Royal Ascot 2023 Racecards & Betting Tips
The 2023 Royal Ascot meeting promises to be something special, especially when you consider that spectators will be able to attend the five-day meeting which is like no other. After the COVID-19 pandemic prevented racegoers from attending the 2020 renewal, Ascot Racecourse will open its doors to the public.
Day One – Tuesday 15 June
There are three notable Day One races in the form of the Queen Anne Stakes, King’s Stand Stakes and St James’s Palace Stakes, with the former being the traditional curtain-raiser and Palace Pier looks like a viable favourite, with Lope Y Fernandez and Love the leading Aidan O’Brien fancies.
Meanwhile, the King’s Stand Stakes looks a wide open encounter, although many punters will want to back Battaash for the spoils, even if he has strong competition in the form of Glass Slippers, Oxted and Starman.
The St James’s Palace Stakes is packed with quality horses as the runners compete over one mile, with Master Of The Seas and Poetic Flare trading at 3/1 joint-favourites, with Lucky Vega a viable alternative.
Day Two – Wednesday 16 June
The Prince of Wales’s Stakes dominates the landscape when it comes to the Wednesday on the Royal Ascot racecard, with Lord North running for John Gosden who is no stranger to triumphing at this meeting, with Love potentially running after enjoying three straight victories last season.
Day Three – Thursday 17 June
The Royal Ascot Gold Cup takes centre stage on Day Three of the 2021 Royal Ascot racecard and the legendary Stradivarius is bidding to claim yet another win in a race which is run over a distance of two miles and four furlongs.
Stradivarius is now aged seven and will hope to get the better of Sir Ron Priestley who runs for trainer Mark Johnston and there’s a chance that the five-year-old is open to big improvement, while the same can be said of Subjectivist.
Day Four – Friday 18 June
We’ve got the Commonwealth Cup and the Coronation Stakes on Day Four of the 2021 Royal Ascot meeting, with the former being run over six furlongs and the horse racing betting sites make Campanelle the market favourite to win, with the Wesley Ward raider likely to be the one to beat.
The Coronation Stakes is a one-mile Group One encounter which has an Aidan O’Brien-trained charge heading the betting market and Mother Earth is bidding to follow up the 1000 Guineas victory with the filly previously finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Day Five – Saturday 19 June
The Diamond Jubilee Stakes takes centre stage on Day Five of the 2021 Royal Ascot meeting, with this being a six-furlong dash which forms part of the British Champions Series.
As always, we have a wide open betting market on this Royal Ascot racecard, with Starman heading the Diamond Jubilee Stakes odds and Ed Walker will hope to land a victory for the lesser-known trainers who appear at this meeting.
Dream Of Dreams is likely to run for trainer Sir Michael Stoute, with Glass Slippers and Naharr potentially lining up for a race which should cap what has been a successful 2021 Royal Ascot meeting.
Royal Ascot 2020 Racecards & Betting Tips
The 2020 Royal Ascot meeting might be a little different to normal due to the fact no racegoers will be in attendance for this prestigious sporting event, while the prize money is significantly lower due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the horse racing during the five days at Royal Ascot promises to be something special and we take a look at the key races for each day of the meeting.
Day One – Tuesday 16 June
We’re always excited about the Royal Ascot opener which is the QUEEN ANNE Stakes and it’s an opportunity to see Circus Maximus in action, with the horse trading as the favourite to claim victory in this Group 1 encounter.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained charge won the St James’s Palace Stakes last year and could take all the beating considering he bagged the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp last autumn before a creditable run in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
The KING’S STAND STAKES is another classy affair and BATTAASH is seeing plenty of money, having finished second in the same race last year when being beaten by Blue Point.
Battaash scored wins at Goodwood and York after that performance although he disappointed when slumping at Longchamp in the competitive Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines.
Day Two – Wednesday 17 June
The PRINCE OF WALES’S STAKES takes centre stage on Day Two of the 2020 Royal Ascot meeting, with Japan looking like the horse who will take all the beating.
The four-year-old triumphed in the King Edward VII Stakes last year at the Royal Ascot meeting and Aidan O’Brien is sure to have him in peak condition for this renewal.
Japan won the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris in Longchamp before scoring another victory in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York, although he wasn’t able to win in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe although fourth place was still decent.
Barney Roy could be the biggest danger, with the Charlie Appleby-trained charge having enjoyed the benefit of two victories at Meydan in early January, although those with longer memories might remember an underwhelming performance in the Queen Anne Stakes last year.
Day Three – Thursday 18 June
The ASCOT GOLD CUP is clearly among the most prestigious races at Royal Ascot, with this being a long distance race in Flat horse racing terms. Over a distance of two miles, three furlongs and 210 yards, it is a demanding test of stamina.
Stradivarius is bidding to make history in this year’s race by landing the Gold Cup for the third consecutive occasion. John Gosden clearly has a gem on his hands and we reckon that there’s no reason why we can’t see him crowed again.
