Royal Hunt Cup Tips – Royal Ascot Day Two, 17:00

First run in 1843, The Royal Hunt Cup is the first of the week’s heritage handicaps and features a cavalry charge on the straight course, with 30 runners over a mile for three-year-olds and up. Not a great race for favourites with seven of the last 13 winners outside the top seven in the betting with the last winning favourite coming back in 2009.

Read on to see which horses I am backing for my free Royal Ascot betting tips ahead of this race that is scheduled to take place at 5 pm BST on Wednesday afternoon at Ascot.

Migration

Trainer: David Menuisier
Jockey: Benoit De La Sayette

Won the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster back in April on heavy ground. 6lb higher now and very ground dependent. Needs the mud and is unlikely to get it here.

Tempus

Trainer: Archie Watson
Jockey: Hollie Doyle

Won over course and distance last summer off of 103 but remains 6lb north of that mark and has been running in non-handicap company.

Reach for the Moon

Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
Jockey: Frankie Dettori

Always been highly thought of by his strong connections but was beaten at 2/5 at last year’s meeting in Hampton Court Stakes. Was gelded before the start of this season but bombed out completely on re-appearance at Newmarket in Group 3. First handicap today and potentially well drawn but has questions to answer now.

Imperial Fighter

Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Callum Hutchison (3)

Their first run in a handicap. Third in last season’s Irish 2000 Guineas his stand-out piece of form. Kept good company but has shown little since and is easily overlooked.

Positive

Trainer: Clive Cox
Jockey: Adam Kirby

Been running on the all-weather recently winning twice at Kempton and Wolverhampton. 3lb higher than when last seen on the turf and his mark looks rather high currently.

Awaal

Trainer: Simon & Ed Crisford
Jockey: William Buick

Runner up in Lincoln on re-appearance to Migration on heavy ground but flopped since in listed race in France. Would only be of interest if the ground was to change to soft.

Intellogent

Trainer: Jane Chapple-Hyam
Jockey: James Doyle

Runner-up in this race a year ago and returns off of a one-pound lower mark so has each-way claims. Showed some promise last time at Newbury racecourse and if back to last year’s form can be competitive.

Bless Him

Trainer: David Simcock
Jockey: Jamie Spencer

Won the Britannia Handicap six years ago off of 90. Finished 7th in this a year ago and two pounds higher now. Nine years old and his turn may have gone.

Jimi Hendrix

Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Jockey: Rossa Ryan

Won Newbury’s Spring Cup in April in first-time blinkers on soft ground. A bit disappointing since at Newmarket but has a small each-way chance.

Ghaly

Trainer: Saeed Bun Suroor
Jockey: Oisin Murphy

Not seen since winning at Newmarket races last October on soft ground. 8lb higher now but looks well treated still and the stable won this with Real World two years ago. Has been away for a racecourse gallop at Chelmsford and can run well.

Blue for You

Trainer: David O’Meara
Jockey: Daniel Tudhope

Came back from layoff to finish a credible 5th to Croupier in York’s Hambleton handicap at their Dante meeting. Dropped a pound for that run and not without an each-way chance.

Sonny Liston

Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Jockey: Ryan Moore

Dropped three pounds for finishing 9th of 12 at Newbury on re-appearance and sports blinkers for the first time today. Only his second start for the trainer and Ryan Moore has been booked.

Astro King

Trainer: Daniel & Clare Kubler
Jockey: Richard Kingscote

Has been placed on the last two renewals of this race when in the hands of Sir Michael Stoute off of 98 and 102 under Ryan Moore. Very unlucky on their first run for the Kublers in Hambleton Handicap at York on re-appearance and can race off of the same handicap mark here of 99. Plenty in his favour and can run well as long as draw not a negative.

Revich

Trainer: Richard Spencer
Jockey: Jason Hart

Easy Chester winner on a penultimate outing but beaten at Epsom since and now 6lb higher. Any rain would suit this seven-year-old.

Dawn of Liberation

Trainer: Richard Hannon
Jockey: Pat Dobbs

Won two of his ten starts and appeared to come back to some sort of form when 4th at Chester last time. Drawn in stall 1 on the far side may not be an advantage.

Outbreak

Trainer: Charlie Johnston
Jockey: Andrea Atzeni

Newmarket winner in May (1M, good) and not disgraced when 5th in Newbury handicap since. Only his twelfth-ever run and may have more improvement to come.

