2K to 10K Betting Challenge (Bet No 17 ) Fri 22nd June

The 2k to 10K Betting Challenge continues on Friday with Day four from Royal Ascot . 

The Betting Bankroll stands at £2310(+£310 ) Stakes drop to £92.00 .

Moving on to Friday at Royal Ascot, going concentrate on the Group one Commonwealth Cup .

22 runners declared for G1 Commonwealth Cup over 6 furlongs for three-year-olds  ,this looks competitive race the three main contenders look to be Invincible Army , Sands Of Mali & Sioux Nation .

INVINCIBLE ARMY : 3-Y-0 Bay colt ,winning 2 ouy 8 on turf ,also finished second five times .Been in good form this season ,winning the G3 Pavilion Stakes over C&D at Ascot last month .Also finished close second in G2 Sandy Lane stakes at Haydock last time.Should be thereabouts ,though takes step up in class .

SANDS OF MALI : 3-Y-0 Bay colt , winning 4 out 7. Had some useful form as two-year-old winning the G2 Gimcrack at York .Also been in good form this season winning both starts ,including winning G2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock last time .Each-way claims in competitive race .

SIOUX NATION 3-Y-0 Irish Bay colt ,winning 4 out 9 .Very useful two-year-old ,including winning the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot & G1 Phoenix Stakes at Curragh .Returned to form last time ,winning the G3 Lacken Stakes at Naas .Should go well with ideal conditions .

VERDICT : SIOUX NATION looks to have plenty in his favour.Has excellent record on good or faster ground ,winning 4 out 5 (11112) including winning the G2 Norfolk Stakes at this meeting last year.Looks to be returning to peak form after winning G3 at Naas last time .Odds around 9-2 look solid each-way value
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SIOUX NATION 3.40 ROYAL ASCOT (COMMONWEALTH CUP)
£46.00 EACH-WAY @ 9-2 BET365
1/4 ODDS 1-2-3-4   

(£2310 divided by 25 =£92.00 stake )

2K to 10K Betting Challenge (Bet No 16 ) Wed 20th June

The 2k to 10K Betting Challenge continues on Wednesday with Day two from Royal Ascot . 

The Betting Bankroll Stands at £2406 (+£406.00) .Stakes drop  to £96.00 .

Been frustrating run of results recently, with plenty seconds and thirds .Hopefully we can get back on scoreboard at Royal Ascot this week .

Moving on to Wednesday, going concentrate on Queens Vase at 3.05 .12 runners declared for group two contest over 1M 6F for three-year-olds .This looks quite competitive staying contest the three main contenders look to be Kew Gardens , Southern France & Stream Of Stars .

KEW GARDENS : 3-Y-0 Galileo Colt ,winning 2 out 8.Had some decent form last season ,including winning the 10f listed Zetland Stakes at Newmarket in October .Hasn't really progressed this season ,though did finish fair second in Lingfield Derby trial last month .No show in Epsom Derby (beaten 27L) ,though the step up in trip may suit better.

SOUTHERN FRANCE :3-Y-0 Galileo Colt,winning 2 out 3 .Has shown progressive form this season ,since stepping up in trip ,including winning 1M 5F Listed race at Navan last month,though that looked weak listed race.Looks open to further improvement after just three starts.

STREAM OF STARS :3-Y-0 Sea The Stars Gelding ,winning 1 out 2.Looks progressive sort after winning 12f maiden at Ascot last time in good style ,that looks solid form with the third Corgi  winning class 3 handicap next time .Takes big step up in class ,though this longer trip looks sure suit .Interesting contender 

VERDICT :  STREAM OF STARS should go well ,after winning in good style at Ascot last time .Looks sure to improve over this longer trip ,being full brother to 2 mile winner Flymetothestars .Takes big step up class ,though this doesn't look strong group two contest.Odds around 4-1 look very fair E/W value,with SKYBET paying 4 places .

