As its Royal Ascot Thursday, and the Queen is riding in atop her carriage today, but mostly because a lot of people have been requesting some more in-depth tips akin to those we provided for the Grand National, the Cheltenham Festival, and the Derby (plus other big races and meetings), it has been decided that we’ll give you something to have a look at in each of today’s televised Royal Ascot races.

Read on for our Royal Ascot tips, which you can place in Tote Placepots, Multibets with your favourite bookies, or just have a few each-way flutters, or place bets on Betfair’s place markets. You can also always just watch the racing and enjoy, pitting your wits against our collective and computerised talents, and have a bit of fun. If you are going to bet online, be sure to read our Royal Ascot free bets guide to get some bonus bets and free money from the bookies just for signing up a new account – then win or lose you’ll be better off than you would have been in the high street or on course.

Here’s to a great Royal Ascot!

Royal Ascot Free Thursday Tips

2:30 – The Norfolk Stakes – 5f – Group 2 – For 2 Year Olds Only

Traditionally, we have always been hesitant to play in two year old events: the data is so difficult to analyse; horses show much improvement in their first few races; can run ‘green’ (inexperienced). As a result, the horse’s times (upon which we base much of our computerised system) are often of little value, hence we leave many 2 year old events alone. Moreover, most juvenile races contain the entirely unkown and unknowable quantity of horses who have never appeared on track.

In the Norfolk Stakes, however, we have the cream of the crop – horses who have been on track, and already put down good times. As a result of all this, we have selected the following horses which we feel posses a good chance of taking this race:

• Spin Cycle
• Prolific
• Most Likely

A small each-way bet on these three, plus a small Tote Exacta or similar may well pay dividends in this event. Keep stakes low, as this is a wide open event which could see an improving sort take it. To place Tote Exacta’s you should sign up with either Totesport or Betfair - both of whom offer exacta bets. For early price each-way bets, we recommend Paddy Power, Skybet or Corals.

3:05 – The Ribblesdale Stakes – 1m4f – Group 2 – 3 Year Old Fillies

Another very open race which has attracted a high quality field, the Ribblesdale Stakes should be a great race, which we expect to be taken by either Dar Re Mi or Kitty Matcham. Its very difficult to discount any of these fillies though, so again the suggested bet (should you feel inclined to bet) is a small each-way on both fillies – with 10 in the race we should be paid down to third place. A place bet on each with Betfair is also a wise bet, for small stakes, which could see a profit for just one placed selection.

3:45 – The Gold Cup – 2m4f – Group 1 – For 4 Year Old +

The Ascot Gold Cup is one of our favourite races of the year. This two and a half mile marathon takes a special type of horse, with just the right combination of stamina and speed to take it. The past two years, the Gold Cup, which this year has a prize money totaling £250,000, has been lifted by Yeats, a horse who races again this year. There’s no better proof of a horse’s ability to get round and win a race than having done it before, particularly in a unique event such as the Gold Cup, however, we are not tipping Yeats this year, instead we think the winning horse will come from this select band:

• Finalmente
• Regal Flush
• Allegretto

These three are to be played each-way or on the place market for small stakes.

4:20 – The Britannia Stakes – 1m – Heritage Handicap – 3 Year Old Colts & Geldings

What a super race this year’s Britannia Stakes looks set to be! In true handicap fashion, it is extrtemely difficult to split the field and find a definitive answer. One of these 33 horses must win, but finding the correct answer is made remarkably difficult by the sheer number of top drawer three year olds in this race.

This handicap is a testament to those who put on the racing at Royal Ascot as it really is a remarkably good field, in which 33 horses are split by just 50 points in our ratings system, and no two horses are more than 4 points apart.

As a result, we’ve got a lot of horses who we feel are good enough to go and win this race:

Love Galore is placed, very marginally, at the top of our pile after putting in a good effort at Hamilton in a valuable little race over 1m3f. It remains to be seen whether 1 mile isn’t too sharp for him (he won over 1m at Hamilton the start before in a good time) over the longer term, but we expect this horse to be near the front as the horses cross the finish line. Solid each-way prospect.

Amazing Star is another horse from down the lower end of the handicap, carrying just 8 stone 6, which we expect to get close at a long price.

Throne of Power really impressed on his debut at 1m, but was slightly disappointing next time out when 8th at Newmarket over 7f. Next time out at Doncaster back over 1m, Throne of Power put in an improved performance which suggested this is his optimun trip. Should go very close under similar conditions today.

Thebes is a very interesting horse. Mark Johnston clearly feels Thebes has the class to win at Royal Ascot, though we’ve only seen him on the All Weather to date, and never over more than 7f, he’s finished 2111. The time of the penultimate race over 7f at Wolverhampton suggests Thebes has a super chance in this event, and that his speed should translate well over slightly further. Given a featherweight of 8-5, if he takes to turf and can see out this mile trip, Thebes could well get up to win this event. Each-Way money could see a handsome return.

We also fancy strong races are likely from Badger or Bust, Fifteen Love and Jedediah, but the winner could come from any of 15 or 20 horses in this trappy event.

A conundrum, but one which should be great fun to watch!

4:55 – The Hampton Court Stakes – 1m2f – Listed – For 3 Year Olds Only

After the great puzzlement and difficulty of finding the winner of a 33 horse handicap, we have the more straightforward, if not simpler, task of finding the winner of the Hampton Court Stakes, a listed event over 1m2f.

In this race, we pick just three horses:

• Alfathaa
• Staying On
• Dr Faustus

Again, some small each way money should show some results.

5:30 – The King George V Stakes – 1m4f – Heritage Handicap – For 3 Year Olds

In the King George V Stakes we select just two horses who stand a little proud of the rest of the field based on our ratings at these weights:

• Manyriverstocross; and
• Moonquake
  

A reverse forecast plus a coupld of small each-way bets could well be the order of the day here.

Also a Tote Placepot or Jackpot on all of the above selections for a 10 or 20 pence stake should see us get a run for our money. Visit the Totesport website and register a new account to place Placepots or Jackpots online – they are also offering £125 worth of free bets to new customers for the month of June! Check out that free bet offer and more at the Free Sports Bet website.