20/6/2023 Horse Racing Tips and Best Bets – Royal Ascot, King’s Stand Stakes day

The iconic Royal Ascot Carnival for 2023 kicks off this Tuesday night Australian time, headlined by the Aussie duo of Coolangatta and Cannonball looking to continue the Australian domination of the King’s Stand Stakes (1000m).

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St James’s Palace Stakes 🏆: View the Field and Odds for the St James’s Palace Stakes

It’s hard to get away from 7 Modern Games (Bet Now:  $SP.00). He has become a proper star for Charlie Appleby and confirmed himself as #1 seed for me in the Lockinge at Newbury where he appreciated a fast speed early before coming with a well timed run and he gapped them late for a dominant win. The firm deck will likely mean those on speed will be advantaged, but it is hard to get away from him.

9 Native Trail (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is the key threat. He resumed in the Bet365 Mile at Newmarket, his first run since a Wind Op, and just looked in need of the run when finishing second. He was a top class juvenile but his form has somewhat tapered off for a little while but with upside/progression, and runs on the board, he has to be respected.

For wider exotics, I can certainly entertain 5 Light Infantry (Bet Now:  $SP.00). Aussies will know him well given he was luckless in the Golden Eagle. He has returned back to Europe and was a narrow second at Group l level at Longchamp last time after leading. Not sure he has the quality to beat the Godolphin pair, but he can fill a first four spot.

17 River Tiber (Bet Now:  $SP.00) looks a very good prospect for Aidan O’Brien. 2/2 to start his career, winning impressively on debut at Navan over 1100m before going to 1000m at Naas and despite coming back in trip, he was even more impressive and ran good time relative to the meeting. He’ll eat up 1200m at Ascot and stable love to target this juvenile races. Pretty keen on his prospects.

3 Asadna (Bet Now:  $SP.00) commands respect. He didn’t beat much on debut at Ripon, but that didn’t matter. It was the way he dispatched his rivals when asked to go by Buick and the way he went through his gears that was just so impressive, winning by a dozen lengths and running time. Buick sticks, which is a good lead, and is drawn to get clear air from the outset.

2 Army Ethos (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is in with a shout off his debut win at Ayr, where he won nicely over the 1200m under Hollie Doyle, leading all the way and showed good change up speed when asked for the big effort, winning by a few lengths. Time was nothing to jump up and down about but seemingly has a good racing style and will give cheek.

I am having a throw at the stumps in the shape of 9 Twilight Calls (Bet Now:  $SP.00), who ran second in this race last year to Nature Strip. He doesn’t have the best of racing patterns but with a stack of early speed engaged, he will sit off them and launch at them late. He ran down the straight at Haydock last time where he was quite tardy away and that sealed his fate, finishing down the track. He’ll be sitting off the red hot tempo and be one of the strongest at the end.

The heart in me says go on 10 Coolangatta (Bet Now:  $SP.00), spank them. The head says she’ll be gasping for air but she might just be too speedy for them. Dry track specialist so she gets conditions to suit and IMO, J Mac can’t try and restrain her. She is a fast horse. Let the fast horse be fast, and yes, she’ll be copping pressure, but she is just so brilliant when right and a recent piece of work at the track suggests she’s on track.

The race, as a whole, is quite thin, so while on paper, 2 Cannonball (Bet Now:  $SP.00) isn’t up to these, if you break down the form of others, he is actually right in the mix. He was a dynamic winner of the McCarten before a gutsy third in The Galaxy behind Mariamia, who of course ran so well in the TJ Smith. His work has been good, his trial work has been strong and he’ll have no issue with a fast run 1000m.

I think the rise and rise of 8 Paddington (Bet Now:  $SP.00) will continue with a big race win here. His win in the Irish 2000 Guineas something else. He made an absolute mess of them, making it three wins on the bounce and the way he went clear late under Ryan Moore was something else. He’s heading in the right direction and has the potential to be world class. I think with continual upside/progression, he wins.

