Royal Ascot Day One Tips from Timeform: Notable Speech hard to beat

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Timeform highlight three best bets on day one of 2024 Royal Ascot

Andrew Asquith outlines the Timeform view on day one of Royal Ascot on Tuesday...


Day One Royal Ascot 2024 Superboost

2024 Royal Ascot is finally here! And with Betfair we have some great value on offer for the opening day on Tuesday!

Betfair ambassador Ryan Moore has a great chance on Henry Longfellow in the St James's Palace Stakes at 16:25 today, and if you fancy the horse to run well you can back it at the super-boosted price of 1/12.00 from 1/41.25 to finish in the top four today.


Notable Speech a standout on form

This looks an excellent renewal of the St James's Palace Stakes - arguably the best race of the week - featuring the British, Irish and French 2000 Guineas winners.

Notable Speech only made his debut in January, but has reportedly always been held in high regard, and he easily won his first three starts on the all-weather before taking his form to new heights when completing a four-timer at Newmarket last month, beating the reopposing and subsequent Irish Guineas winner Rosallion by one and a half lengths.

He was very impressive that day, overcoming adverse circumstances, and displaying a lethal turn of foot to make up plenty of ground. Notable Speech was going away at the line, too, looking to possess a potent combination of stamina and speed, and his Timeform weight-adjusted rating of 137p, marks him out as potentially top class.

He is strongly expected to come out on top once more and confirm himself the best three-year-old miler around.


Belloccio potentially very well handicapped

Belloccio was a smart performer for David Menuisier, particularly on the all-weather, winning a couple of handicaps and a listed event at up to a mile and a half at Kempton in 2022, and he has several notable efforts to his name last year, too.

He has since switched to Willie Mullins and could hardly have been more impressive when making a winning start in a maiden hurdle over two miles at Punchestown last month, his jumping not always fluent on his hurdling debut, but really taking the eye with how he travelled and powered away under a hand ride.

Belloccio returns to the Flat now in a race in which Willie Mullins won 12 months ago with Vauban, who proved himself incredibly well handicapped, and a similar scenario could unfold here. He is just 2lb higher than when last successful in a handicap and is totally unexposed at this trip.

On Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, his mark of 122 is at least 5lb clear of his rivals, and he looks a very interesting contender.


Catalyse can build on promising debut

Wathnan Racing are set to be very well represented at Royal Ascot this week, especially in two-year-old races - they have invested heavily - and Catalyse, a £300,000 at the breeze-ups earlier this year, looks an exciting prospect.

He's from a good family and was well supported when making a winning debut at Hamilton earlier this month, impressing with the manner in which he put the race to bed when asked to quicken entering the final furlong, never giving his supporters much to worry about.

That form hasn't been tested yet, while the timefigure wasn't great, but Richard Fahey is enjoying a good season with his two-year-olds, and he looks a sure-fire improver. Obviously, he will need to raise his game further now moving up in class, but he looks fairly priced at 11/1 in a wide-open renewal of the Coventry and brings plenty of potential to the table.


Now read Tony Calvin's best bets for day one of Royal Ascot


Listen to Racing Only Bettor's 2024 Royal Ascot Day One Preview...


Now read Euro 2024 Day Five Cheat Sheet: Best Tips, free bets, podcasts and more


Recommended bets

Back Notable Speech in the 16:25 at Royal Ascot @ 6/52.20

Back Belloccio in the 18:15 at Royal Ascot @ 7/24.50

Back Catalyse in the 15:05 at Royal Ascot @ 11/112.00

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