) in the King Edward VII Stakes are expected to capture punters’ imagination.

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Paddy Power: 'Overpass is one of our biggest losers of the week'

Paul Binfield, Paddy Power

Overpass is a big threat to Paddy PowerCredit: Edward Whitaker

It’s always difficult to equate Australian form with domestic, but given the previous "down under" record in the King Charles III Stakes, it could be significant that Overpass is one of our biggest losers of the week.

Wathnan Racing have some record at the Royal extravaganza and Valiancy has been furiously backed in the Copper Horse Stakes.

Light Of Dawn has been very 'popular' after her debutCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Another Wathnan combatant, Light Of Dawn went into her debut at Carlisle with a glowing report from home and didn’t disappoint. She's popular in the Albany Stakes.

Plus, while it’s not that surprising that Karl Burke's Commonwealth Cup contestant Venetian Sun is a short enough price after her Sandy Lane rout, the cash would indicate it’ll take a really good one to beat her.

William Hill: 'Confucius sits top of our liabilities list'

Lee Phelps, William Hill

Confucius is the biggest liability of the week for William HillCredit: Caroline Norris

Confucius has been the horse punters have latched on to most ahead of Royal Ascot and he’s comfortably our biggest ante-post liability of the week in the Coventry Stakes. 

He was available at 25-1 after his debut and a lot of the support arrived around the time Great Barrier Reef drifted markedly for the race. He’s one we’ll need to get beat early on. 

At this stage, Confucius sits top of our liabilities list, with Albert Einstein in the Commonwealth Cup taking silver and Orthodox in the Norfolk completing the podium. 

Reaching High (left) has been a notable gambleCredit: Patrick McCann

It’s still a little early to call the biggest gamble of the meeting, but Reaching High is one we certainly must get beaten as he’s a very bad result for the book. Given the make-up of Tuesday’s card, if a few of the short-priced favourites start delivering early on too, it could quickly become one of those days bookmakers have to work hard to contain. 

In terms of other market movers, Confucius is right up there, but Venetian Sun deserves a mention too. We opened Commonwealth Cup betting almost a year ago and she was introduced at 25-1, so that’s been a notable move over time into her current price of 7-4. 

More recently, Gilded Prize has attracted strong support in the Ribblesdale. She was 12-1 at the six-day entry stage and is now in to 4-1, helped in part by uncertainty over whether fellow Juddmonte filly Legacy Link lines up against her.

More on Royal Ascot:

Hoodoo buster: Charlie Appleby brimming with confidence for the horse to end his 1-36 royal record 

Ryan Moore sides with Ballydoyle's 1.7 million guineas speedball in key stallion-making race - but has he chosen right? 

2026 King Charles III pinstickers' guide: runners, tips, key quotes and Robbie Wilders' ratings for every contender 

How to solve a problem like Bow Echo? Aidan O'Brien and Charlie Appleby among those out to stop St James's Palace hotpot 

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