1 Chaldean (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is the one with the runs on the board given his win at Newmarket in the 2000 Guineas. The ground was quite testing and shifty but he handled it best and class came to the fore in a strong display. Clearly more depth here but I think he’ll appreciate firmer footing and given the form around him from last season, he has to be respected.

If you like 9 Chaldean (Bet Now:  $SP.00), you have to give respect to Royal Scotsman. He has come close to beating Chaldean on a couple of occasions. He was a $2.50 favourite in the Irish 2000 Guineas but he was a beaten horse a long way out and clearly wasn’t 100% when down the track behind Paddington. His absolute best is good enough to take this out.

Since 2012, Willie Mullins has won this race on four occasions and I think he’ll make it five with 5 Bring On The Night (Bet Now:  $SP.00), who ran a narrow second in this race last year and hasn’t been seen since. That day he finished off his race strongly but just missed out on the win when second to Coltrane, who has now become one of the best stayers in the UK and will go around in the Gold Cup as favourite later in the week. That form clearly reads well and Ryan Moore sticks.

15 Novel Legend (Bet Now:  $SP.00) should have no issue with 4000m. He ran over 3700m at Chester last time out where he got back in the run and while he was never a winning threat, I did like the way he found the line late in the piece to run second. He has drawn inside so you’d like to think he can settle much closer in the run and that would be ideal given if he goes back, he will have a lot of tired horses to get past.

11 Zoffee (Bet Now:  $SP.00), from a price angle, is one that can be entertained. He ran over the same track/distance the same meeting as Novel Legend in a different race and ran second in his respective race, with the overall time being significantly quicker after being near the speed throughout. The end of 4000m is a slight query, but out of trouble near the front, he’ll give himself every chance.

14 Saga (Bet Now:  $SP.00) has the 1800m run under the belt, which should hold him in good stead for this assignment. That run came at Newmarket where he had a good run in transit behind the speed under Frankie before edging into clear air and he found the line strongly when second. He’ll be stronger than most at the end. Just doesn’t want to give away too much head start.

9 Francesco Clemente (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is the key threat. Stablemate of Saga that resumed over this trip at Goodwood where he looked the winner the way he trucked into it under Havlin but being first up since July last year, condition just gave way when a narrow second to King Of Conquest. He showed really good promise when last in work and with upside to come, rates highly.

3 King Of Conquest (Bet Now:  $SP.00) does have to be respected. He won the race mentioned above at Goodwood and I thought the win had plenty of merit to it. He was there to be run down by Francesco Clemente but he found plenty under pressure to fend them off and was quite strong to the line in winning. Tricky gate to overcome, but hard to knock the way he’s racing.

4 Point King (Bet Now:  $SP.00) is a horse I have had tabs on for 6-12 months as a potential Melbourne Cup candidate and I reckon with a win here, he can go a long way towards booking a plane ticket. He resumed over this trip at Leopardstown and I thought found the line with real purpose when a narrow second. Better for the run under the belt and there is obvious intent with J Mac booked early for the ride. Happy to be in his corner.

7 Vauban (Bet Now:  $SP.00) has the Willie Mullins/Ryan Moore combination so he has to be respected. He is a very capable jumper that comes to the flat here after racing in Group l jumps races his past seven, winning three of them and generally around the mark, so he does have a bit of quality about him. The query is the firm deck. Will he handle it or does he need wet ground? Unsure, but given the trainer/jockey combo, he has to be given serious respect.

6 Aaddeey… (Bet Now:  $SP.00) why would you name a horse that, seriously. That aside, he is a horse that is showing promise. Changed stables to Archie Watson and had a wind op prior to resuming over 2400m at Ripon and I thought he was impressive, leading throughout and was quite strong to the line in winning. He has run well at the trip previously and with upside, he’s in with a shout.

BEST BET: Race Two Number 17 River Tiber

NEXT BEST: Race One Number 7 Modern Games

LONG SHOT: Race Three Number 9 Twilight Calls

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