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.