He was given a warm-up run on 5 June where the horse finished third behind classy types such as Ghaiyyath and Anthony Van Dyck, with Frankie Dettori now likely to make sure he has a great race at the Royal meeting.
Day Four – Friday 19 June
We come to the penultimate day of the 2020 Royal Ascot meeting and the COMMONWEALTH CUP catches the eye, with Pierre Lapin currently trading as favourite and he’s likely to go off as market leader for this encounter.
The three-year-old hasn’t put a foot wrong thus far, although there have only been two performances, with Pierre Lapin winning a Novice Stakes’ race at Haydock Park before claiming the spoils in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.
Earthlight is second favourite with most bookmakers and the Godolphin horse has won five races on the bounce, with the Group 1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes the latest encounter where the horse shone.
Day Five – Saturday 20 June
We could be in for a treat on the final day of Royal Ascot 2020 due to Wichita and Pinatubo clashing in the ST JAMES’S PALACE STAKES. The bookies are struggling to split the pair who might well run at the meeting before this Saturday race.
Pinatubo was recently seen competing in the 2,000 Guineas where the Charlie Appleby-trained charge finished third although we might forgive that performance after a long lay-off.
Previously to this, the horse scored six consecutive wins between May and October last year, although Wichita also boasts a strong track record and recently finished second in the 2,000 Guineas.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained charge franked the form with Pinatubo after finishing third behind this horse in the Dewhurst Stakes last October and we’re in for an intriguing renewal.
Whilst National Hunt fans look forward to the Cheltenham Festival, those who prefer their racing without obstacles undoubtedly anticipate Royal Ascot with great excitement. This sensational meeting’s unparalleled history and pageantry, plus the sheer quality and quantity of the racing, mean for many racing betting fans it is the biggest and best five days of the entire year.
Picking the highlights and major races of Royal Ascot is no easy task, with so many top class contests featuring on the five daily cards. We’ll look at some of the key races in more detail but whichever race you want to bet on, from the eight Group Ones to the handicaps and everything else as well, our live racing odds comparison is the quickest way to make sure you get the best betting odds on all your picks.
Check out our odds comparison now, or read on for more information on this spectacular festival, as well as some strategic betting tips for landing winners in the biggest races at Royal Ascot.
Racing Highlights
Every day at Royal Ascot sees world class horses, trainers and jockeys do battle, with the huge purse for many of the races attracting stars from all over the world. Horses from the USA, Australia, Japan and Europe regularly join the large British and Irish contingents. Royal Ascot takes place in June, starting on a Tuesday before concluding on the Saturday of that week and below are just some of the best races it has to offer.
Royal Ascot Group One Races
There are 36 Group One Flat races on the British Horse Racing Authority’s schedule and eight, almost 25%, take place at the Royal Meeting. These eight races include those with great history, such as the Gold Cup (often called the Ascot Gold Cup), inaugurated in 1807, as well as much newer contests, such as the Commonwealth Cup, first run as recently as 2015. They also vary greatly in length, with the Gold Cup contested over a trying two and a half miles, whilst the King's Stand Stakes is over the minimum distance of five furlongs.One thing all of these races have in common though is that they have been won by legends of the sport. The likes of Cape Cross and Frankel (Queen Anne Stakes), Brigadier Gerard and Rock of Gibraltar (St James's Palace Stakes – another Royal Ascot race also won by the mighty Frankel), Ouija Board (Prince of Wales's Stakes), Yeats (Gold Cup) and Black Caviar (Diamond Jubilee Stakes) have all won the biggest prizes at Royal Ascot.
Many of these Royal Ascot Group One winning horses have gone on to become top sires and broodmares, further illustrating the value of a win at the biggest meeting of them all.
Other Group Class Races
- Coventry Stakes - Group 2, 6f
- Queen Mary Stakes - Group 2, 5f
- Duke of Cambridge Stakes - Group 2, 1m
- Norfolk Stakes - Group 2, 5f
- Ribblesdale Stakes - Group 2, 1m4f
- King Edward VII Stakes Group 2, 1m4f
- Queen's Vase - Group 2, 1m6f
- Hardwicke Stakes - Group 2, 1m4f
- Hampton Court Stakes - Group 3, 1m2f
- Jersey Stakes - Group 3, 7f
- Albany Stakes - Group 3, 6f
Whilst these Group 2 and Group 3 contests don’t quite carry the same prestige, glory or prize money of the eight Group 1s, on any other card they would still be viewed as major races. For those that love horse racing betting these are serious highlights and such contests have been won by genuine equine stars such as 1971 Derby and Arc hero Mill Reef, 2000 Guineas victor Dawn Approach and many more.Betting Strategies and Tips for Royal Ascot
With so many different races at Ascot over a huge variety of distances conditions, no single strategy can be used as a guide to try and find winners at the Royal Meeting. As ever though, the single, simplest way to improve your chances of making a profit overall is to use our racing odds comparison. This means you can quickly get the best betting odds available on any horse at Royal Ascot and thus maximise your returns on any winners you pick out.
