Royal Ascot Tips: Four Ante-Post Picks from Steve Ryder

The likes of Sole Power (2013 & 2014), Goldream (2015) and Profitable (2016) all won the Kings Stand Stakes following a victory in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes earlier in the season and I am hoping that trend means KHAADEM (best priced at 25/1) can outrun his odds in the race this season. 

The Charlie Hills trained six-year-old was sold by the Shadwell operation earlier this year and he ran with credit on his two starts in Meydan having been gelded over the winter. 

Khaadem returned from a 71-day break to make nearly all of the running in the Palace House Stakes under a good ride from William Buick. 

He eventually won by a neck from Existent at the finish but it showed that this trip of 5f suits him better than 6f these days. He finished only 1 ¾ lengths behind Hello Youmzain in this race in 2020 so we know he handles the track and I think he can run well at a big price. 

The John & Thady Gosden trained STRADIVARIUS (best priced at 4/1) bids to equal Yeats’s record of four wins in the Ascot Gold Cup and the weather forecast looks sure to swing it in his favour.

The eight-year-old could only finish 4th in the race last season when bidding for four wins in a row in the race but he was denied a clear run rounding the bend meaning he lost crucial ground and momentum on the winner Subjectivist. 

Since that run, Stradivarius has bounced back to win at York and Doncaster before making a winning reappearance at York in the Yorkshire Cup when he managed to concede weight to the field. 

Trueshan beat the selection twice last season at Longchamp and on Champions Day at Ascot but those were on soft ground and the weather forecast looks dry for this upcoming week meaning the ground should be on the fast side of good. 

That should swing things in the favour of Stradivarius and I feel he will be well supported to beat the current favourite Kyprios who still needs to prove his stamina over further than 1m6f. 

It was understandable why connections of PERFECT POWER (best priced at 5/1) felt they had to run him in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket but he should be a lot better suited by the return to sprinting in this race. 

The Richard Fahey trained colt has won five of his eight career starts including the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Prix Morny at Deauville and the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket last season. 

The son of Ardad won the Group 3 Greenham Stakes over 7f on his reappearance at Newbury before weakening late on in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket to finish 7th beaten 6 ¼ lengths. 

This drop back in trip from a mile to 6f should suit him well; we know he handles the course and with an official rating of 115 he should prove hard to beat in this race.

Shadwell appeared to hold leading claims in this race with Coronation Cup winner Hukum but with that colt ruled out with injury I feel that AL AASY (best priced at 8/1) can take his place. 

The market is currently dominated by Hurricane Lane but he looks vulnerable on his reappearance at the prices and I much prefer the chances of Al Aasy who comes into the race following a reappearance win over this course and distance. 

The five-year-old had looked like a Group 1 winner in waiting last season but following a couple of below par efforts at Epsom and Newmarket the decision was taken to geld the son of Sea The Stars. 

He reappeared at Ascot in the listed Buckhounds Stakes following 203 days off the track where he defeated subsequent six length winner Third Realm easily by 4 ¼ lengths at the finish and he looks a solid each way selection in this race against the odds on favourite.