Royal Ascot is just around the corner and punters will be keen to make their way back through the gates of the iconic Berkshire course after the meeting was forced to take place behind closed doors and with restricted crowds in recent years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
And, with just a matter of weeks to go until the five days of top-class racing get underway at the royal course, bettors will already be racking their brains over who to back in the five feature races when looking for a bet on horse racing with Paddy Power.
Backing the favourites is usually common for the more novice of punters. So, to help get more of an idea of the market leaders for the big five races, we have analysed their chances and gave them a rating. Read on to find out more!
St James’s Palace Stakes: Coroebus
Last seen causing a stir in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket at the end of April — defying his Godolphin stablemate and the previously unbeaten Native Trail of a victory in the first British Classic of the year by three quarters of a length — Coroebus is the heavy odds-on favourite for the St James’s Palace Stakes.
The Charlie Appleby-trained duo could go head-to-head again in the day one feature, with Native Trail fancied as the second favourite at 6/1 after bouncing back with an impressive win in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
But it’s clear that Coroebus is still the one to beat at Ascot, and if Appleby decides not to put his one milers together once more, then it should certainly be Coroebus victory.
Rating: 8/10
Prince Of Wales’s Stakes: Bay Bridge
After a recent maiden victory amongst group company in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes, Bay Bridge has shot to the fore of the Prince Of Wales’s ante-post market — being slashed to a general 7/4 chance after once being fancied as a 20/1 outsider for the day two highlight.
The Sir Michael Stoute-trained horse was relatively unexposed last season, winning a maiden; two handicaps and the Listed James Seymour Stakes at Newmarket in October. And he made the transition to group racing look easy, winning the Brigadier by five lengths clear of Mostahdaf.
It will be interesting to see how he fares at Group 1 level.
Rating: 7/10
Ascot Gold Cup: Kyprios
There has been a fair bit of movement in the Gold Cup ante-post market since the start of the flat racing season back in Spring, and there is still very little to separate Aidan O’Brien’s Kyprios, Alan King’s Trueshan and John & Thady Gosden’s Stradivarius.
It is the O’Brien-trained horse who has the slight edge over his older rivals at this stage though. All three are heading to Ascot unbeaten this season, but Kyprios blew away the opposition to dominate the Group 3 Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes by an impressive 14 lengths to make him the slight favourite for the Gold Cup.
However, there’s just half a point between all three in the current market and this is the Gold Cup, so anything can happen!
Rating: 6/10
Coronation Cup: Homeless Song
Another big mover in the Ascot markets, Homeless Songs is now the favourite to win the Coronation Cup on the penultimate day of the meeting — overtaking long-time favourite Inspiral, who is yet to make his reappearance this season after suffering setbacks in training.
The Dermot Weld-trained horse has been impressive this season, winning a 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown in April before comfortably beating O’Brien’s highly-rated Tuesday by over five lengths in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh last month.
The unbeaten Inspiral should give her a good run for her money, so take nothing for granted!
Rating: 6/10
Platinum Jubilee Stakes: Home Affairs
The Platinum Jubilee Stakes, renamed this year to celebrate the Queen’s 70th anniversary, attracts the best sprinters from all over the world and the bookies appear to be struggling to pick an outright favourite from the wealth of entries at this stage.
It’s Home Affairs who currently holds the status as market favourite, with the Chris Waller-trained horse coming in as a general 4/1. The Australian-based three-year-old was ninth last time out at Flemington though, and the lengthy journey could play a part.
He is, of course, a two-time Group 1 in his homeland, but back at your own risk.
Rating: 4/10
