The Princes Of Wales's Stakes headlines the card at Ascot on Wednesday 21th June
Rogue Millennium, Gregory and Maximum Impact feature in our Ascot day 2 selections
Expired
Robert Havlin riding Gregory win The British EBF 40th Anniversary Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood. (Getty)
Royal Ascot Day 2 Tips
Royal Ascot 2023 Day 2 Schedule
Race 1 - Queen Mary Stakes Tips
Race 2 - Kensington Palace Fillies' Handicap Tips
Race 3 - Duke Of Cambridge Stakes Tips
Race 4 - Prince Of Wales's Stakes Tips
Race 5 - Royal Hunt Cup Tips
Race 6 - Queen's Vase Tips
Race 7 - Windsor Castle Stakes Tips
Royal Ascot rolls into its second day on Wednesday, where the Prince Of Wales's Stakes headlines the action. Along with the Group One feature, Wednesday's viewers will enjoy four further pattern races, along with two large-field handicaps.
Here are our best betting tips through the card on day two of Royal Ascot.
Wesley Ward boasts a fantastic record in this contest and his sole representative, Bundchen will likely be well-supported before the off. I prefer the chances of another US raider, CRIMSON ADVOCATE (12/1), who turned over an odds-on favourite of Ward's to win a Black Type contest at Gulfstream last time out.
Having struggled to break on-term when third on debut, George Weaver fitted blinkers to Crimson Advocate for her second start. The headgear worked a treat as Weaver's filly broke smartly, made all the running and kicked four lengths clear of the favourite on the run to the line. Being drawn on the wing in stall 28 isn't ideal, but Crimson Advocate has plenty of natural speed and a great deal of ability to boot.
Another who catches my eye is THANKSBUTNOTHANKS (50/1) for Amo Racing. Dominic Ffrench Davis' filly finished a close second here at Ascot on debut, crossing the line just behind favourite Dawn Charger, who's won again since and is currently 16/1 for the Albany Stakes on day four.
Thanksbutnothanks got off the mark on quicker ground at Lingfield last time out, where the favourite scooted clear at the two pole and it was only her idling in the closing stages that allowed Mariamne to get within a length of her at the finish. David Egan comes in for the ride today and it wouldn't be a surprise if this talented daughter of Ten Sovereigns took another step forwards.
Race 2 - Kensington Palace Fillies' Handicap Tips
Two 40/1 outsiders fought out the finish in this race last year, so I've got no problem backing DON'T TELL CLAIRE (25/1), who was only beaten four lengths off a two-pound higher mark 12 months ago.
Daniel and Claire Kubler's mare often saves her best for Ascot and returned to form with a decent third here on the straight course last month. Jack Mitchell's mount will shoulder a workable weight of 8-13 and being drawn wide can be advantageous on the tricky round course.
Race 3 - Duke Of Cambridge Stakes Tips
We now switch back to the straight course for a fascinating renewal of the Duke Of Cambridge. I'm going to take a chance on ROGUE MILLENNIUM (10/1), who's unraced over a mile, but arguably boasts the best piece of seasonal form.
Tom Clover's filly has only ever run between ten furlongs and a mile-and-a-half, winning the Lingfield Oaks Trial last season before finishing seventh in the Oaks itself. Having run well in defeat on her first couple of start, Rogue Millennium pushed the ultra-classy Free Wind all the way to the line in the Middleton Stakes last time out, clocking a career-best RPR of 112.
Rogue Millennium is by a top sire of milers in Dubawi and proven stamina is always a vital attribute on this testing track. Tom Clover has replaced regular rider Jack Mitchell with Danny Tudhope, who's ridden plenty of Royal Ascot winners, including in this race and the Queen Anne Stakes - both on the straight course - back in 2019.
Awaal (right) finishing second to Migration in the Lincoln. (Getty)
Race 5 - Royal Hunt Cup Tips
At the ante-post stage, I highlighted AERION POWER (33/1), who's slipped down to a lenient mark of just 95 over the past couple of seasons and Sir Michael Stoute will have been pleased with a high draw on the stand's side of the track.
Stoute's five-year-old made just two appearances last season and didn't look happy on his reappearance on soft ground this season. Aerion Power then ran well at Sandown last time out, where he was pitched wide throughout and stuck to his guns well to place third. Quicker ground will certainly suit this son of Kingman and Stoute has called upon top apprentice Harry Davies to take three further pounds off Aerion Power's back.
Another who's landed a favourably high draw is AWAAL (14/1), who'll be ridden for the first time by William Buick. Simon and Ed Crisford's four-year-old has only run twice in handicaps during his career, winning easily at Redcar in October, before placing second off a three-pound lower mark in the Lincoln on his reappearance.
Awaal finished last of nine in a Listed race out in France last time out, where Theo Bachelot attempted to make all but was swamped in the closing stages. Buick's mount is still unexposed at this sort of level and remains open to further improvement.
Race 6 - Queen's Vase Tips
Since this race was upped to Group Two status and the distance reduced slightly, class has usually come to the fore. Dashing Willoughby's price of 6/1 is the highest winning SP in that time period, so I see no reason to look away from the fancied runners at the head of the market.
Frankie Dettori's best chance of a winner on day two certainly looks to be GREGORY (7/4), who has been handed a mark of 110 after just two racecourse appearances. John and Thady Gosden's colt won nicely on debut at Haydock in April, and was last seen pounding clear of a decent field to win the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood by three lengths.
The Gosden's record in the Queen's Vase has been largely poor since Stradivarius' triumph in 2017, but that's not enough to sway the confidence in Gregory, who could just be a class above this opposition.
Race 7 - Windsor Castle Stakes Tips
Alice Haynes has been striking at 40% with her juvenile turf runners this season and the best of her current crop is MAXIMUM IMPACT (7/1). Kevin Stott's mount bolted up by 12 lengths on heavy ground at Leicester first time out, before following up here at Ascot in May.
Maximum Impact tracked Action Point into the race that day, before kicking two lengths clear of his rival in the final furlong. Haynes has decided to fit a tongue-tie following that outing and this son of Havana Grey looks capable of taking another step forward on Wednesday.
At a longer price, I quite fancy UP THE MANOR (28/1) to run well. Jack Jones' youngster was slowly away on debut at Doncaster, but burst between runners in the closing stages to win moving away from the field.
Up The Manor will be attempting to follow in the footsteps of sire Soldier's Call, who struck in this race for Archie Watson in 2018 and Jones has managed to secure the services of Ireland's Champion Jockey, Colin Keane.
Verdict
Royal Ascot day two best bets:
1: Gregory Queen's Vase Tips @7/4 at QuinnBet - 1 Unit
2: Maximum Impact Windsor Castle Stakes Tips @7/1 at Hollywood bets - 10 Units
3: Rogue Millennium Duke Of Cambridge Stakes Tips @10/1 at QuinnBet - 1 Unit
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