Royal Ascot Races 2024: Ultimate Betting Guide for tips at Royal Ascot

Royal Ascot is Britain’s premier Flat racing event with 35 races across five glorious days in the heart of Berkshire. The sport’s worldwide talent is expected to take to the hallowed turf next week and with the racing usually ultra-competitive, this list looks to help you through each day of the meeting.

Bet on Royal Ascot 2024 at William Hill 

Royal Ascot 2024 – Day 1: Opening Day 

Get ready for the most prestigious event in the horse racing calendar, Royal Ascot 2024! The Opening Day sets the stage for an incredible week of thrilling races and interesting betting opportunities.

Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes 

The opening race of the meeting takes place over the straight one-mile course and is open to four-year-olds or above.

In a race full of class, Inspiral, the current 3/1 favourite, is looking to bounce back from a disappointing season opener in the Lockinge and go one better than last year. A filly with a tonne of ability, that wasn’t her true running and you’d expect much better here.

She’s followed in the market by the Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval at 7/2, the pair have met before on soft ground at Goodwood, which was reported to have not suited Inspiral, hopefully it’ll be better ground this time around and we should have a fascinating contest to kick off Royal Ascot.

Queen Anne Stakes Odds & Betting at William Hill 

Group 1 King Charles III Stakes 

The first sprint contest for the older horses is the renamed Group 1 King Charles III over the flying five furlongs and is open to three-year-olds or above.

Big Evs, the 7/2 favourite, progressed through the sprinting ranks last year culminating in a Stateside success in the G1 Juvenile Turf Sprint at the Breeders’ Cup. A runaway winner of the Windsor Castle Stakes at last year’s Royal Ascot, Michael Appleby’s stable star reappeared this year winning a listed affair at York’s Dante meeting and arrives here with a very strong chance of securing his first English Group 1.

The only Group 1 winner in the field this year is Regional. Ed Bethell’s runner scooped the Haydock Sprint Cup at the back end of last season and is next in the market at 6/1 here.

Henry Dwyer’s Asfoora is the runner from down under this year, and it would be unwise to disregard the Australian sprinter. The Aussies have taken 5 of the last 19 editions of the race, most recently Nature Strip in 2022. A 15/2 shot here, he made his UK debut in the Group 2 Temple Stakes and boasts strong Australian group form, he is deserving of taking his chance here.

King Charles III Stakes Odds & Betting at William Hill 

Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes 

The final Group 1 of the day introduces the round course of Ascot for the first time during the meeting and is restricted to three-year-old colts over a mile.

The race was won last year by Aidan O’Brien’s Paddington following on from his Irish 2000 Guineas win at Newmarket, Richard Hannon’s Rosallion is looking to charter the same course after winning the Irish classic and is a 3/1 shot to do so.

Notable Speech is your 11/8 market leader following a smooth 2000 Guineas victory, where he had the beating of Rosallion. It was a very impressive performance from the unbeaten Godolphin colt, he could be very special and you have to be bullish about his chance here.

Recent Wathnan Racing purchase Haatem should go here and can be backed at 12/1. Another inmate of Richard Hannon’s, he has come forward as a 3-year-old, winning the Group 3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket and placing in the 2000 Guineas either side of the Irish sea.

St James’s Palace Stakes Odds & Betting at William Hill 

Betting Tips for Day 1 

Stay ahead of the competition with our expert betting tips for Day 1. We analyse the form, track conditions, jockey-trainer partnerships, and other crucial factors to provide you with the best insights and strategies for a successful betting experience.

1. Study the Form Guide 

The previous form a horse has coming into any race is vital as it shows how they have performed at certain times of the year or whether they are in good recent form. Horses come into and out of form regularly throughout the season, so it is important to check their form before selecting them for a race.

1. Consider Track Conditions 

Each course is different, and that is what makes them unique. One horse may love the flat nature of Kempton but despise the undulating trip of Epsom. Course form, whether that be good or bad, is a key factor in how a horse will act on a specific day and knowing which tracks a horse may like can help you find an edge in any race.

1. Examine Jockey-Trainer Partnerships 

As the age-old saying goes, ‘Trainers are creatures of habit’. Yards will have their stable jockeys that they go to for their regular rides but keep an eye out for trainer-jockey partnerships that have done well in the past.

Bet on Royal Ascot 2024 at William Hill 

Royal Ascot 2024 – Day 2: Ladies’ Day  

As the Royal Ascot Races 2023 continue, Day 2 brings the glamour and elegance of Ladies’ Day. This is a day not only for fantastic horse racing but also for showcasing stunning fashion and style.

Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes 

With a roll of honour that includes Love, Brigadier Gerard, and Dubai Millennium, the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, ran over a mile and two furlongs, is the centrepiece of Ladies’ Day at the Royal meeting. The John Gosden trained Mostahdaf won last year’s edition before following up in the Group 1 Juddmonte International at York.

