Royal Ascot Day 4 Tips for Friday 21st June 2024

Read our Royal Ascot 2024 day 4 tips and race by race preview, starting with the 6f Albany Stakes at 2.30pm.

ITV Racing are showing every Royal Ascot race for the first time ever and we have been through all seven races on the day 3 card to pick our best betting tips for each contest. See them below, a preview of each race, and some free bet offers such as this bet £10 get £50 welcome bonus at Betfred for Ascot.

 

2:30 Royal Ascot

The opener on Friday is the Albany Stakes, a Group 3 for the 2 year-old fillies over 6 furlongs.

At the prices I like HEAVENS GATE (10/1) EW here. I don’t think there is much between the two O’Brien fancies but there is a significant difference in their price at the time of writing. Heavens Gate improved from her debut run at Navan to win a Curragh maiden impressively last time out. She stayed on strongly over 6f there last time suggesting this stiff Ascot finish will be right up her street. I think she’ll continue on an upward trajectory and she looks the value to me in this.

 

3:05 Royal Ascot

The 3:05 is the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup over 6f. A great recent addition to the meeting for the 3 year-olds.

It is JASOUR (11/2) for me here. He was impressive when landing the trial for this race at Ascot last time out over this course and distance. That form has been boosted since and he duly bolted up truth be told. This has been the main plan ever since. Jim Crowley maintains the partnership and is 2-2 on the colt. Connections have history in this race as Clive Cox won this race in 2020 for the same owners with Golden Horde. The ground won’t be a problem for Jasour and he should get a lovely toe into the race from Elite Status and Inisherin who won’t hang about here. I think he can pick them off late on.

 

3:45 Royal Ascot

Next up is the feature, the Group 1 Coronation Stakes over the mile. 

I think OPERA SINGER (7/4) is the best filly in this race and she’ll be a tough nut to crack with her seasonal reappearance behind her. It was a fine comeback effort when finishing third in the Irish 1000 Guineas just giving beat late on to two very decent fillies. Connections said she’d come on for the outing, and it looked like that to me. She was the best 2 year-old last season in this line-up and she’s shown she’s trained on with that effort. Ryan Moore is riding as well as anyone as usual and from stall 9, she’ll be able to get a nice wide early position and come with a clear run in the home straight. Similar to Auguste Rodin on Wednesday.

 

4:25 Royal Ascot

The 4:25 is the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes, a tricky handicap over 1m4f.

It is ETHICAL DIAMOND (3/1) for me here. Firstly, this can be a tricky race and I want a horse with a wide draw with a knowledgeable jockey on board. Ethical Diamond is in stall 18 with Ryan Moore so that is certainly a good starting point. She did show some promise as a juvenile hurdler last season but I believe she’ll always be a better flat horse as she wants a fast surface. She returned to the flat when we last seen her and she finished a fine second going down by a short head in a competitive handicap at Leopardstown. That form has been boosted since and that run should have put her spot on for this. I think she’s well handicapped and she’ll relish this firm ground.

 

5:05 Royal Ascot

The competitive Sandringham Handicap for the fillies over the straight mile is next up.

It is FOREVER BLUE (14/1) EW here for me. The Ralph Beckett-trained filly won on her debut at Haydock over 6f before a close 5th at Group 3 level on her second a final start as a 2 year-old on soft ground. She returned after the winter break over 7f on the quickest ground she’s encountered yet and she appeared to relish it, bolting up, showing a decent turn of foot to win going away at the line. I think this extra furlong could bring out more improvement and that is backed up by her pedigree. Ralph’s horses have been running well this week and I think he can go close again here at the very least with this filly.

 

5:40 Royal Ascot

The 5:40 is the King Edward VII Stakes, a Group 2 over 1m4f. 

I’ll be giving MACDUFF (25/1) EW another chance here again for the Beckett yard. I’m happy to excuse his poor run in the Derby as Epsom isn’t every horse’s cup of tea. Before that, he made a very pleasing seasonal return at Sandown finishing a good second behind Arabian Crown over 1m2f showing there is plenty of optimism he can kick on this season after a solid 2 year-old campaign. He’s bred to be very good given he’s closely related to Kingman out of Sea The Stars. He’s a decent price in here and hopefully, the addition of first-time cheekpieces can bring out the necessary improvement to see him go close in this wide-open renewal of the King Edward.

 

6:15 Royal Ascot

The final race on Friday is the Palace Of Holyrood House Stakes, a trappy handicap over 5 furlongs.

It is SHAGRAAN (14/1) NAP for me here. He was very well fancied at Sandown on stable/seasonal debut for the Michael Appleby yard where he ultimately finished a very unlucky second. He then went to Newmarket last time out and he was stepped to 6f. I don’t think that was the right move truth be told as he is all pace. He led that race until the final 200 yards and you’d have to think this drop to 5f is definitely the right move. I think he’s going to end up better than his current mark of 94 and I’m hopeful he can show us that today. Stall 13 gives him options and there should be no hard luck stories this time around on the straight course here at Ascot. We know the Appleby yard are good with sprinters and they can excel with recruits from other yards. He’ll do for me here. 

 

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