Royal Ascot: Experts’ Best Bets for the Festival
With the prestigious Royal Ascot festival just around the corner, we asked some of the industry’s leading pundits to share their best bets and top contenders for the week’s marquee races.
Believing, trained by George Boughey, is our team’s top pick for the opening day’s feature event. This talented filly was highly impressive when dropping back to sprint distances last time out, and she looks primed to take the step up in class and challenge for the Group 1 crown.
Fran Berry is sweet on the chances of Highbury in the Queen’s Vase. This Galileo colt was dominant in his maiden victory at Leopardstown, and the step up to a mile and six furlongs should play to his strengths. Berry believes Highbury can improve further and could even be a dark horse for the Irish Derby later in the season.
For the opening day’s Queen Anne Stakes, Rory Delargy is siding with Charyn, who ran Audience close in the Lockinge. With questions surrounding some of the other leading contenders, Delargy feels Charyn has an excellent chance of taking the Group 1 prize.
Trainer Simon Holt is hopeful that his exciting juvenile Shadow Army can secure victory in a competitive renewal of the Coventry Stakes. Holt has long held this colt in high regard, and after an impressive debut win at York, he believes Shadow Army can rise to the challenge of Royal Ascot.
Finally, Donn McClean has identified Ocean Jewel as an intriguing outsider in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes on Ladies’ Day. The Willie McCreery-trained filly was unlucky last time out and could be primed to provide a big performance at generous odds.
“With a stellar cast of equine talent and top-class jockeys and trainers set to descend on Berkshire next week, the stage is set for another captivating edition of the Royal Ascot festival. Be sure to follow all the latest news and updates from this historic meeting.”
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