We're all set for the start of Royal Ascot 2023 and Pat Cooney has given us his three selections for the opening day.

Don't forget, you can watch all the action from Royal Ascot unfold live via our Horse Racing Live Streaming service.

Coolangatta

Tuesday 20th June
3:40 - King's Stand Stakes
Current odds: 4/1

Pat Cooney's verdict - Tradition dictates that you really want to go with an Australian horse, and that's what I'm going to do. Coolangatta is the name, a real fast horse, and a progressive type as well. It was a career best last time out, I'm going to honour the stats and say that the Aussie sprinters are normally better.

Paddington

Tuesday 20th June
4:20 - St James's Palace Stakes
Current odds: 9/4

Pat Cooney's verdict - This is the highlight of the meeting really. We've got the Newmarket 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean taking on the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Paddington. I think Paddington is already a better horse than Chaldean and he can improve again.

Cadillac

Tuesday 20th June
5:35 - Wolferton Stakes
Current odds: 10/1

Pat Cooney's verdict - This horse was a high class two-year-old, and many thought he would be a Classic horse the following year. It didn't quite happen but he was back in business at Epsom in a handicap last time out. He won in good style and on official ratings he's right there in the mix with four or five others in this race.

bet365 News Team

• Ascot Racecourse
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