Royal Ascot returns this week, with the five-day carnival kicking off on Tuesday night (Australian time) and a high-class opening card ready to go.
Day 1 features three Group 1 contests, headlined by the St James’s Palace Stakes where unbeaten colt Bow Echo looks to extend his perfect record against a strong field.
The King Charles III Stakes also has a clear Australian flavour, with Asfoora back down the straight and joined by Bjorn Baker’s tough sprinter Overpass.
Check out our best bets for Royal Ascot Day 1 below!
NOTABLE SPEECH (6) finished 2.35 lengths fourth in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes last year but returns in much better form.
The Charles Appleby-trained entire was brilliant last start in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes where he let down powerfully after checking off heels to win by two lengths.
He’s a five-time Group 1 winner and loves this distance having won 10 from 19 starts.
A lack of speed cost him the race last year, but this year’s edition has enough pace to let him produce his best and I expect him to be hard to beat.
| 6. Notable Speech (1) J: William Buick 58kg 11×41T: C Appleby |
Aiden O’Brien has won the Group 2 Coventry Stakes twice in the past three years and once again has a strong hand with favourite Confucious and Great Barrier Reef.
I’m going with the undefeated GREAT BARRIER REEF (10) who was awesome on debut at Curragh, producing a devastating turn of foot to blow his rivals away by six lengths.
He stepped up to this distance last start in the Group 3 Kilkea Castle Marble Hill Stakes and again let down powerfully to win by 1.25 lengths.
Currently at each way odds, he looks a great play.
| 10. Great Barrier Reef (2) J: Wayne Lordan 58.5kg 11T: Aidan O’brien |
It may be national pride, but OVERPASS (9) looks well placed to continue Australia’s tremendous record in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes.
The Bjorn Baker-trained gelding tuned up nicely at Royal Ascot recently and does his best work fresh having finished in the quinella in eight of 11 first-up races.
He was last seen finishing 2.12 lengths fourth in the Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes on a track that was too wet for his liking.
While it was four years ago, he’s no stranger to straight racing having won the Inglis Sprint at Flemington.
The multiple Group 1 winner will give a great sight on speed for Josh Parr.
| 9. Overpass (19) J: Joshua Parr 60.5kg 23x4xT: Bjorn Baker |
What an impressive animal BOW ECHO (1) is!
The George Boughey-trained colt could not have been more impressive last start when letting down powerfully to win the Group 1 2000 Guineas Stakes by 2.75 lengths with nearly six lengths back to third.
Gstaad was second that day and has since won the Group 1 Irish 2,000 Guineas by three lengths to frank the form.
That was his fourth win from as many starts and reports suggest he has plenty more to come which doesn’t bode well for his rivals from last start.
He should get the run of the race and prove hard to hold out.
| 1. Bow Echo (2) J: Billy Loughnane 58kg 111×1T: George Boughey |