Royal Ascot Tips: Rhys Williams fancies 50/1 sprinter to spring a surprise on day one

• Can improve for hood coming off

• Strong pace to track

• Equality is overpriced at Royal Ascot

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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.

Royal Ascot - 15:45 - Back Equality

Equality has been very in and out so far this year but I think he's capable of running well at a big price in the King Charles III.

He was trapped wide with no cover and the ground was softer than ideal for him at Haydock last time when behind some of today's rivals and he ran no race on both starts at Meydan but he showed at Musselburgh that he has plenty of ability when winning a handicap off 105. He was drawn towards the middle of the track that day but showed enough speed to get across to be one off the near rail and was held off Arecibo late on.

Equality showed that he's capable of running well at Group 1 level when finishing a close sixth in the Nunthorpe last season despite being poorly positioned in the middle of the track and followed that up with another good run at that level when third in the Flying Five at the Curragh.

He's worn a hood in all bar one of his races since last season and that now comes off which I think is a positive as he is unlikely to need a hood to settle in behind the pace at this level and that could see him put in a stronger effort in the closing stages.

It might be that he will put in another of his below par runs but this looks a tough below par for a Group 1 contest and if Equality turns up at his best, I think he can spring a surprise. Any 20/121.00 or bigger appeals.

Royal Ascot - 15:45 - Back Rogue Lightning

Rogue Lightning was another of the beaten horses in the Temple. He was making his seasonal debut that day and the combination of that and the ground can be used to explain him not performing up to the level he achieved last year.

After being gelded and having a hood applied he racked up a hat trick of wins, including over C&D at the Shergar Cup, and I thought he did well to win at Doncaster considering the race didn't pan out ideally for him. However, it went even worse in the Abbaye when badly drawn and not getting a clear run, closing late without coming under maximum pressure to finish fifth.

I think the return to quick ground should suit him and he's another who is having the hood removed. It is a bit concerning that he was awkwardly away last time but as long as he gets a clean start I think he has a good chance to close late to victory and any 15/28.50 or bigger appeals.

Royal Ascot - 15:45 - Back Makarova

The final of my three selections in the race is Makarova who has blinkers applied for the first time.

She's not had a suitable test in her first two starts this season, not seeing out the trip over six furlongs at Newmarket and being poorly positioned when trying to catch front runner Ponntos at Longchamp last time.

She ran well when fourth in the Nunthorpe last year when not getting quite so far behind as can be the case and I think the first time blinkers could see her travel a bit better through the first half of the race.

It might be that she won't quite have the speed for this but the quick ground is in her favour and any 25/126.00 or bigger appeals.

Now read Kevin Blake's day one tips for Royal Ascot here

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