2023 Derby winner Auguste Rodin arrives your 6/4 favourite for the contest. Aidan O’Brien’s colt is a five-time Group 1 winner and is without doubt the classiest horse in the field, however he isn’t averse to the occasional unexplainable drop in form. A beaten favourite in last year’s King George here, finishing 12th of 12, he arrives at Royal Ascot off the back of a loss in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh. A return to a sounder surface will help here and there is nobody better than the master Aidan O’Brien in returning a horse like Auguste Rodin back to form.

Auguste Rodin’s conqueror in the Tattersalls Gold Cup that day was White Birch, who is 2/1 second-favourite. The John Joseph Murphy runner broke his Group 1 duck there and elevated his form to a new level. It was taking the way he swept by Auguste Rodin that day, and he is a very strong alternative to the favourite here.

Prince Of Wales’s Stakes Odds & Betting at William Hills 

Betting Tips for Day 2 

1. Identify Classy Fillies 

There are numerous filly-only races during Royal Ascot. Fillies and mares require closer attention when looking at if they are in form based on recent runs, as they tend to go off the boil easier than colts/geldings.

1. Assess Jockey Form 

While horses and trainers may be in-form, the same applies to jockeys as well, as a confident jockey in the saddle is more likely to raise their game to a good level during a competitive race.

1. Evaluate Historical Trends 

Trainers, jockeys, owners, and even horses can all fit into the historical trends of races and although each race is different year-on-year, some contests seem to have stronger trends due to race conditions.

Bet on Royal Ascot 2024 at William Hill 

Royal Ascot 2024 – Day 3: Gold Cup Day 

Gold Cup Day at Royal Ascot Races 2024 is the pinnacle of the week. The world’s finest stayers battle it out in the legendary Gold Cup, providing an unparalleled spectacle for racing enthusiasts and bettors.

Group 1 Gold Cup 

The Gold Cup race offers immense prestige and is the ultimate staying test. The marquee event of Royal Ascot is steeped in racing heritage from Yeats’ four-timer to Estimate for Her Majesty The Queen, it promises to be a fascinating race with previous winners returning and a number of unexposed runners stepping up to the 2m4f trip for the first time.

The previous winner in the field is Kyprios who won the 2022 Ascot Gold Cup. The Aidan O’Brien trained runner is 4/5 favourite here, he missed the engagement in 2023 due to a joint infection which threatened him ever being seen on the track again. He returns here in good health, following two victories on Irish turf this season and will be tough to beat.

Seven of the last 10 winners of the Ascot Gold Cup have seen the 2m4f test be their first attempt at the trip, so it’s worth having a look at some of those stepping up to it for the first time.

2023’s winner Courage Mon Ami is an example of this, giving John and Thady Gosden their fourth Ascot Gold Cup success, the father and son partnership have three runners here in Gregory (6/1), Trawlerman (10/1) and Sweet William (16/1). All three runners are unexposed at the trip and must be considered for the Gosden’s who have been so successful in this race in the past.

Ascot Gold Cup Odds & Betting at William Hill 

Betting Tips for Day 3 

1. Analyse Stamina and Endurance 

Whether a horse will stay at an extended trip on the Flat (one mile four furlongs +) is determined by the pedigree of that horse. The sire’s influence on stamina has a part to play, for example, a horse by Galileo is more likely to stay further than a horse by Caravaggio.

1. Consider Recent Form 

Unique to the Gold Cup, there are no other Group-level races on the turf at the distance of two miles and four furlongs in the proceeding months of the season, so most of the competitors will have run at a maximum of two miles coming into the £600,000 contest. Therefore, depending on the above-discussed pedigree, horses are open to a good amount of improvement for the extra four furlongs.

1. Examine Trainer Success 

Although each race every year is different, historical trainer success crops up in all the major races, and sometimes it is beneficial to pay attention to these.

Bet on Royal Ascot 2024 at William Hill 

Royal Ascot 2024 – Day 4: Commonwealth Cup Stakes Day 

Day 4 of Royal Ascot Races 2024 introduces the prestigious Commonwealth Cup Stakes, showcasing the best three-year-old sprinters in action. This day promises fast-paced excitement and excellent betting prospects.

Group 1 Commonwealth Cup Stakes 

Ran over six furlongs for three-year-olds only, The Commonwealth Cup sees Guineas runners dropping in trip to face out-and-out sprinters. It offers a thrilling sprinting spectacle and fantastic betting opportunities.

2000 Guineas 6th Inisherin is 4/1 joint favourite here. He was entitled to take his chance in the Newmarket classic but the mile clearly wasn’t his bag at the top level. Dropping back to six furlongs for the first time, he routed the Group 2 Sandy Lane stakes at Haydock knocking aside the Group 1 six furlong winning sprinter Vandeek in the process. He still needs supplementing for the race, if he takes his chance as he should, he will be hard to beat here.

