This Queen Alexandra Stakes is the longest race of the week. It is run over 2M 5F 143 yards making it the longest race run under flat racing rules. With such an emphasis on stamina this traditionally becomes a battle between the flat trainers and the top jumps stables.
The market is normally a good guide with twelve of the last 15 winners coming from the first four in the market. Willie Mullins has an excellent record making it four wins from the past 11 runnings when Stratum completed back-to-back victories last season. Read on to see my free Royal Ascot betting tips for the last race of the festival.
Stratum
Trainer: W P Mullins
Jockey: William Buick
Winner of this unique staying contest for the last two years and incurs a 3lb penalty here. Looks sure to be on the premises and has more than likely been laid out for this race having prepped in a 1M 6F Group 3 at Leopardstown in May. The only negative is the fact that he is a ten-year-old now but is in the hands of a genius and William Buick who rode him last year gets the call up again.
Coltor
Trainer: Roger Fell & Sean Murray
Jockey: Jason Hart
Stays as far as three miles over timber so shouldn’t have too many problems with staying this far but is rated some 21lb behind the top-rated here and looks out of his depth.
Dawn Rising
Trainer: Joseph Patrick O’Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Lightly raced six-year-old who’s won twice over hurdles at 2M 4F & 2M 5F as well as been placed in Grade 1 novice company. Had Stratum behind when running in the 1M 6F Group 3 at Leopardstown in May on the flat. Should stay well and looks like a lively contender.
Estacas
Trainer: David Bridgewater
Jockey: Billy Loughnane
Modest fast ground novice hurdler who won at Huntingdon in May. Plenty on here and impossible to fancy.
Falcon Eight
Trainer: D K Weld
Jockey: Tom Marquand
Run in last two renewals finishing 9th in 2021 on unsuitable soft ground and 4th last year (beaten 1 1/4L) by Stratum on fast ground. Been running on soft ground mostly recently including when soundly beaten in Chester Cup last time. Conditions look ideal for him here and he stays well, sound each-way claims against the principals.
Goshen
Trainer: Gary Moore
Jockey: Tom Queally
Wayward sort but has shown plenty of ability over hurdles just short of top class. Hasn’t matched his national hunt form on the flat and is too quirky to trust.
Run For Oscar
Trainer: C Byrnes
Jockey: Jim Crowley
Won last year’s Cesarewitch at Newmarket racecourse under 8-11, mixed hurdling with flat racing since and was 5th of 6 in listed race over inadequate 1M 4F in May when last seen. Only 5lb behind the highest rated here and has obvious claims.
The Grand Visir
Trainer: Ian Williams
Jockey: Richard Kingscote
Runner-up in 2020 and third in 2021 in this race. Stays well and will be plodding on when it’s all over. Was 8th in Ascot Stakes on Tuesday.
First Emperor
Trainer: John Ryan
Jockey: Cieren Fallon
Stays two miles but has yet to race beyond that trip so has the stamina to prove. Plenty on here so easy to overlook.
Typewriter
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Improving and may have more to give but has yet to try beyond 1M 6F so stamina is a major issue and best left.
Queen Alexandra Stakes Betting Tips
This can be narrowed down to the dual winner of this race Stratum trained by Willie Mullins, Joseph O’Brien’s classy hurdler Dawn Rising, Charlie Byrnes’ Cesarewitch winner Run For Oscar and Dermot Weld’s Falcon Eight.
All can be given a chance of sorts but the value may lay with the latter who has his ground conditions for the first time in a while and ran well in this last year.
1. Falcon Eight @ 7/1 e/w with William Hill promo code (Paying top 3 places at 1/5 odds)
2. Stratum @ 9/4 with William Hill
3. Dawn Rising @ 4/1 with Bet365 bonus code
All odds are available at the time of writing.
