Royal Ascot Betting: Yeats leads the Gold Cup charge

Royal Ascot / Andrew Hughes / 18 June 2008 / Leave a Comment

Andrew Hughes leads you through the third day of Royal Ascot action

Anachronistic, undemocratic, expensive and sometimes downright silly. Yes, you could argue that the monarchy is all of these things. But in this week of all weeks, I would argue that the implications of abolition would be appalling for racing fans. Just pause for a moment and imagine logging on to Betfair to place your bets for Republican Ascot. Who do you fancy in the Tony Blair Stakes or the Gordon Brown Gold Cup? What about the favourite for the David Beckham Heritage Handicap? Hardly bears thinking about does it.


2:30 - Norfolk Stakes

A blistering five-furlong sprint down the straight course, this race was once run over a furlong shorter and has lost none of its frenetic character. A Group race for precocious two-year-olds with sprinting pedigrees, the betting action is likely to be as fast and furious as the race itself.

3:05 - Ribblesdale Stakes

The first of a clutch of races for three-year-olds today, this mile-and-a-half contest for fillies is one of the trickier puzzles to solve this week. Unexposed types who were lightly raced last year are worth looking out for and the stiff 12-furlongs places a high demand on stamina, though not quite as much as the next one on the card.

3:45 - Ascot Gold Cup

This wonderful old race is perhaps the most popular Group One of the week. Winners need to display a rare blend of pace and endurance and if you're looking for clues, the Henry II Stakes at Sandown and the Yorkshire Cup may help. Dual winner Yeats is bidding to be only the second horse in history to win a hat trick of Gold Cups and, currently available at [2.62] he is sure to be a popular betting vehicle come race time. But in a typically competitive renewal, the French raider Coastal Path has strong claims and you can back the unbeaten four year old at [3.45]

4:20 - Brittannia Stakes

A straight mile handicap confined to three-year-old colts and geldings, it is the younger brother of the Royal Hunt Cup and almost as popular, easily the most competitive age-restricted handicap of the season. Featuring a big field packed with lightly raced types, many of them laid out with this prize in mind, it is a race for gambles and whispers and an intriguing betting proposition.

4:55 - Hampton Court Stakes

A Listed ten-furlong contest added to the meeting in 2002. Usually targeted by the top stables with some of their unexposed three year olds and as a result, those with an understanding of how these stables operate can strike gold.

5:30 - King George V Stakes

A big field 12-furlong handicap to close the day and another interesting challenge for punters to rise to. The key here will be to gauge just how progressive each of these three-year-olds are and to spot which ones have been aimed at this race. The Gosden and Johnston stables have good records in this contest.