Rhys Williams' Racing Tips: 5 Selections For Royal Ascot Day 1
Horse racing expert Rhys Williams is sharing his best selections for Day 1 of Royal Ascot.
Rhys has been a racing analyst for over 10 years, working for At The Races and most recently as a tipster for Betfair, where his tipping column had a 31% ROI over four and a half years.
He often focuses away from the front end of the market, finding angles that aren't evident to most.
Rhys' tips have returned 332.12 points from 202.0 points staked, meaning his profit and loss record stands at a whopping +130.12pts overall - thanks to a sensational spell that included Lamar Canyon's win at 150/1 recently.
Here are Rhys' tips for Day 1 of Royal Ascot, using the most up-to-date odds from the best horse racing betting sites.
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15:40 Royal Ascot: Asfoora - 1pt Win @ 10/1
Asfoora has run poorly on both starts this season, but I think she has a good chance of bouncing back to the level she was showing last season now that the blinkers are back on.
She was officially switched to the care of Lemos De Souza to stay in Britain this season, and hasn’t shown much on either start, with Oisin Murphy reporting that she was never travelling last time.
In both of those starts, she went without the blinkers that she had worn last season, that had a positive impact on her with a good run in defeat in this race before gaining a couple of Group 1 victories in the Nunthorpe and Abbaye.
A tongue tie also now goes on and she was reported to be more tractable when working in one recently, so hopefully that will also have a positive effect on her.
It may turn out that Asfoora just isn’t as sharp as she was, but this headgear combination could bring out the best in her and she’s drawn near some speed to take her into the race.
Any 8/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 1: 15:40 Royal Ascot: Asfoora - 1pt Win
15:40 Royal Ascot: Starlust - 0.5pt Win @ 40/1
Starlust was retired after finishing fourth in this race last season, but after his fertility wasn’t up to scratch they decided to bring him back into training and I think he could run another good race in this contest at a big price.
He ran some way below his best on his seasonal debut at Carlisle, but that was also the case last season at Haydock and the year before at this track prior to bolting up in a handicap.
So he might just be the type who badly needs his first run after a break.
There is a slight concern over the draw as the far side may not be the ideal place to be.
It could be that he’s just not the same horse he was after that break from training, but he looks a little overpriced and any 33/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 2: 15:40 Royal Ascot: Starlust - 0.5pt Win
17:00 Royal Ascot: Comfort Zone - 0.5pts Each-Way @ 22/1
It might be that Reaching High will simply be too good for these and execute an obvious plan, but I’m taking a three-pronged attack against him.
Much like Asfoora but at the opposite end of the speed scale, Comfort Zone has the potential to bounce back to a much better level of form now that the blinkers are refitted.
He finished a close third in this race off a 1lb lower mark last season when he had to wait a little for some room early in the home straight.
He then put in an eyecatching effort in the Irish Cesarewitch later in the season, when making up plenty of late ground on the wide outside.
A thorough test of stamina is ideal for him and I’m hoping the plan will be to try to replicate the tactics of last year in riding him quite handily.
There is the concern, as with last year, that they might really slow the pace approaching the straight, which wouldn’t be ideal for him as he’s a strong stayer.
However, as with the favourite, it looks like this race has been a clear plan for him and any 16/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 3: 17:00 Royal Ascot: Comfort Zone - 0.5pts Each-Way
17:00 Royal Ascot: Defiantly - 0.5pts Each-Way @ 25/1
Defiantly finished behind a couple of today’s rivals when last seen at Killarney, but I think the nature of that race was against him and he can improve for this greater test of stamina.
He looked a thorough stayer when finishing strongly into fourth from a long way back in a Listed race at Leopardstown last season and he again looked short of pace in a Listed race at this track on his final run of the season.
The trip was always likely to be too sharp for him on his seasonal debut at Cork and he duly took a step forward at Killarney last time with a visor fitted for the first time.
That is now replaced with blinkers and I think the longer trip and bigger field can bring improvement from Defiantly.
Any 20/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 4: 17:00 Royal Ascot: Defiantly - 0.5pts Each-Way
17:00 Royal Ascot: All In You - 0.5pts Each-Way @ 33/1
All In You hasn’t been seen on the flat since finishing seventh in a conditions race at Angers in May 2024 but I think he has the potential to run well at a big price.
I think the track and the way that race panned out was against him and he showed prior to that what he was capable of in this sphere, when beating Presage Nocturne, who was placed in a Group 3 later in the season, at Longchamp with a gap back to the rest.
He’s been progressive over hurdles since joining Gary and Josh Moore and was unlucky to not at least finish closer in the Scottish Champion Hurdle when he was badly hampered by the fall of Tutti Quanti when still travelling well.
While I have a slight doubt over whether he wants quite this far, I think his smooth travelling nature and ability to quicken suggests he could have more to offer in this sphere and any 22/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 5: 17:00 Royal Ascot: All In You - 0.5pts Each-Way
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