Steve Ryder has picked four best bets for today's racing action at Royal Ascot Day 1.
2:30 Ascot
TIP 1: DOCKLANDS - 0.5pt EW
Best odds of 15/2 at Boyle Sports while publishing.
This looks an open renewal of the Queen Anne Stakes but the solid each way option with four places available is DOCKLANDS (best priced at 15/2). The Harry Eustace trained six-year-old has a superb record at this meeting with a win in the Britannia Handicap in 2023, a 2 nd in this race in 2024 and a victory in this race last year when the reopposing Notable Speech was back in 4th.
Docklands made a winning reappearance under a penalty in the listed Doncaster Mile Stakes before a close 3 rd in the Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin. The return to this course and distance will suit and it will be disappointing if he finishes out of the first four.
3:40 Ascot
TIP 2: NIGHT RAIDER - 1pt Win
Best odds of 8/1 at 888sport while publishing.
The Karl Burke trained NIGHT RAIDER (best priced at 8/1) is unbeaten in his two starts this season since
being gelded and he can record a first Group 1 success of his career. The five-year-old made all in the
Palace House Stakes at Newmarket when he beat Rumstar by ½ length before showing he is tactically
versatile in the Temple Stakes when beating American Affair by a length despite being ridden from the
rear of the field.
The majority of the pace and fancied runners are drawn high in this race whereas Night Raider is drawn in
Stall 6 but he should have another prominent runner on that side with Frost At Dawn drawn in Stall 3.
Kwiff
5:35 Ascot
TIP 3: GHOSTWRITER - 0.5pt EW
Best odds of 9/1 at Coral while publishing.
Amo Racing bought GHOSTWRITER (best priced at 9/1) prior to this meeting last season for £2 million
before finishing a close 3 rd behind Rebel’s Romance in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes over 1m4f. As a
result of him not winning a race since September 2023, the five-year-old runs here unpenalised in this
listed race and gets to run off level weights against lesser rated rivals.
Ghostwriter had finished 3 rd behind City Of Troy in both the Group 1 Eclipse and Juddmonte International
two seasons ago over this 1m2f trip and a return to that form will make him extremely hard to beat. His
Ascot form is strong and he can reward the patience of connections to run here first time out.
6:10 Ascot
TIP 4: Valiancy - 1pt
Best odds of 9/4 at William Hill while publishing.
A Group level performer is usually required to win the Copper Horse Handicap and it would come as no
surprise if the William Haggas trained VALIANCY (best priced at 9/4) was running in the Ascot Gold Cup
next season. The four-year-old has progressed with each of his career starts and made a hugely eyecatching reappearance at Hamilton when managing to still win despite not getting a clear run that
day.
The handicapper unfortunately didn’t miss the run either though as he has raised the gelding 8lbs for that
1 ¼ length success but he is well drawn to get a good position from Stall 14 and could still have up to
10lbs in hand off his current rating.