The A P O 'Brien trio Kew Gardens , Southern France & Nelson all have to be respected,though Kew Gardens & Nelson haven't really progressed this season . 
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STREAM OF STARS 3.05 ROYAL ASCOT (QUEENS VASE)
£48.00 EACH-WAY @ 4-1 SKYBET 
(UNPLACED SP 5-2 LOSS £96.00)

2K to 10K Betting Challenge (Bet No 15 ) Sat 9th June

The 2K to 10k Betting challenge continues on Saturday from Haydock Park, with the feature race the group three John Of Gaunt Stakes . 

The betting bankroll stands at £2506 (+£506.00) Stakes remain at £100.00.Been bit of frustrating run since middle April ,with plenty places though no winners,including the last bet Invincible Army getting beaten nose in Sandy Lane stakes at Haydock .

Hopefully June will be better month, with Royal Ascot just round the corner .Moving on to Saturday we have good quality group three contest from Haydock .

8 runners declared for the 7 furlong John Of Gaunt Stakes at 4.00 on ground described as good/firm .The three main contenders are Dutch Connection , Emmaus & Tabarrak .

DUTCH CONNECTION : 6-Y-0 Bay Gelding ,winning 5 out 23 ,including winning four group races .Had some fair form last season,including winning G3 Supreme Stakes at Goodwood in August.Made creditable reapperance,finishing good fourth in G1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury last month .Solid claims returning to G3 company.

EMMAUS : 4-Y-0 Bay Colt ,winning 3 out 4 .Lightly raced sort ,though shown progressive form ,including winning listed race at Leicester last time on heavy ground .Looks open to plenty improvement after just four starts ,though unproven on fast ground (All three vicories on good/soft or heavy .Interesting contender ,though there has to be question mark on very quick ground .

TABARRAK : 5-Y-0 Bay Gelding ,winning 5 out 13 ,winning three Listed races in 2017/18 ,including winning the listed Spring Trophy stakes over C&D at Haydock last month under 3lb penalty.Back Up in class ,though only beaten neck in G3 Sovereign Stakes last season .Should go well .

VERDICT : Only 3lb between the three main contenders on official ratings.

Course & Distance winner TABARRAK looks to have most in his favour.Has an excellent record over 7 furlongs on fast ground (11921212).Returns to group company,though there was nothing wrong with neck second to ill fated (118 rated) Ballet Concerto, on his only career start in group company last season .Odds around 7-2 look solid each-way value .

Dutch Connection looks big danger,after finishing good fourth in Lockinge Stakes at Newbury behind Rhododendron ,though apart from winning Supreme Stakes ,never really threatened in G1 & G2 races last season.The return to G3 company over 7f will suit,though odds around 2-1 look short enough .
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TABARRAK 4.00 HAYDOCK 
£50.00 EACH-WAY @ 7-2 BET365*
(THIRD SP 3-1 LOSS £100.00 ) Non runner Emmaus 7 ran .

Royal Ascot Trends – Queen Anne Stakes

Ascot’s spectacular five-day royal meeting opens on Tuesday 19^th June this year supporting what promises to be an exhilarating week for sports fans with the action from Berkshire running alongside the football World Cup in Russia.

It’s a great time to be a punter with plenty of betting opportunities to complement the summer weather. There’s certainly no lack of expert betting advice around either, designed to help you beat the bookies, and Timeform’s Royal Ascot preview covers every race from Tuesday’s opener to Saturday’s climax.

There are a number of ways to decide on your best bets with many punters happy to follow their favourite jockeys or trainers while others prefer to stick with the horse’s form but the trends always make for interesting reading and often result in a nice price winner.

Here’s what the numbers say about Tuesday’s Queen Anne Stakes…..

Stick with the younger horses

This group one race run over the flat mile is open to horses aged four years old and above, but recent results make it wise to stick with the younger participants. Ribchester claimed the prize money 12 months ago for the William Buick and Richard Fahey partnership with those who guessed correctly collecting a useful 11/10 on the favourite. Mutakayyef and Deauville filled the major places.

