Simon Holt best bets for day two of Royal Ascot
The top commentator has four bets for day two of Royal Ascot, including 22/1 and 25/1 fancies in the Royal Hunt Cup.
Recommended bets:
1pt e.w. Nate The Great in 3.05 Royal Ascot at 14/1
1pt win Agrotera in 4.20 Royal Ascot at 7/1
Wednesday's Prince Of Wales's Stakes looks the strongest race at Royal Ascot this year featuring the Arc and Breeders' Cup runner-ups Sea Of Class and Magical (both beaten by Enable,) along with high-class rivals like Waldgeist from France and Deirdre from Japan.
Last year's Hardwicke Stakes winner Crystal Ocean could also have a say, even though a mile and a quarter might be sharp enough for him at the highest level (but maybe not on soft ground) while Zabeel Prince beat a decent field in the Prix D'Ispahan at Longchamp last month.
It should be a cracker, but there may be more profitable betting opportunities elsewhere and WHAT'S THE STORY and BERINGER should go well in the Royal Hunt Cup at decent prices.
The two horses are drawn on opposite sides of the course which offers a degree of protection against any track/pace bias.
What's The Story, hampered when fourth behind Settle For Bay last year, comes here off a fluent win at York, form which was boosted by the runner-up Firmament on the same course last weekend.
As on that occasion, the five-year-old's trainer Keith Dalgleish has his horses in sparkling form having saddled five winners across two meetings on Monday.
Beringer, fifth to What's The Story at York, has run well on all three of his starts this season, finishing third to Auxerre in the Lincoln first time out before winning at Newbury.
This stiff, straight mile, with some cut in the ground and cheekpieces fitted for the first time, could suit him well especially as he is a strong stayer at the trip having won over a mile-and-a-quarter in the past.
Earlier, NATE THE GREAT can prove his Lingfield Derby Trial third behind the subsequent Epsom winner Anthony Van Dyck was no fluke in the Queen's Vase.
Archie Watson's colt, who finished second in the Chesham Stakes here 12 months ago, was staying on well that day offering hope that he will be suited by this extra two furlongs.
Unplaced in that race (run on soft ground) was Themaxwecan but his subsequent head defeat conceding 13lb to Durston at Doncaster was strongly boosted by the winner at Chester last Saturday.
In a wide-open Duke Of Cambridge Stakes, last year's Sandringham Handicap winner AGROTERA should go well in the hands of Gerald Mosse.
Successful in a listed race on the all-weather at Kempton from the re-opposing Preening, Rawdaa and Shenanigans in April, she has probably been laid out for another big effort at the Royal meeting.