Wolferton Stakes Tips – Royal Ascot Day One, 17:35

The Wolferton Stakes was first run at Royal Ascot back in 2002 as a listed handicap. It was changed in 2018 to become a 10F listed conditions race for four-year-olds and up. The Gosden stable have won the race four times since 2011 with Newmarket stables winning four of the five renewals since the race became a listed contest. Read on to find out what my betting tips are for the Wolferton Stakes race.

Buckaroo

Trainer: Joseph Patrick O’Brien
Jockey: Oisin Murphy

Listed winner on re-appearance in April at Leopardstown and wasn’t disgraced when only beaten a neck in a blanket finish in Group One race in France since. They were penalised 3L for the Leopardstown win and have yet to race on a fast surface so any rain would suit.

Foxes Tales

Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Rob Hornby

Penalised 3lb for listed victory on the all-weather at Kempton by 3L in April. Well beaten since at Chester on very soft ground which he probably hated. Ran 6th last year in this race at only 6/1.

King of Conquest

Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Jockey: William Buick

Chasing a five-timer here following handicap victories at Wolverhampton, Bahrain and Newmarket whilst following up in listed company at Goodwood when taking advantage of Francesco Clemente’s waywardness to beat that one by a neck. They were penalised 3lb for that win and are not certain to uphold the form on worse terms.

Royal Champion

Trainer: Roger Varian
Jockey: Jack Mitchell

Has to shoulder a 3lb penalty for listed win at Ayr last Autumn by 5 1/2L from Euchan Glen. Soundly beaten since in Group One and Two company and this listed race looks more like his grade.

Bolshoi Ballet

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore

Hasn’t won since winning the Belmont Derby in New York in July 2021 but has kept good company since. Ran well last time over 1M 4F and drops in distance here. Drawn on the inside here in stall 1 may not be ideal.

Cadillac

Trainer: George Boughey
Jockey: James McDonald

Was runner-up in this race last year having been bought the previous night for £500,000. Bounced back to form in first-time cheekpieces in Epsom handicap last time and has each-way claims.

Certain Lad

Trainer: Jack Channon
Jockey: Ben Curtis

Not won for the best part of three years. Third in Chester handicap last time and unlikely to trouble the judge.

Checkandchallenge

Trainer: William Knight
Jockey: Andrea Atzeni

Runs here in preference to the much harder Queen Anne Stakes at the start of the day. Has kept good company throughout his career and this represents a drop in class. Looks like a lively outsider from a wide draw.

FRANCESCO CLEMENTE

Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
Jockey: Robert Havlin

The top-rated in the field. Was very well backed on his re-appearance when running very wide on the bend at Goodwood when going down by a neck to the re-opposing King Of Conquest. 3lb better off with that one now and in first-time cheekpieces the one to beat.

Highland Avenue

Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Jockey: James Doyle

This horse is a Godolphin second string here on jockey bookings. Run well in two Group 3’s this season, only going down by 3/4L to Regal Reality at Epsom last time. Not won since April 2021.

Notre Belle Bete

Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: David Probert

2lb better off for a 1 1/4L beating by King Of Conquest and Saga last time in a handicap at Newmarket, would have small each-way claims on that effort but may struggle in this grade.

Poker Face

Trainer: Simon & Ed Crisford
Jockey: Jamie Spencer

Ran well in a Group 3 at Newmarket on re-appearance behind Ottoman Fleet, who’s won in America since. May have been unsuited by the soft ground at Chester in the Group 2 Huxley Stakes since won by Point Lonsdale when fourth of six, beaten 2 1/2L. Not without claims.

Raadobarg

Trainer: George Boughey
Jockey: Kevin Stott

Not disgraced in Group 3 and listed company in two starts this season and tries first-time blinkers here. Prefers soft ground so any rain in his favour.

Saga

Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
Jockey: Frankie Dettori

Good effort last time out in a Newmarket handicap when going down by a head to the re-opposing King Of Conquest (Notre Bella Bete just behind in third). 3lb better now so solid claims of turning the form around. Not won however since September 2021 and just the once in ten starts. Looks poor value at the top of the market.

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Savvy Victory

Trainer: Sean Woods
Jockey: Tom Marquand

Poor run last time out at Epsom (trainer stated afterwards that the horse prefers softer ground and didn’t like the undulations). Hard to fancy too much here.

Solid Stone

Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute
Jockey: Richard Kingscote

Desert Crown’s lead horse at home. Decent enough in his own right and won the Huxley Stakes at Chester last year. Was pacemaking for Desert Crown when third to Hukum and that one on re-appearance in Group 3 Brigadier Gerrard Stakes at Sandown.

Wolferton Stakes Betting Tips

There’s only 7lb officially between the sixteen runners and racing around a bend there’s going to be some hard luck stories for sure. The current favourite looks poor value to me as a horse who’s only won one of his ten starts and is officially rated in the bottom three of the entire field. Francesco Clemente looked wayward coming round the bend at Goodwood which probably cost him the race and he is preferred of the Gosden pair.

It would be no surprise to see William Knight’s Checkandchallenge run well as this represents a drop in class whilst back on better ground Poker Face can show his soft ground Chester run to be all wrong. A tough race, but here are my Ascot tips:

1. Poker Face (ew) @ 12-1 with Bet365 bonus code (Paying top 4 places at 1/5 odds)

2. Checkandchallenge @ 22/1 with Unibet

3. Francesco Clemente @ 6-1 with BetVictor promo code

All odds are available at the time of writing.