Royal Ascot Tips: Frankie Dettori Each-Way Lucky 15 featuring Stradivarius

I’m backing STRADIVARIUS to create history by winning a fourth Gold Cup; he might be eight years old, but he retains his enthusiasm for the game and the admirable gelding returned to action this year with a win in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup and that will have him spot-on for today.

Stradivarius loves Ascot with six wins from 11 rides, but the key factor which I feel gives him a real chance is the good to firm going that he loves winning 11 from 13 starts.

Aiden O’Brien always targets one in this race and his Kyprios, a one-time Derby hopeful last year, has been installed favourite after a bloodless victory. However, he is unproven at Ascot and more importantly the 2-mile 4F trip.

Frankie Dettori will be desperate to make amends for a defeat in last year’s race where he gave Stradivarius an uncharacteristically bad ride, racing too far off the pace, then getting stuck in a pocket at a critical point when the leader quicken losing all chance.

I think Frankie will have Stradivarius much more prominent and will quicken past his rival to make history. I’m sure we will see wild celebrations from the crowd and probably tears from an emotional Frankie. We have to be on!

This three-year-old handicap over the straight mile is always hugely competitive, but I think SAGA stands out, and Frankie can deliver a winner for the Queen at her Royal meeting.

Saga has only won once from five attempts but has been unlucky to walk into proper Group 1 performers on three of his starts.

He chased home Modern Times on his debut who went on to win at the Breeders Cup. On his second start, he bumped into Corebus who went on to win the 2000 Guineas, with the pair well clear of a good field.

Saga chased home Maljoon on his reappearance, who has subsequently won a Group 2 in commanding fashion and is now a live contender for the St James Palace Group 1 at the Royal meeting. 

Last time out Saga disappointed for the first time when he went off a short-priced favourite for a seven-furlong Ascot handicap, off a mark of 98.

We have to excuse that run, but this was surely a prep for a tilt at the Royal meeting, and he gets in here off a handy-looking mark of 97 and the step back up to a mile is sure to suit.

Saga certainly looks like a Group class horse, so we have to get involved at enticing odds of 16/1.

The Rothschild banking dynasty has close links to the Queen and enjoyed many Royal Ascot victories over the years, and these have come from just a select few runners.

These victories usually come in Group races, but they have a rare handicap runner in STOWELL, who could have chanced his arm in a Group contest, but John Gosden has gone for an easier option in this 1m 6F staying handicap, and this shrewd piece of placement should see him go close.

Stowell is an unexposed four-year-old with only six runs and has shown himself to be smart with a staying-on third of 13 in the Queens Vase Group 2 at last year’s Royal Ascot meeting.

That shows he acts well around Ascot and just a replication of that run would probably be enough to win this. He has Cleveland, the Chester Cup horse to overcome, but this is a completely different test to Chester, and Stowell’s course form gives him the upper hand.

His odds of 6/1 look more than a little generous.

The last leg of our Lucky 15 is another John Gosden runner, this time a lightly raced Godolphin four-year-old. He won well on the all-weather last time out, in what looked like a red hot heat.

That day TRAWLERMAN did a lot wrong, getting stuck out three-wide around the Lingfield’s sharp bends and did remarkably well to outbattle U.S.S Michigan, with the pair pulling well clear.

Both look Group class and with Trawlerman previously hosing up on good to firm we know the prevailing fast ground will suit. Trawlerman was only raised 5lb for that decent last time-out victory and consequently looks well treated off 98.

The 8/1 looks big for his chance.