Our form expert has four selections for day four of Royal Ascot 2024 including Agenda in the King Edward VII.
The Verdict: Friday, June 21
1pt win Ramatuelle in 3.45 Royal Ascot at 4/1 (BetVictor, BoyleSports)
1pt win Shadow Dance in 4.25 Royal Ascot at 12/1 (General)
1pt win Agenda in 5.40 Royal Ascot at 7/1 (BetVictor, Coral)
0.5pts e.w. Hedge Fund in 6.15 Royal Ascot at 50/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook
Ramatuelle to be crowned at Ascot
All eyes will be on Opera Singer in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on Friday as Aidan O’Brien’s filly bids to take a step forward from her reappearance third in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas.
The daughter of Justify certainly seems to be blessed with a high-level of ability judging by her juvenile campaign and her trainer will have been pleased with her Curragh return with a view to the season ahead and she could get her three-year-old year rolling here.
However, she is short at 7/4, as she will have to improve quite significantly from her first run and she does shape like she might need further as the season goes on, so she could be vulnerable to a genuine miler in the field.
Elmalka could be that filly after her QIPCO 1000 Guineas win, but I prefer the claims of Newmarket third RAMATUELLE who can reverse the Rowley Mile form on this very different track under Oisin Murphy.
Everyone could see Aurelien Lemaitre went for home too soon in the Guineas and there’s no getting away from the raw ability Ramatuelle showed in hitting the front at Newmarket only to be reeled in late on.
It was the performance of a filly who can win a Group 1 over a mile this season and the round course at Ascot looks absolutely perfect for her.
Stall one will make up Murphy’s mind for him, he’ll have to ride her with confidence on the rail and utilise her rapid turn of foot, and we could see a Rosallion-Sean Levey type situation if everything goes to plan.
She looks to have the ability to wear down Opera Singer, a likely frontrunner who could try and draw the sting out of the race, and she makes plenty of appeal in the day four feature.
The Verdict: Back RAMATUELLE in 3.45 Royal Ascot
On the Agenda in the King Edward VII
Whether Opera Singer gets the job done or not it could be another good day for O’Brien and his AGENDA is worth a bet in the King Edward VII Stakes at 7/1.
The son of Galileo is out of a Royal Ascot Albany Stakes winner in Different League and we’ve seen loads of examples of how good progeny of that sire are out of speedy mares down the years.
This colt looks another one judging by his third career run in the Chester Vase where he led them along for most of the race before the ill-fated Hidden Law took over a furlong from home.
I do think Agenda bumped into a good one that day and he was miles clear of the rest, while we know that he will have learnt plenty around the Roodeye for one so inexperienced.
Ryan Moore has never ridden him and he’s on Diego Velazquez in this race, but backing Ballydoyle second strings is rarely a concern and we’re getting a good few points on the price because the stable jockey is on the other one.
The potential for further improvement is the alluring factor and he won’t need to perform much better than at Chester to have a big say in this.
The Verdict: Back AGENDA in the 5.40 Royal Ascot
Shadow to shine in Duke of Edinburgh
Roger Varian’s Royal Ascot got off to a flyer with Charyn and with the Newmarket handler in good form a big run is expected from the grey SHADOW DANCE in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes.
Horses drawn wide have dominated this race in recent years so his starting berth in 19 looks a positive and there are no concerns over his 252-day absence given how adept Varian is at readying one after a break.
Indeed, this horse himself hacked up after three months off at Haydock last September and he improved on that form when second to Alsakib in the Old Rowley Cup, a prestigious Newmarket handicap, when he was last seen in October last year.
The way he travelled that day marked him out as a horse going places and it’s likely Varian saved him until now for his seasonal debut simply because he was waiting for a big race for him from his new mark of 94.
He was gelded in the winter and he’s only had five career starts, so there are lots of pointers to him improving this year and he looks a big threat to the Irish mob.
The Verdict: Back SHADOW DANCE in 4.25 Royal Ascot
Hedge Fund worth an interest
Finally, I’m having a small each-way bet on HEDGE FUND in the closing Palace Of Holyrood House Handicap over five furlongs.
Original fancy Equity Law didn’t quite make the cut but Hedge Fund’s form ties in with that horse and he looks a big price at 50/1.
William Muir & Chris Grassick are in terrific form for starters, winning six from 22 at 27% the last two weeks, and this horse’s odds are inflated after he bombed out at York last time.
However, any horse is forgiven a bad run at York and he actually ran poorly in the same race Rhythm N Hooves was 10th in last year before he came out and won the Palace Of Holyrood House.
It’s telling his trainers are prepared to run him in another hot race and he showed ability on his first two runs of the season, when second to the now 102-rated Adaay In Devon at Bath and when third to the aforementioned Equity Law at Sandown.
In both assignments he showed lots of natural pace and he could get on a roll from his stands’ rail draw off a light weight.
The Verdict: Back HEDGE FUND in the 6.15 Royal Ascot
Preview posted at 1530 BST on 20/06/24
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