It’s worth noting that the 2018 champion was a four-year-old at the time of his success and that falls into line with recent winners – five of the last seven being four. As well as Ribchester we also had Canford Cliffs (2011), Frankel (2012), Declaration Of War (2013) and Toronado (2014).

The two spares in that run were Solow (2015) and Tepin (2016) with both being 5YOs. It doesn’t pay to go any higher than that.

Rhododendron leads the charge for O’Brien

Traders have Rhododendron as favourite in the ante-post market for June’s renewal and that’s little surprise as she’s a four-year-old filly with bags of class, bringing a record of four wins and four placed efforts from nine starts. The bay – a product of the famous Galileo line – makes her first trip to Ascot but arrives with confidence having won the Lockinge Stakes around Newbury in May. 3/1 rates as the general feeling on that one.

Rhododendron represents Aidan O’Brien’s yard and the popular Irishman has already trained three winners of the Queen Anne Stakes in the past with each of those victories coming in the last 12 years. That trio consists of Ad Valorem who did the business in 2006 before Haradasun doubled up two years later and Declaration Of War completed the hat-trick.

Traders divided over the chances of Recoletos

The jolly’s main rival is expected to come in the shape of Recoletos who trains as a second favourite with most reputable firms. 6/1 is the general feeling, although Sportingbet are confident enough to offer a chunky 8/1 on the same runner.

Another four-year-old, this striking colt goes for Carlos Laffan-Parias and France, boasting previous experience of competing on these shores. Followers of British horse racing saw Recoletos run at Ascot last autumn when ending fourth in a competitive Champion Stakes. That group one went to Cracksman under the ride of Frankie Dettori and it was the right result with runner-up Poet’s World seven lengths behind. The French raider got nowhere near the prize money that day.

2K to 10K Betting Challenge (Bet No 14 ) Sat 26th May

The 2K to 10k Betting challenge returns on Saturday from Haydock Park, with good looking three year old sprint .

The betting Bankroll stands at £2512 with stakes now at £100.00. 

8 Runners declared for the group two Sandy Lane stakes over 6 furlongs on ground described as good/soft.

This looks very high quality sprint for three year olds, the three main contenders are Invincible Army,James Garfield,Sands Of Mali .

INVINCIBLE ARMY : Three-year-old Bay colt ,winning 3 out 8.Also finished second four times, including finishing unlucky in running second in G2 Mill Reef stakes at Newbury last season.Made winning reappearance in G3 Pavillion Stakes at Ascot earlier this month on soft ground .Looks promising sprinter,solid claims .

JAMES GARFIELD : Three-year-old Bay colt , winning 3 out 9 .Had some decent form as two-year-old ,winning the G2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury .Made winning reappearance in G3 Greenham stakes at Newbury last month .Also ran respectable seventh in 2000 guineas at Newmarket .The drop back in trip shouldn't be problem ,should be thereabouts .

SANDS OF MALI :  Three-year-old bay colt ,winning 3 out 6 .Looked useful two year old sprinter last season ,winning the G2 Gimcrack stakes at York in August .No show in G1 Middle Park stakes & Breeders cup Juvenile at end last season ,though returned to form on Seasonal Reapperance winning G3 contest at Chantilly in France .Interesting contender .

VERDICT : INVINCIBLE ARMY should go well after winning  group three Pavalion stakes in good style at Ascot earlier this month.Had very consistent profile last season, in some top two year old sprints .Looks open to plenty more improvement as three-year-old .Odds around 7-2 look solid value .

Sands Of Mali looks the main danger, had some useful form last season ,including beating Invincible Army in group two Gimcrack at York ,though didn't repeat that form in G1 Middle Park .Interesting contender ,though not the most consistent .  
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INVINCIBLE ARMY 3.25 HAYDOCK
£50.00 EACH-WAY @ 7-2 BET365*
1/4 ODDS 1-2-3   
(SECOND SP 5-2F LOSS £6.25 )