The biggest week of the flat season is just around the corner and connections are lining up which horses are going to tackle which races. Our Royal Ascot tips will cover every one of the thirty races runner by runner, with selections for all the ITV action.
Of course, the trainers are a big part of that process and other than the jockey, they’ll be the ones that get the pats on the back for a great training performance, or the grumbles if their runner doesn’t quite do what was expected.
Some are better at handling that pressure more than others and punters will already have their idea of which trainers they’ll be following during the five-day meeting.
If you are still yet to decide, Luke Parkinson has picked out four of the hottest handlers to follow when it comes to Royal Ascot 2019, plus a 420/1 acca from some of their leading chances.
Most punters will be sticking with Aidan O’Brien when it comes to Royal Ascot, and few could disagree with them.
The Irish handler has already taken a 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas double this season, as well as the Derby, so he’ll certainly have his horses ready to peak on another big occasion.
He’s got Royal Ascot form in the bag too, with a chance to win the top trainers title for a fifth time in a row.
As is usually the case, he’s spoilt with a plethora of talent to take to Berkshire and he could well get off to a flyer on the opening day.
Le Brivido goes in the Queen Anne, Arizona is the hot favourite for the Coventry and Magna Grecia and Sergei Prokofiev are both well fancied in the St James’s Palace and King’s Stand respectively.
It was a memorable Royal Ascot for Johnny G just twelve months ago, with an opening day treble complimented by Stradivarius landing the Gold Cup on Thursday.
He only lost out on the top trainers’ title for the meeting on countback but had Enable been fit and Cracksman not turned over a short odds, he could be returning to defend that title this year.
However, he’ll arrive with that looking like a long shot this year. Stradivarius will lead his charge again, with King of Comedy and Too Dart Hot both players in the St James’s Place on Tuesday.
Thursday might be more like his lucky day because along with his reigning Gold Cup champ, Mehdaayih and Entitle are set to line up in the Ribblesdale, with Private Secretary in the King Edward.
Godolphin enjoyed a fair bit of success last season and the majority of that came thanks to trainer Charlie Appleby.
He saddled Masar to success in the 2018 Epsom Derby and then landed Royal Ascot victories with both Blue Point and Old Persian.
He’s unlikely to trouble O’Brien or Gosden for the top trainers’ tag, but he’s likely to be the trainer to follow from the Godolphin camp.
Blue Point and Barney Roy will hope to get him off to the perfect start on the opening day, while all eyes will be on Masar, who makes his long-awaited return by leading Appleby’s Wednesday charge in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
Very few trainers have enjoyed the longevity of success that Sir Michael Stoute has done at Ascot. In the last five years alone, he’s saddled 20 winners from his 135 runners, putting him on a cool +23.57 from a £1 level stake in that time.
He’s also been in particularly good form in the first part of this season and is currently operating with an impressive 25% strike rate, which makes him an interesting trainer to follow during Royal Ascot week.
His Lockinge winner Mustashry is one of his to follow in the opening race, with Rawdaa currently favourite for the Duke of Cambridge on Wednesday.
Queen Power also gives him a good shot in the Ribblesdale, while followers of our ITV tips will be hoping that Crystal Ocean can oblige in the Hardwicke.