Dunum

Trainer: Miss Natalia Lupini
Jockey: Wayne Lordan

Irish challenger who’s won five of his seven last starts. Good effort when runner-up at The Curragh last time though may prefer a bit of juice in the ground.

Atrium

Trainer: Charlie Fellowes
Jockey: Kieran Shoemark

Dual winner with ease in the ground last Autumn and dropped in weights to within a pound of his last winning mark following three starts this season. Could do with some showers to ease the ground.

Orbaan

Trainer: David O’Meara
Jockey: Jason Watson

Still 2lb higher than his last winning mark which came at Ascot over 7F last August. Good 4th at Epsom Downs last time and could run well.

Chasing Aphrodite

Trainer: Harry Eustace
Jockey: Hayley Turner

Appeared to improve for a wind operation when making a winning re-appearance over course and distance in an apprentice handicap. Lightly raced, ground suits and a lively outsider.

Perotto

Trainer: Roger Varian
Jockey: David Egan

Won the Britannia Handicap over course and distance when trained by Marcus Tregoning two years ago off of a 3lb higher mark. An eye-catcher on his first run for Roger Varian in Victoria Cup on ground that was too soft and a trip that was too short. Been well-backed over the past week and should run well from a high draw.

Greatgadian

Trainer: Roger Varian
Jockey: Aidan Keeley (5)

Below his last winning mark which came on the all-weather at Chelmsford eleven starts ago and sports first-time blinkers here. Finished 11th in this race last year and now 7lb lower in weights.

Bear Force One

Trainer: Roger Teal
Jockey: Lewis Edmunds

Had a few of these behind when winning a one-mile handicap at Newbury in May. 3lb higher now. Each way claims at a big price.

Ouzo

Trainer: Jamie Osborne
Jockey: Saffie Osborne

Hasn’t won for a while and would prefer easier conditions. Not seen since racing at the Dubai Carnival at Meydan in February.

Point Lynas

Trainer: Edward Bethell
Jockey: Tom Marquand

Arrives in good form. Was a winner on the all-weather at Newcastle back in March and has finished runner-up on his last two starts in class two handicaps at York and Nottingham. Is officially 3lb well in here and a lively outsider.

Aerion Power

Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute
Jockey: Harry Davies (3)

Been a while since he saw the winners’ enclosure but didn’t run that bad at Sandown last time and has the assistance of one of the best apprentices around here.

Wanees

Trainer: Charlie Hills
Jockey: Jim Crowley

Shown little in two starts so far this season, dropping only a pound. First-time blinkers tried. 6th in last year’s Britannia over course and distance to Thesis.

Isla Kai

Trainer: Nigel Tinkler
Jockey: Rowan Scott

Bounced back to form when winning at Ripon in April but flopped since at York in Hambleton Handicap and hard to fancy too much on latest effort.

Koy Koy

Trainer: George Boughey
Jockey: James McDonald

Not seen for 240 days and has been gelded since then. A winner of two of his ten starts and ran 10th in Britannia over course and distance last year.

Light and Dark

Trainer: Saeed Bin Suroor
Jockey: David Probert

Not shown much recently and the trainer has far better claims with Ghaly.

Dual Identity (Reserve)

Trainer: William Knight
Jockey: Neil Callan

First reserve. 10lb higher than the last victory which came last summer at Sandown.

Majestic (Reserve)

Trainer: Jack Channon
Jockey: Ronan Whelan

Second reserve. Last year’s Cambridgeshire winner. Run consistently well this season and if getting a run can be competitive.

Quantico (Reserve)

Trainer: Archie Watson
Jockey: Georgia Dobie (3)

Third reserve. Only his fifth-ever run and second in a handicap. Will need to improve dramatically from the latest effort mind.

Royal Hunt Cup Betting Tips

As always a cavalry charge up the straight mile with the draw always a major factor. Recent years have suggested a high number is best but it’s not conclusive.

Perotto is well handicapped and has his conditions so should run well along with Point Lynas who is the only horse in the race who is officially ahead of his mark (by 3lb). The pick though is Daniel & Clare Kubler’s Astro King who’s been placed in this last two years and was unlucky at York last time.

1 Astro King @ 9/1 with William Hill

2 Ghaly @ 10/1 with Bet365 (Paying top 6 places at 1/5 odds)

3 Perotto @ 7/1 with Unibet (Paying top 6 places at 1/5 odds)

4 Point Lynas @ 33/1 with Bet365 (Paying top 5 places at 1/5 odds)

All odds are available at the time of writing.