Another key tactic is to take advantage of the various betting offers that are virtually guaranteed to be available. Royal Ascot is one of the biggest weeks of the year for bookies and as they compete against each other you can be sure there will be various promotions available. These range from free bets when you join to cash back deals, enhanced each way terms and more and again are a great way to improve your overall profitability.
In general Ascot is a fair course, with no huge bias towards any style of runner or draw and in addition the going is rarely a major factor. The round course has a short run-in, so being well-placed is an advantage and that favours the more talented jockeys who can be relied on to get their positioning right.
As well as all the usual trends and statistics, with information availability going into overdrive for such a well-covered meeting, there are a couple more things to consider. First of all, it can often be worth going against the grain. Many punters based in the British Isles tend to favour UK and Irish horses and this can sometimes lead to value on the international contingent.
Similarly the likes of Frankie Dettori, Ryan Moore and other jockeys and trainers that are hugely popular with the public can tend to be over-backed, creating value odds and bets on their rivals.
Royal Ascot History
No other race meeting in the world can come close to the pomp, ceremony and history of Royal Ascot. A major feature of the British social season, Ascot features champagne aplenty, with chauffeur-driven limos and helicopters on standby to ferry the great and good to and from the course.
The Queen and other members of the Royal family make a more sedate entrance, with each day starting with the Royal procession and seeing the Queen or her stand-in arrive by horse-drawn carriage.
It was Queen Anne who noted that the Berkshire venue was perfect for “horses to gallop at full stretch” and back in 1711 she laid the foundations for Royal Ascot. Her Majesty’s Plate was created and whilst the inaugural Gold Cup wasn’t held until 1807, almost 100 years later, by the late 18th century Ascot’s fashion had already been determined, with top hats in the Royal Enclosure and white cravats de rigueur.
Ladies Day was created in 1823, with the convention of the Royal Procession starting two years later. The Royal Meeting continued to grow and develop more and more key traditions and is quite simply a must for any racing fan.
From 2004 the course saw a huge redevelopment that created some of the best racing facilities in the world. After £200m of work the Queen opened the course in 2006 and Ascot is now most truly fit for a King (or Queen!).
Royal Ascot FAQ
Royal Ascot tends to take place in the middle of June, with this five-day horse racing meeting stretching over a period of five days. The first day of Royal Ascot traditionally takes place on the Tuesday and the first race is generally the Queen Anne Stakes, with five consecutive days of horse racing then finishing up on the Saturday.
There are a large number of Group 1 races that comprise the Royal Ascot meeting, with the Queen Anne Stakes, the King’s Stand Stakes and the St James’s Palace Stakes the key highlights of Day 1. There is also the Prince of Wales’s Stakes on the Wednesday and the Gold Cup on the Thursday, while there is the Commonwealth Cup and Coronation Stakes on the Friday.
The Royal Ascot meeting takes place over five days and there’s the chance to bet on every race during this event. The leading bookmakers will often price up the races well in advance and there’s the chance to study the racecard. You need to have at least one registered betting account in order to bet on the Ascot horse racing and take the available odds.
Several of the leading betting sites offer customers the chance to not only place a bet on the Royal Ascot races but also access free live streaming. In order to do this, you need to have a funded account and place a bet on the race that you want to watch. This will qualify you to access live Royal Ascot streaming of the race in question.
Every horse racing bookmaker will aim to offer competitive odds when it comes to the Royal Ascot meeting and we recommend having a number of betting accounts so that you can compare the available prices. You should also look out for the bookie that is offering the biggest number of places when it comes to placing each-way bets.
There are an enormous number of races at Royal Ascot and it pays to be selective when it comes to the races where you are placing a bet. Many customers like to study the form before placing their Royal Ascot bets and you can determine the horses that have performed the best during the season so far. The betting odds will indicate the likelihood of the horse winning.
There are lots of bookies who will offer customers the chance to claim a Royal Ascot welcome bonus when you sign up, with punters usually required to register an account, make a deposit and place a first bet. There is sometimes the chance to get Royal Ascot money back should your first bet lose and there are some great promotions around.
There is the chance to either bet a horse to win or back a runner each-way at Royal Ascot, with the latter bet being popular when it comes to the races which have big fields. Betting each-way on horse racing means the chance to bet a horse to win and also place in a particular race, with the bookies sometimes paying out on four or five places.
Yes, many customers like to go through the Royal Ascot racecard and pick out a horse for the different races. They can then be placed in different multiple bets such as a double, treble or accumulator, with the odds of each selection being multiplied together. Some customers will place an each-way acca on Royal Ascot instead of a win accumulator.
The placepot is a popular bet at Royal Ascot and involves selecting horses to place on different races. You can choose any number of horses for each Ascot race and your bet stays alive if the runners end up placing. The return is dependent on how many winning tickets remain in the Placepot and it can be exciting way to bet on Royal Ascot.