Royal Ascot Day 2 Tips

Founded in honour of the consort of King George V and first run in 1921, this five-furlong dash is the premier race at the meeting restricted to two-year-old fillies – the only other of that ilk is the Albany Stakes, which is run over six furlongs on Friday and is a step lower than this Group 2.Nine of the last 14 winners were in the top three in the betting and it is worth noting that three of the longer-priced winners came from northern stables (even though two of them had high-class winning form in the Marygate at York).

Dating back to 1838 and run under its current name since 1960, this Group 2 over 1m6f is restricted to three-year-olds and designed to bring along future St Leger and Cup horses over staying trips. This is the seventh year since a reduction in distance from two miles. The market is often a good guide to the best prospects from the big stables, with 12 of the last 15 winners coming from the top two in the betting.

First run in 1862 and reduced in distance to a mile and a quarter on its revival in 1968, this Group 1 showpiece is often the top-ranked contest of Royal Ascot, based on the ratings of the first four finishers. In a sign that the cream rises to the top, only two of the 23 winners since 2000 were outside the top three in the betting.

This Group 2 contest for older fillies and mares is run over the straight mile and was introduced in 2004 with the aim of encouraging connections to keep female runners in training beyond their three-year-old campaigns. Saffron Beach became the sixth successful favourite or joint-favourite in the 19 runnings. Seven of the last ten winners came from the top three in the betting.

Founded in 1807, this is one of the crown jewels of Royal Ascot and at two and a half miles is the premier staying race of the British Flat season. Fancied runners have an excellent record. Only three of the 23 winners since 2000 were outside the top four in the market and 16 were in the top two.

First run in 1843, this is the first of the week’s heritage handicaps to feature a cavalry charge down the straight course, with 30 runners fanning out in the mile contest for three-year-olds and up. The market has been no better than a fair guide, with seven of the 13 winners outside the top seven in the betting since the gambled-on Forgotten Voice was the last winning favourite in 2009.

Now in its third year, this mile handicap is run over the round course for older fillies and mares rated 0-105 and has proved a tricky test for punters. Dave Loughnane had the first two (Lola Showgirl at 12-1 and Ffion at 10-1) in the inaugural running and both had got in at the bottom end of the weights off ratings of 81, while last year the first three were Marco Botti’s Rising Star (40-1), Random Harvest (40-1) and Isola Rossa (22-1).

Established in 1839, this Listed five-furlong dash for two-year-olds is open to colts, geldings and fillies. This has proved the juvenile race most open to a surprise result in recent years, with nine of the last 17 winners having been 12-1 or bigger. Even the major stables can produce a long-odds winner – Charlie Appleby at 16-1 in 2017 and John Gosden at 20-1 the year before that – and half of the last ten winners came from outside the top six in the betting.