Royal Ascot (Day Two) Preview - 18/06/25

JN Value Betting
Jun 16
5 min read

Updated: Jun 19

BEST BETS:

LENNILU - 14:30 (QUEEN MARY STAKES) - 12/1 (WILLIAM HILL) - 0.5PTS E/W (4 PLACES)

SECRET HIDEAWAY - 14:30 (QUEEN MARY STAKES) - 25/1 (BET365) - 0.25PTS E/W (4 PLACES)

CARMERS - 15:05 (QUEEN'S VASE) - 9/2 (WILLIAM HILL) - 0.5PTS E/W (3 PLACES)

LOS ANGELES - 16:20 (PRINCE OF WALES'S STAKES) - 15/8 (BET365) - 1.5PTS WIN

MY CLOUD - 17:00 (ROYAL HUNT CUP) - 4/1 (BET365) - 0.5PTS E/W (6 PLACES)

TONY MONTANA - 17:00 (ROYAL HUNT CUP) - 14/1 (BET365) - 0.25PTS E/W (6 PLACES)

SERIALISE - 17:35 (KENSINGTON PALACE STAKES) - 15/2 (BET365) - 0.25PTS E/W (6 PLACES)

ROGUE LEGEND - 18:10 (WINDSOR CASTLE STAKES) - 4/1 (BET365) - 1PT WIN

SOVEREIGN SPELL - 18:10 (WINDSOR CASTLE STAKES) - 25/1 (BET365) - 0.25PTS E/W (4 PLACES)

Day Two of Royal Ascot takes place on Wednesday, with this being one of the big betting days of the meeting. We have four big field races, supplemented with plenty of Group level action - with the Prince Of Wales's Stakes the feature race.

The opening race of the day is the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes for the two year-old fillies, where Zelaina is bidding to give Karl Burke a third success in four years in the race. She was impressive on debut at Nottingham, and has been the antepost favourite for the race ever since. Whilst horses from the Aidan O'Brien stable always prove popular, the Ballydoyle maestro is yet to land this contest - he saddles True Love who has been behind two smart horses in her first two starts.

I am keen to side with the American raider LENNILU, she has been impressive on her two starts stateside, landing the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies' Stakes at Gulfstream Park last time out. This was the race won by Crimson Advocate, who landed this prize for American connections in 2023. She seems to settle well in her races and this could aid her chances at the business end of the race. At bigger odds, I am also keen to get SECRET HIDEAWAY onside for Adrian Keatley. She brings the best form into the race having landed Listed honours at York last time out, and has subsequently been sold since. She has been drawn in stall 18, which should help her get a good tow into the race.

LENNILU - 14:30 (QUEEN MARY STAKES) - 12/1 (WILLIAM HILL) - 0.5PTS E/W (4 PLACES)

SECRET HIDEAWAY - 14:30 (QUEEN MARY STAKES) - 25/1 (BET365) - 0.25PTS E/W (4 PLACES)

The second race of the day is another Group 2, the Queen's Vase over 1m 6f. The market is headed by a French raider in Asmarani for Francis Henri Graffard, he has obvious claims in this. However, with the ground being Good to Firm, that provides doubts with all this horses form coming on Soft ground. Paddy Twomey saddles his first Royal Ascot runner with CARMERS who has won both of her starts, including a Listed contest over 1m 5f last time out. Given the fast ground, I am keen to side with Paddy Twomey's runner, and for him to record a Royal Ascot success at the first time of asking.

CARMERS - 15:05 (QUEEN'S VASE) - 9/2 (WILLIAM HILL) - 0.5PTS E/W (3 PLACES)

Another Group 2 is up next, again for the Fillies and Mares, by way of the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes, over a mile on the round course. Godolphin saddle the favourite with Cinderella's Dream who has won seven of her ten starts. She is a Group 1 winner and looks the class angle in the field, however, she will have to fight off the challenge of another Group 1 winner in Fallen Angel, and last year's winner Running Lion.

The Group 1 action on day two comes in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes, where Aidan O'Brien looks to claim a second consecutive succes in the race, saddling LOS ANGELES. He landed the Tattersalls Gold Cup last time out at the Curragh, getting the beating of Anmaat to land Group 1 honours. He faces that rival once again here, but looks to have the upper hand given the ground. There is a double pronged attack from France in this contest with Map Of Stars and Facteur Cheval, both bringing Group 1 form to the table.

LOS ANGELES - 16:20 (PRINCE OF WALES'S STAKES) - 15/8 (BET365) - 1.5PTS WIN

One of the big betting races of the whole meeting is the Royal Hunt Cup over the straight mile, with a maximum field of 30 runners going to post. Much like many big field handicaps over the straight course at Ascot, this race typically favours a high draw. MY CLOUD for Roger Varian and Silvestre De Sousa heads the market following a course and distance success earlier this season, and is bidding for a hat-trick in handicaps. He has been given the high draw on the stands' side, and this should only aid his chances. There are plenty of other cases in the field given the number of runners, and I fancy the chances of TONY MONTANA, who is dropping back down in trip to a mile for the first time since his debut behind Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Bluestocking. Should he take to this new trip, he could take all beating given his strong form in handicaps.

MY CLOUD - 17:00 (ROYAL HUNT CUP) - 4/1 (BET365) - 0.5PTS E/W (6 PLACES)

TONY MONTANA - 17:00 (ROYAL HUNT CUP) - 14/1 (BET365) - 0.25PTS E/W (6 PLACES)

The penultimate race of the day is another big field handicap over the straight mile, this time for the Fillies, in the Kensington Palace Stakes. The Royal runner Rainbows Edge heads the market for John & Thady Gosden, with William Buick an interesting jockey booking. She recorded a course and distance success last time out, getting the better of Arisaig who re-opposes here.

This is just the fifth running of this contest, with Jessica Harrington training the winner two years ago. I like the chances of her runner here, SERIALISE, who was second in a big field handicap at the Curragh last time out. She is 3lbs lower for that effort, and should she run to a similar level, I can see her at least making the frame - especially with her being drawn against the stands side rail.

SERIALISE - 17:35 (KENSINGTON PALACE STAKES) - 15/2 (BET365) - 0.25PTS E/W (6 PLACES)

We close out day two of the Royal meeting with the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes over five furlongs, another of the big field two year-old races which prove lively betting heats. Despite only saddling his first Royal Ascot runners today, Paddy Twomey has another big chance in this one with ROGUE LEGEND. He comes into this with one of the leading form lines having recorded two comfortable successes in his last two races. The figures clocked on his last run would have been good enough to land this prize in nine of the last ten years.

The challenge from Ballydoyle and Coolmore looks weaker than in recent years an this has led me to looking for an each-way angle into the race. I like the chances of the Amo Racing owned SOVEREIGN SPELL, this son of Invincible Spirit was only denied by a neck in a warm race on debut at Newmarket, and the form of that has worked out well with the first and third both being subsequent winners. He is also blessed with a high draw which can only benefit him in a race of this nature.

ROGUE LEGEND - 18:10 (WINDSOR CASTLE STAKES) - 4/1 (BET365) - 1PT WIN

SOVEREIGN SPELL - 18:10 (WINDSOR CASTLE STAKES) - 25/1 (BET365) - 0.25PTS E/W (4 PLACES)