Day 1 of Royal Ascot is done and dusted, and didn’t it deliver.
The stands were filled with 12,000 spectators in what was a massive improvement on last year’s behind-closed-doors version.
The opening day is arguably the best day of racing with three Group 1 championships programmed to start the week.
Palace Pier won the first Group 1 of the day in the Queen Anne Stakes starting the $1.20 favourite for John & Thady Gosden, ridden by the great Frankie Dettori.
Fast forward to race 3 where Oxted won the King’s Stand Stakes over the 1000m trip, where the gelding ran away from his rivals on the line for Cieren Fallon.
Finally, Poetic Flare won the St James’s Palace Stakes in a dominant display for Kevin Manning and Jim Bolger in what was the most impressive win of the day.
Incredible horse! Poetic Flare absolutely bolts up in the St James's Palace Stakes for Kevin Manning and Jim Bolger! @Ascot#RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/T4QOgKj1pY
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 15, 2021
The second day of Royal Ascot 2021 features one Group 1 race, the Prince of Wales's Stakes, which shapes as a three-horse battle between last-start winners Love, Lord North and Armory.
Neil Evans has given his best Day 2 bets on SEN Track’s Bensley.
Best bet
Race 4, No. 7 - Love $2.25
“I’m very keen on love here, this is an exceptional filly by Galileo, it’s a really top class horse who goes well fresh. This is my best bet for the card.
“I think she has the class.”
Next best
Race 1, No. 19 – Twilight Gleaming $2.90
“I’m with the American based galloper Twilight Dream, who has great natural speed. They tend to come down the outside early on in the day, which is ideal for Twilight Gleaming.
“I’m pretty keen here.”
Race 2, No. 11 - Ruling $12.00
“This horse is third-up who could jump at big odds, I think punters should have something on this galloper at big odds.”
