Royal Ascot Day 4 Tips

Established in 2002 at Listed level and upgraded in 2005, this Group 3 6f contest is a two-year-old fillies’ version of the Coventry Stakes, albeit without such a long and illustrious history. This has not been a great race for favourites. Since Cuis Ghaire won at 8-11 in 2008, only four market leaders have been successful. Four of the last 12 winners were returned at odds of 14-1 or bigger, while six winners were in the top three of the betting in that time. Since 2008 the winner has come out of a stall higher than nine on 12 occasions, but not since 2020.

This prestigious and valuable 1m4f handicap for three-year-olds and upwards dates back to 1914 and was formerly known as the Bessborough Handicap (starting out as a sprint) before being renamed in 1999. There have been four successful favourites in the last 10 runnings, including Ethical Diamond a year ago. Since 2004, there have only been two winners aged six and above. Scarlet Dragon (aged 7) in 2020 and Crystal Black (aged 6) in 2024.

This 6f sprint for three-year-olds was introduced in 2015 with the aim of allowing them to compete at the top level against their contemporaries without having to take on older horses at such an early stage of the season. Fancied horses have done well, with four of the eleven winners going off as favourite, most recently Inisherin in 2024. No trainer has won the Commonwealth Cup more than once, last year Harry Eustace became the latest trainer to win it.

Founded to commemorate the crowning of Queen Victoria in 1838 and first run in 1840, this is the premier race for three-year-old fillies at Royal Ascot and, like the St James’s Palace Stakes for colts on day one, often features a clash between the major Guineas winners. Lake Victoria, Zarigana and Desert Flower all hold entries, and are the Irish, French and English Guineas winners, respectively. Since 2000, Fallen For You (2012) and Watch Me (2019) were the only winners who weren’t in the first four in the betting and the only ones sent off bigger than 8-1, until Cercene won a year ago at 33-1.

Introduced to the Royal Ascot programme in 2002, this is a handicap for three-year-old fillies rated up to 105 run over the straight mile, making it effectively a fillies’ version of the Britannia. Despite the race’s large number of runners and hugely competitive nature, it is notable that fancied contenders do well. Eleven of the 22 winners came from the top two in the betting, including eight who had at least a share of favouritism, and only seven winners have been bigger than 11-1, although five of them have come in the last seven runnings. Trainer Charlie Fellowes had back-to-back 33-1 winners in 2019 and 2020, while 2024 winner Soprano was 14-1, and Never Let Go won at 22-1 last time out.

Dating back to 1834, this Group 2 over 1m4f for three-year-olds comes just under three weeks after the Derby at Epsom and was once officially called the Ascot Derby, as it still is colloquially, such is the close link between the races. Price is a good indicator for this one, 21 of the last 28 winners have been no bigger than 7-1, the last being Pyledriver at 18-1 in 2020. Since then, four of the five winners were the favourites (two of them at 11-10 odds), the one exception being Calandagan in 2024 who was still in the top three of the betting at 11-2. The favourite returned to winning ways a year ago with the 11-8 Amiloc.

Introduced as part of Royal Ascot’s expanded programme in 2020, this five-furlong handicap for three-year-olds rated up to 105 has tended towards high-numbered stalls in the first six runnings. In 2020 6-4 favourite Art Power came out of stall 19 to win easily from Keep Busy (drawn 21); in 2021 the first four all came from the five highest berths (Significantly won from stall 24 at 10-1); and in 2022 five of the first six were from 21 or higher, although 5-1 winner Latin Lover came out of stall 11. The last three years have seen winners with slightly higher odds; Rhythm N Hooves (12-1), Pilgrim (18-1) and Adrestia (10-1) last year.