Royal Ascot Day 2 tips for Wednesday's racing

Keith Melrose Updated: 18 Jun 24 13:10

Wednesday is day two of Royal Ascot 2024, featuring the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes over 1m2f as its big race. There are also plenty of fiendish punting puzzles on the card, with four big-field races on the straight course to chew over.

The latest horse racing betting tips for Wednesday's card at Royal Ascot from the Racing Post's Keith Melrose.

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Royal Ascot Day Two Tips and Predictions

15:05 – Highbury @ 3/1
16:25 – Horizon Dore @ 13/2
17:40 – Elim @ 12/1

Queen's Vase tip

15:05 – Highbury @ 3/1

The popularity of Illinois is not hard to fathom. He is the choice of Ryan Moore and only had the Derby runner-up in front of him when second at Lingfield last time. His performance that day left a lot to be desired, to my mind, and I will be treating his attitude with suspicion until he proves otherwise.

I would much rather back stablemate HIGHBURY at bigger odds. He is very much the sort of horse that wins this race, even if he is not the sort Aidan O'Brien often sends here. He made his debut in April, before making use of that experience to win by a yawning margin at Leopardstown in mid-May.

The form of that race has worked out well. The second and fourth won maidens themselves next time, while the third was second on his next outing and improved his Racing Post Rating in the process so he still boosted the form.

Highbury made those fairly useful sorts look completely ordinary at Leopardstown, and he did so while showing signs of residual greenness. If he has learned further from the experience, he should be able to step up to this sort of class.

Prince Of Wales's Stakes tip

16:25 – Horizon Dore @ 13/2

Most of the market in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes is taken up by star performers Auguste Rodin and Inspiral. You would expect little else, as both are multiple Group 1 winners. Neither is reliable, though, while Auguste Rodin hated every minute of his previous experience at Ascot and Inspiral has to prove her stamina.

There is room to take them on, and the best option is the French raider HORIZON DORE. Unlike Auguste Rodin, who is likely to be mainly focused on an autumn campaign, and Inspiral who is something of a last-minute addition to the field, Horizon Dore has been laser-targeted at this race.

There is a good chance this has been the aim ever since Horizon Dore finished third in the Champion Stakes here in October. He has had four runs already in 2024, the last two in Group 1 company when he has been beaten three quarters of a length and a short head.

The faster ground is an unknown for Horizon Dore, but his turn of foot is such that he really ought to suit fast ground at least as well as testing conditions. If that supposition is right, he will make sure that the big two have to turn up at their best.

Kensington Palace Stakes tip

17:40 – Elim @ 12/1

The Kensington Palace Stakes will take place on the straight course this year, so competition for Jamie Spencer's business in the race will have been fierce, with the jockey famed for his ability to weave through on this unique track.

Edward Bethell has won the race for Spencer, for the unexposed filly ELIM. She has run only five times, winning twice at Newcastle and Musselburgh, before injury intervened last spring. Her reappearance at Redcar was pretty promising and now she is fit, she ought to be able to continue her progress.

A mark of 83 is likely to underplay Elim, although the same will go for many in this race. What the others do not have is the assistance of Spencer, who has time and again pulled rabbits from hats on Ascot's straight course.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.