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Queenstown could be a cut above if seeing out the trip
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Fortunes to change for the better for Ronaldo and Lukaku
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Back Mike's Royal Ascot & Euro 2024 treble at around 16/117.00
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Bet safely at Royal Ascot & Euro 2024 - read more here
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Ryan Moore Superboost
It's been a great week for Ryan Moore at Royal Ascot as he surpassed Frankie Dettori as the winning most jockey at the Royal meeting among those still riding as well as bagging some big-race victories.
Ryan has another strong book of rides today including one on last year's St Leger winner Continuous in the 15:05, and if you fancy the combination to finish in the top two in that race then you can back it now at 1/12.00, boosted from 4/71.57!
Back Ryan Moore & Continuous to finish Top 2 in the 15:05 Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot - 18:15
The final race of the meeting, the longest race of the meeting, and I wouldn't fall short of saying, potentially, one of the best bets of the meeting. Queenstown is the horse in questions, and it's really difficult to envisage him not being involved in the Queen Alexandra Stakes if putting his best foot forward.
Of course, there are a few question marks, not least the trip and ground, which normally would send alarm bells ringing when putting up a horse to win a conditions race at Royal Ascot. But you can look at it two ways. One being he's too short a price for a horse that isn't proven at the distance and has never encountered quickish ground. The other being that if you're confident he'll get the trip and act on the surface, then surely he'd be a 7/42.75 shot and not 7/24.50.
You'd have to think that Trueshan - withdrawn from the Gold Cup because of the Good to Firm ground on Thursday - won't take his chance here, which just leaves the 111-rated Tashkhan higher than Queenstown on official ratings, but with the Aidan O'Brien 4yo being very lightly raced, it's easy to envisage him producing a career-best performance here.
Twice runner-up to multiple Group 1 and Thursday's Ascot Gold Cup winner Kyprios in his last two starts, Queenstown is likely to be mixing it with his stablemate and other top class stayers in Group 1 company sooner rather than later if seeing out Saturday's 2m5f trip.
He's officially rated 2lb better than last year's winner of this race Dawn Rising - a horse he's beaten comprehensively twice already this season over shorter trips - but receives 4lbs here, so given he's so lightly raced and open to stacks of improvement over longer distances, I'd be very surprised if he doesn't go very close to winning this if seeing out the trip.
Turkey v Portugal (17:00) & Belgium v Romania (20:00)
It was a case of close but no cigar for Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku goalscorer backers in matchday one, as both could, and in Lukaku's case most definitely should, have gotten on the scoresheet.
Ronaldo did everything but score against the Czech Republic, registering five shots at goal, three of which were on target, as well as hitting the woodwork. He looks in fine form and it really does just seem a matter of time before he finds the back of the net.
Turkey were excellent in a thrilling win over Georgia, but they offered up so many chances in an end-to-end game and if they play a similar style on Saturday then it's hard to see Ronaldo not getting his first goal of the tournament.
Let's be honest, Lukaku really should be on the scoresheet already. He scored twice against Slovakia; one being correctly ruled out for a marginal offside, the the other bizarrely being disallowed for what was deemed a deliberate handball - it wasn't! - in the build-up. On top of those two disallowed goals he had a further three shots with two of those being on target. He really could have had a hat-trick on the day.
Romania surprised everyone with a 3-0 win over Ukraine in their first game, but can they be as good again against a Belgium team that really needs to go all out for the win? I'm not so sure, and if Roberto Martinez's men create as many chances for Lukaku as they did in their opening game then I fancy the striker to get his first goal of the tournament.
Back Queenstown to win 18:15 RA & both Ronaldo (v Turkey) & Lukaku (v Romania) to Score Anytime
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