Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing at Royal Ascot on Friday, June 19th.
We've teamed up with gun UK tipster @tips4punters to bring you full previews and betting tips for every day of the Royal Ascot carnival - the grand stage of UK racing!
Day 4 of the Royal Ascot carnival is headlined by the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, which is supported by three Group 2s: the Albany Stakes, Hardwicke Stakes and the Queen's Vase.
Find the race-by-race preview and betting tips for Day 4 of Royal Ascot from @tips4punters below!
2020 Royal Ascot Racing Tips: Day 4 Preview
Best Bet: Race 3 - (4) Eye Of Heaven
Next Best: Race 4 - (7) Elarqam
Race 1 - Palace Of Holyroodhouse Handicap (Market)
Day 4 kicks off with this handicap over 5f. (7) Art Power for King Power Racing, trained by Tim Easterby looks set to run very well. Last seen winning at Newcastle (AW) at the start of the month over 6f winning by 5 ½ lengths and prior to that won at York (5f) winning by another 5 lengths. Looks good. (22) Dancin Inthestreet who recently ran 3rd in a handicap at Haydock but was hampered in it. Won on her 2nd start at Lingfield (AW) end of last year. Little bit in and out but may well go well. (9) KEEP BUSY won a French Listed race back in November at Chantilly. Last start she was 2nd in the Listed Scurry Stakes (5f) at Sandown (beaten by a Godolphin fav). She is the pick in the opener and I expect her to come on from that race.
Race 2 - Albany Stakes (Fillies' Group 3) (Market)
An Aidan O’Brien horse is always feared and (9) Mother Earth is no different. Runner-up at Navan on debut. Expect this one to have learnt more from that. US trainer Wesley Ward runs (4) Flying Aletha in this, a winner at Gulfstream Park over 5f, won by 5 ½ lengths. Wes does not send them over for fun so must be respected for a trainer who has done well at Royal Ascot over the years. (10) SETARHE trained by Roger Varian who has won this race in 2014 and 2019 is the pick. Winner on debut at Newmarket. Expect her to push on with this top trainer.
Race 3 - Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) (Market)
Another Wesley Ward runner to keep an eye on, (6) Golden Pal was 2nd on debut at Gulfstream Park. Only beaten by ¾ lengths then. Not to be dismissed. I think this will go to the Mark Johnston trained (4) EYE OF HEAVEN, winner on debut at Newmarket. 3rd in that race was Tactical who won the listed Windsor Castle Stakes here this week.
Race 4 - Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2) (Market)
(2) Anthony Van Dyck 2nd in the Group 1 Coronation Cup over a week ago at Newmarket certainly has a chance. (4) Defoe is also worth a mention, winner of this race last year. Hit and miss since then but can’t be dismissed lightly. Jim Crowley is on fire this week at Royal Ascot, currently with 6 winners and his ride in the Hardwicke is (7) ELARQAM which is the pick. 3rd in the Group 1 Juddmonte International (race won by Japan). More interestingly on his last start in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard he was a very close 2nd to Lord North who won impressively this week in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes.
Race 5 - Commonwealth Cup (Group 1) (Market)
Starting with the Roger Varian trained (6) Pierre Lapin who is 2 from 2 after winning the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury last year. Sure, to improve as a 3yo. (14) Kimari was runner-up in last year’s Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot over 5f. Since then has won races back home with the most recent at Oaklawn in a Listed race on dirt over 6f. Wes Ward so must be respected with that Royal Ascot experience. (3) GOLDEN HORDE for Clive Cox was 2nd in his last race in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, has also been 3rd in the Group 1 Prix Morny over in France and going back to August last year was a winner of the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood. More to come and is the pick.
Race 6 - Queen's Vase (Group 2) (Market)
Aidan O’Brien runs 2 in this. (8) Santiago ridden by Ryan Moore and Nobel Prize ridden by Frankie Dettori. Of the pair I like (5) NOBEL PRIZE a winner of a 1m maiden at Naas on his last start, heavy conditions. Goes up 6f in trip and this should bode well for him. (2) Berkshire Rocco is also another to give a mention to. 2nd in a Listed race at Lingfield earlier this month (English King the winner that day). Upped in trip with more surely to come.
Race 7 - Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap) (Market)
Unfortunately, each way tip Universal Order is a non-runner so I am going to concentrate on Deja and Good Birthday. (10) Deja was beaten on his last start at Newcastle but prior to that won 4 on the bounce all over 1m+, could go well. (16) GOOD BIRTHDAY was 3rd in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket last year (race was won by this week’s impressive Prince Of Wales's Stakes winner, Lord North). 3rd on his last start in a handicap at Newmarket. I am happy to give him another go at this trip and he is the pick.
