Royal Ascot Tips for Saturday: Mind how you go in the opener

• Irish have a strong hand in the Chesham

• Thunderbear could surprise in the Jersey @ 38.037/1

• Bank on Stratum for a Queen Alexandra hat-trick

Not the easiest of days and I don't mind admitting that I changed my each-way and lay selections several times.

There's a lot to be said for sticking with your original thought but I haven't!

Royal Ascot - 14:30 - Lay Golden Mind for a place

My place lay is in the opening Chesham Stakes for two-year-olds at 14:30.

It's over seven furlongs, and given it is mid-June, less than half have run over the trip.

Last year's winner Holloway Boy was the only one making his debut and the first newcomer to win at the Royal Meeting since 1996.

Aidan O'Brien has a solid record in the Chesham, winning four of the seven runnings since his Ballydoyle was beaten a short head in 2015.

Ryan Moore was on all five - the winners and Ballydoyle - and is on the O'Brien favourite Pearls And Rubies, a winner of a Navan maiden over the minimum trip this month.

Giving a seven-furlong filly a debut over five two weeks before Royal Ascot is unusual, but who am I to question Ireland's top trainer. She is obviously a classy work-in-progress.

Wayne Lordan is on the favourite's stablemate, Content. She made her debut over seven, finishing well to take third - a nose and a head behind O'Brien's Buttons and the Ger Lyons-trained Serious Notions.

Buttons and Content are in the same ownership and I'd expect Content to go close with that run under her belt.

The other Irish filly I like is Snellen, a winning favourite in a fast time on her debut at Limerick. Gavin Cromwell's runner has a pedigree full of winning Group 3 and Listed horses, so is not out of place in this line-up.

With Richard Hannon's La Guarida having the best form over six of the English runners, I'm putting Golden Mind up as a place lay @ up to 4.03/1.

Richard Fahey's two-year-old has a decent pedigree but hasn't looked like a Royal Ascot winner so far. He was beaten in a five-furlong maiden at Hamilton and only poked his nose in front in the shadow of the post over six at Leicester.

The second, third, and fourth have failed to win since; the runner-up, Fusterlandia, was tailed off here in the Windsor Castle on Wednesday.

On balance, Golden Mind looks a safe lay, despite his trainer expecting him to come into his own over the extra furlong.

Were I to lay one of the four short-priced favourites on the card - Pearls And Rubies 3.39/4 at 14:30, Covey 3.711/4 at 15:05, Hukum 3.259/4 at 16:20; and Stratum 3.412/5 at 18:10 - it would be Hukum.

All of them are in form, but I just feel Hukum's best races may be behind him.

Broome won the Hardwicke as a six-year-old 12 months ago, but he was the first that age to win it since 2007. Thirteen of the last 15 winners have been four-year-olds, so Hukum will maybe need to be at his best if he is to win.

Royal Ascot - 15:05 - Back Thunderbear

My each-way pick was going to be Theme Park in the Golden Gates Handicap at 17:35. Unfortunately he did not make the cut, as a reserve, and so I've had to look for an alternative.

One that seems a value price is Thunderbear in the Jersey at 15:05.

He didn't see out seven furlongs as a two-year-old but has looked worth another try - both when winning over six at Nottingham and when a length and a half behind The Antarctic in a Group 3 sprint last time at Naas.

The Antarctic picks up a 3lb penalty for that success and is 6.353/10.

Thunderbear, who will presumably come late on the scene under Jamie Spencer, is 38.037/1.

That's a hell of a difference for a length and a half, so Thunderbear looks worth an interest at the price.

Royal Ascot - 18:10 - Trade Stratum back-to-lay

The Queen Alexandra Stakes at 18:10 is a race I've always liked.

It is the longest Flat race on this side of the Channel. Even on good to firm two miles, five and a half furlongs takes some getting.

The favourite, unsurprisingly, is Stratum 3.412/5, the winner of the race for the last two years.

Falcon Eight - ninth in 2021 and fourth last year - is back again.

Run For Oscar landed a gamble in last year's Cesarewitch, so we know he stays two miles, two. He's had a run-out at the Curragh over 12 furlongs to sharpen him up, so is likely to be placed.

Dawn Rising finished ahead of Stratum in the Group 3 Levmoss Stakes over a mile and six at Leopardstown last month. Joseph O'Brien and Willie Mullins were using the race to prep their horses for this stamina test, so all we can glean is that both are in good shape.

An Irish 1-2-3 is very much on the cards, and Stratum is unlikely to be longer than his BSP at any point unless William Buick meets trouble in running.

Having won this twice, Stratum is likely to trade at 1.51/2 in the straight - win or lose - so take what you can get around 3.412/5.

Racing... Only Bettor Royal Ascot Day 5. Watch now.