The aforementioned Vandeek is 4/1 joint-favourite for the Commonwealth Cup, despite defeat on seasonal reappearance in the Sandy Lane. A dual Group 1 winner at six furlongs aged two, he arguably bumped into a much fresher rival in Inisherin on his most recent run and should strip fitter for that. If rediscovering the form from his two-year-old campaign, providing both at the top of the market take their chance, this will be a cracking renewal.

Winning the Group 3 Commonwealth Cup trial on his first start of the season, Jasour for Clive Cox might have gone under the radar at 9/1. He looked to have strengthened up considerably over the winter and is a player here.

Commonwealth Cup Odds & Betting at William Hill 

Group 1 Coronation Stakes 

The final Group 1 of Day 4 is the Coronation Stakes over one mile and is open to three-year-old fillies. The race sees the best of the Irish and English 1000 Guineas runners take each other on and promises to teach us more about the relative form of both classics.

The market seems to prefer the form of the Irish 1000 Guineas, with 9/4 favourite Opera Singer and 4/1 second-favourite Fallen Angel both part of the top three home in the Curragh classic. Aidan O’Brien’s Opera Singer (9/4) was third that day but it was a strangely run race. The winner was gifted a soft lead, and Opera Singer ran a smashing race in the circumstances, this will have her spot on for Royal Ascot. Despite that, Fallen Angel, who’s next in the market at 4/1, could do no more than she did in winning the race and the rematch will be interesting to see.

The two of them won’t have it all their own way and have to face the best of the English 1000 Guineas here. The shock winner of the race at a starting price of 28/1, Elmalka is a 5/1 chance here after taking a massive step forward in just her third start at Newmarket. Following her home that day was French representative Ramatuelle who is a 6/1-shot. The Christopher Head filly attempted to make all the running that day and kicked for home quite early, setting up for closers such as Elmalka, a change of tactics may see a different outcome here.

Coronation Stakes Odds & Betting at William Hill 

Betting Tips for Day 4 

1. Focus on Speedsters 

The straight six furlongs at Ascot is an open, galloping track that sees horses move into races at good speed, therefore, horses who have a natural turn-of-foot to kick for home while already travelling at 80% speed can gain an advantage on horse who may stay further.

1. Assess Previous Group Races 

The Commonwealth Cup is one of the highlight Group 1 sprinting contests of the year alongside similar races like the July Cup. Group 1 races are noticeably better than Group 2/3 contests in the sprinting division so experienced horses who have previously performed well in Group 1s may have an edge over horses making their debut at the elite level.

1. Track Distance Preferences 

As suggested above, some horses drop down in trip and some step up in trip to the six-furlong test of the Commonwealth Cup, therefore, finding horses with Group-level form over six furlongs, especially at Ascot, which can be testing, could see you find horses at a bigger price.

Bet on Royal Ascot 2024 at William Hill 

Royal Ascot 2024 – Day 5: Grand Finale 

The Royal Ascot Races 2024 culminate in an unforgettable Grand Finale, featuring top-class races and the most highly anticipated betting opportunities. Prepare for a thrilling end to this remarkable horse racing event.

Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes  

The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes offers a fitting climax to the Royal Ascot Races 2024 and presents a final chance for Group 1 glory.

The seven-year-old Kinross is 6/1 joint favourite here, the Group 1 winning sprinter at six furlongs has never won before at Royal Ascot and is definitely deserving of a place in the winning enclosure. The gelding has been so consistent down the years, building a notable partnership with Frankie Dettori and it will be exciting to see who replaces him onboard.

Joint with Kinross is Mill Stream, also at 6/1. A much younger rival aged four, he steadily improved through high grade handicaps last season before gaining his first Group success in the Group 3 Duke of York Clipper Stakes at York in May.

Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes 

Betting Tips for Day 5 

Finish the Royal Ascot Races 2024 on a high note with our expert betting tips and strategies for the Grand Finale.

1. Assess Overall Performance 

Plenty of horses have run well in the King’s Stand Stakes on the Tuesday of Royal Ascot before backing up in the Jubilee Stakes, most notably Choisir from Australia in 2003, so if some are trying to do that again this year, don’t be put off by the quick turnaround.

1. Examine Jockey Confidence 

In a race like the Jubilee Stakes which can contain up to 28 runners, having a confident jockey in the saddle of your selection can be the difference in a sprint of this nature; one move through a gap mid-race from a confident rider could prevent that horse from being caught in traffic one-furlong from home.

1. Evaluate Market Trends 

Due to the nature of the contest, big-priced winners are easier to come by than in other races as shown by Naval Crown last year who won at 33/1 and in the last eight years, only two favourites have obliged.

Bet on Royal Ascot 2024 at William Hill 

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