Royal Ascot Day 3 Betting Tips
Day 3 of Royal Ascot kicks off with a high-class renewal of the Norfolk Stakes and the Ascot Gold Cup is the big feature race.
There’s plenty of other competitive races to get stuck into and the card kicks off at 14:30 with the going set to be good to firm once again thanks to a dry forecast.
We have picked out selections for all seven races on Thursday, including a value pick in the feature contest.
14:30 – Ascot - Norfolk Stakes
There was plenty to like about the debut of Naval Light at Beverley and he looks like good value against the short-priced favourite in the opener.
He seemed to relish Beverley’s stiff finish, a characteristic of the Yorkshire track that resembles Ascot, despite not getting the clearest of runs through. Expect a bundle of improvement on his second run for Karl Burke, who excels with his two-year-olds and won this last year for the same connections.
Selection: Naval Light
15:05 – Ascot - King George V Stakes
Aidan O’Brien had the 1-2-3 in the King George V back in 2019 and has strong claims with another trio of runners this time around.
The Ballydoye maestro has Serious Contender who looked like he was to have a bright future when winning at Leopardstown on handicap debut and there’s almost certainly more to come now upped in distance.
Selection: Serious Contender
15:40 – Ascot - Ribblesdale Stakes
Caspi Star finished just two lengths behind Minnie Hauk at Chester in the Cheshire Oaks and that form couldn’t have worked out much better, with the Listed winner landing the Oaks at Epsom in the interim.
Charlie Johnston’s filly stayed on stoutly that day and she ought to appreciate the stiffer nature of this track, so she is well worth a crack at Group 2 level here.
Selection: Caspi Star
16:20 – Ascot - Gold Cup
The Gold Cup can go the way of last year’s runner-up, Trawlerman, who doesn’t have his old rival Kyprios to worry about this time around.
He was beaten only a length in the race last season and always seems to run his race at Ascot, so expect him to be hard to pass if he gets his own way up front.
Selection: Trawlerman
17:00 – Ascot - Britannia Stakes
Only one horse has won a renewal of this from a single-figure draw in the last 12 years and one that looks capable of going well with a high draw this time is Arctic Grey in stall 18.
He made it two wins from three starts in game fashion at Goodwood last time out and the attitude he showed that day will hold him in good stead against plenty of inexperienced types.
Selection: Arctic Grey
17:35 – Ascot - Hampton Court Stakes
There has to be a good chance that Tornado Alert can take this out after dropping markedly in class.
He ran a cracker from the front in the 2,000 Guineas before a creditable Derby sixth and he will relish the drop back to this sort of distance given his pedigree.
Top New Zealand jockey James McDonald is a good booking given his record at this meeting and his mount appears to have been underestimated in the early betting.
Selection: Tornado Alert
18:10 – Ascot - Buckingham Palace Stakes
English Oak was very well backed before an easy success in this contest last season and he’s back down to a mark of 100, just 1lb higher than he was when triumphing last term.
He showed signs of a revival last time out and, with the drop in trip likely to suit, he can give Wathnan Racing another winner to continue their strong start to the meeting.
Selection: English Oak
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation