Royal Ascot tips: Day 5 Best Bets, Picks and Horses to Watch

Article By Matthew Crist

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Last Updated: Jun 24^th, 2023

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Check out all our Royal Ascot 2023 Day 5 picks as our in-house tipster looks to build on a stunning day on Wednesday, picking both Warm Heart and Witch Hunter. It's another day of top quality racing with the Chesham Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes and the Wokingham Stakes all taking place at the Berkshire course.

We have all our Royal Ascot Day 5 Tips in one place, as our horse racing expert takes a look at Saturday's action at the 2023 Royal Ascot meeting and has a selection for each of the seven races taking place...

Royal Ascot 2023: Day 5 Picks

• 14:30 - MATNOOKH
• 15:05 – COVEY
• 15:40 – BIG INVASION 
• 16:20 – GRAND ALLIANCE
• 17:00 – FLAMING RIB 
• 17:35 – LAAFI
• 18:10 – THE GRAND VISIR

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14:30 - MATNOOKH

Aidan O'Brien holds the record for the most victories in the Chesham Stakes, the opening race on Saturday, and the Ballydoyle maestro will be fielding the highly favored Pearls And Rubies. This promising horse secured a narrow win at Navan and is expected to show further improvement in this race, as evidenced by the fact that she holds an entry for a Group 1 event later in the season. MATNOOKH had a sluggish start and took time to find his stride, lagging behind in the early stages of the race and requiring encouragement from jockey William Buick. However, he displayed an eye-catching burst of acceleration in the final stages, responding well to Buick's urging and finishing in third place. While he will need significant improvement to make an impact in this tougher competition, a step up to seven furlongs should work to his advantage. Although it is crucial for him to break better at the start, his impressive late surge suggests that he could excel at the longer distance. Considering the attractive odds and the fact that some bookmakers are paying out on four places, MATNOOKH appears to be a compelling each-way option for the opening race on Saturday.

15:05 - HOLGUIN

Back in 2000, John Gosden trained Observatory to a magnificent victory in the Jersey Stakes. Now, working in tandem with his son Thady, he aims to taste success once again in this 7-furlong Group 3 event. Their top contender, COVEY, enters the race as the hot favorite and has shown the potential to be a truly classy colt. The son of Frankel has impressively notched up three consecutive wins at Newmarket, Newcastle, and Haydock. His latest triumph at Haydock, where he surged to a commanding three-and-a-quarter length victory off a rating of 90, indicated that he could be a prominent contender in this race. Displaying a smart turn of foot, Covey will face some noteworthy up-and-comers, but he is highly fancied to secure a fourth consecutive win and appears difficult to beat. The Antarctic, who finished second in the Middle Park Stakes last season, poses as the main threat to the favorite. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, he recently triumphed in a Group 3 race at Naas, showcasing his proven class in the field. Additionally, the race boasts contenders such as the exciting and undefeated Enfjaar, as well as last year's surprising Chesham Stakes winner, adding further depth to the competition.tance is ideal, and HOLGUIN possesses a favorable official rating, indicating a high likelihood of a strong performance.

15:40 - BIG INVASION

Assessing BIG INVASION accurately proves to be a challenge as all of his racing experience has been in America. However, in his most recent outing, he delivered an outstanding performance in a Group 1 race, despite being positioned much further back compared to the other competitors who finished in a similar position. Given his previous runs, the prevailing conditions should be ideal for him, making him a prime candidate to finish the race with a strong and rapid surge at the demanding six-furlong distance. American horses have a noteworthy track record in this particular race, and the same can be said for American sires, who have produced 10 out of the last 24 winners. Additionally, it is worth noting that four-year-olds have claimed victory in 12 out of the last 26 editions of this race, with a commendable 23% strike rate for placing from a total of 141 runners. Taking into account these compelling statistics, BIG INVASION ticks many boxes and holds significant promise.

16:20 – GRAND ALLIANCE

The Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes presents an intriguing contest with two prominent contenders: Hukum, trained by Owen Burrows, and Free Wind, trained by John & Thady Gosden, leading the market. Hukum arrives after an impressive victory over former Derby champion Desert Crown in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes, while Free Wind triumphed over Rogue Millennium, who claimed a win at Royal Ascot on Wednesday, in the Middleton Stakes at York. Although both horses may fall slightly short of top-class caliber, they are expected to battle for victory, despite their relatively short odds.

However, if all eight runners remain in the lineup, there may be value to be found in the each-way market. GRAND ALLIANCE, the outsider of the field, could potentially sneak into a placing. Having finished as the runner-up to Changingoftheguard in last year's King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, Grand Alliance is set to renew their rivalry. Notably, Grand Alliance enters this race on the back of a Group 3 victory in the John Porter, and a return to Ascot might see him further improve. At odds of 33/1, taking a chance on him seems worthwhile, especially as the conditions are similar to last year's race.

17:00 – FLAMING RIB

In his most recent outing at York over five furlongs, CHIPSTEAD displayed remarkable form, indicating an exceptional level of performance. His victory was so impressive that it suggests even with a 6lb weight increase, he would remain undeterred. The step back up to six furlongs is a favorable change, and although he was initially considered for the Group 1 King's Stand earlier in the week, the decision was made to capitalize on his handicap mark of 106 instead. This situation positions him as the proverbial "Group horse in a handicap" in this race. Notably, five-year-olds have shown great success in this race, accounting for 12 out of the last 27 winners. Furthermore, CHIPSTEAD is expected to handle the ground conditions without issue, although a more favorable draw would have been preferred. Fortunately, there is sufficient pace among the surrounding runners. Another positive aspect is the jockey booking of Frederick Larson, who has achieved four victories in his last eight rides and holds a 22% win rate on Roger Teal-trained horses this year, having secured two wins from nine rides.

17:35 - LAAFI

In the Golden Gates Stakes, the penultimate race on Saturday's day 5 card at Royal Ascot, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Canute arrives as an impressive winner at Navan in his most recent outing. However, he faces a challenge as he must overcome an 11lb rise in the handicap to secure victory. Despite the weight increase, the Ballydoyle contender possesses the potential for the necessary improvement and rightfully stands as the favorite in the betting. Another horse that could surpass expectations is LAAFI, trained by William Haggas. Although he failed to make an impact in his seasonal reappearance, it's worth noting that he competed in the Group 3 Lingfield Derby Trial, a race whose form has been solidified by Waipiro's success earlier in the week at Royal Ascot. LAAFI, a son of Cloth Of Stars, will need to demonstrate his ability to handle the faster ground, considering his only victory came on soft ground at Nottingham. However, it is intriguing that the Haggas team has opted to place him in the handicap realm for this race, and with a rating of 97, he could pose a significant threat at attractive odds in the double figures.

18:10 –  THE GRAND VISIR

Stratum, the victor of this race in 2021 and 2022, aims to achieve an extraordinary hat-trick of wins in the final race of Royal Ascot. Trained by Willie Mullins, the ten-year-old sets the standard here, entering the contest with a 1lb lower mark compared to last year. While he is expected to deliver a strong performance, being in the twilight of his career, his odds are unappealing, lacking any betting appeal. Navigating through this highly challenging puzzle for punters, considering the stamina concerns of several contenders, one horse that could surpass expectations at big odds is the Royal Ascot regular, THE GRAND VISIR. Trained by Ian Williams, he has previously secured two placings in this event and appears capable of repeating that achievement. Although he finished a respectable eighth in the Ascot Stakes earlier in the week, the step up in distance should bring about improvement. As the winner of the Ascot Stakes back in 2019, the nine-year-old finds himself in the twilight of his career. However, this time around, he will receive a 3lb weight allowance from Stratum, and if jockey Ryan Moore can position him prominently during the initial stages of the race, his stamina may prove advantageous in the closing stages.

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Claiming Royal Ascot free bets is simple and easy to do, especially as we have five days worth of action to enjoy across the whole meeting.

The first step is to choose which offer you would like to take advantage of, from those we have listed above.

After this, click on the offer which should take you to the bookmaker’s landing page for that deal, and sign up to a new account.

Check out the terms and conditions to make sure you adhere to those, and when you have completed the sign up process, it’s time to place your bets.

After these have been settled, you should receive the free bets from your bookmaker, giving you those to spend on the rest of the royal meeting.

When is Royal Ascot?

Royal Ascot begins on Tuesday, June 20 and will run through to Saturday, June 24. 

Where is Royal Ascot?

The meeting is held at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, just 20 minutes outside of London.

How do I watch Royal Ascot in the US?

NBC traditionally provides coverage each day from Tuesday to Saturday, through its livestreaming service Peacock.

What are the biggest races at Royal Ascot 2023?

For bettors who like playing on elite-level racing it doesn’t get much better than the royal meeting, which features eight Group 1 races across its five days. They are:

The Queen Anne Stakes – Horses aged four and over clash on Ascot’s straight mile

The King’s Stand Stakes – Elite sprinters battle over the minimum trip of 5f

The St James’s Palace Stakes – The next big 1m test for three-year-old colts after the 2,000 Guineas

The Prince of Wales’s Stakes – A 1m 2f contest for middle-distance stars aged four and over

The Ascot Gold Cup – This 2m 4f contest for the very best stayers is the meeting’s signature race

The Commonwealth Cup – Three-year-old speedsters clash over 6f

The Coronation Stakes – The leading three-year-old fillies fight it out over a round mile

Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes – An all-age speed test for the top 6f sprinters. Renamed from Platinum Jubilee Stakes in 2022.

There are so many huge races taking place every day during the five days of Royal Ascot meeting, but we've taken a look at what we consider to be the race to watch on each day, as well as our expert pick, too!

Tuesday June 20

Race to watch: In the upcoming King's Stand Stakes, the spotlight is on two formidable contenders: Highfield Princess, the seasoned Yorkshire-bred runner who has consistently improved with time, and Coolangatta, the exceptional filly hailing from Australia. Highfield Princess has displayed remarkable progression as she has matured. With each passing race, her speed and performance have reached new heights, making her a force to be reckoned with in this competition. Coolangatta arrives on the scene as a highly touted filly from Australia. With a reputation for excellence, she has garnered significant attention and anticipation. Her exceptional skills and pedigree mark her as a top contender in this prestigious race.    

Tip of the day: Zoulu Chief in the Coventry Stakes (3.05pm). A 150-1 winner of his last start, the result has been dismissed all round. Never came out of his comfort zone winning by five lengths that day and sure to start a big price again. 

Wednesday June 21

Race to watch: The highly anticipated event to watch out for is the Prince of Wales's Stakes, where the 2021 Derby champion aims to secure his first Group One victory over a distance of one mile and a quarter, solidifying his reputation as a potential stallion. He will face tough competition from Bay Bridge, who emerged victorious over him in the Champion Stakes. However, with the ground conditions favoring a faster track, the tables could turn this time around.

Pick of the day: Intellogent in the Royal Hunt Cup (5pm) likes fast ground and Ascot. He was runner-up in this race 12 months ago only beaten half a length. This year he comes in 1lb lower in the ratings - which should give him half a length to spare! 

Thursday June 22

Race to watch: The Norfolk Stakes is a race that demands your full attention, as it flashes by in the blink of an eye. While it's been a while since we witnessed American two-year-olds displaying their blistering speed on this track, Wesley Ward's American Rascal appears to be a standout contender. In his sole start at Keeneland, he triumphed convincingly over four and a half furlongs, leaving his rivals trailing behind by a remarkable margin of 10 and a half lengths. It's worth noting that American Rascal is the offspring of Lady Aurelia, a formidable mare who claimed victory in both the Queen Mary and King's Stand Stakes under Ward's guidance. 

Pick of the day: Two years ago Subjectivist was as good a Gold Cup winner as there had been for a long time. An injury looked like putting paid to his career but he’s been brought back. He’s been a bit rusty but two runs should have put him right and in an open Gold Cup (4.20pm) he looks a steal at 8-1.

Friday June 23

Race to watch: The King Edward VII Stakes, often regarded as the Derby consolation race, presents an opportunity for the King and Queen to secure a victory at the esteemed Royal meeting this week. Circle of Fire emerges as their most promising contender in this event. Despite a subpar performance on the all-weather surface in the previous race, Circle of Fire is expected to thrive on turf, making a significant improvement in his performance. 

Pick of the day: Shaquille in the Commonwealth Cup (4.20). Little Big Bear will be a short priced favorite but he came up the golden highway when impressive at Haydock and it might be worth opposing such a short-priced runner.

Saturday June 24

Race to watch: The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes marks a significant moment in the career of Richard Gibson, a prominent trainer originally hailing from Northumberland. Gibson has been regarded as one of the finest exports from our shores, having achieved great success in both France and Hong Kong. As he approaches his final season in the Far East, all eyes are on Wellington, one of the sprinting stars in Hong Kong, to see if he can provide Gibson with a victorious send-off at Royal Ascot. It will undoubtedly be an intriguing spectacle as we witness if Wellington can secure a memorable win and bid farewell to Gibson's tenure in Hong Kong with a resounding triumph.

Pick of the day: Chipstead in the Wokingham Handicap. An improving sprinter whose brother was Oxted who won the July Cup and King’s Stand Stakes, an impressive winner at York last time. 

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Matthew Crist

Last Updated:   Jun 24^th, 2023

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