Rory Delargy and David Massey preview the day's action from Royal Ascot and nominate their best bets at the current prices.
Racing betting tips: Wednesday June 17
1pt e.w. Catalina Delcarpio in 15:40 Royal Ascot at 8/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4) - min 13/2
1pt e.w. Shout in 17:00 Royal Ascot at 12/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) - min 11/1
1pt e.w. Oolong Poobong in 17:35 Royal Ascot at 10/1 (Paddy Power, Sky Bet, bet365 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) - take no lower
14:30 - Queen Mary Stakes
One thing we learned on day one of the meeting is that a high draw remains a positive on the straight track, the benefit of being drawn on the wing being that a clear run is easier to obtain than it is when drawn amongst others.
It’s easy to ignore the claims of Shining Moment here, given she was readily beaten by More Champagne on debut and logically she must be a bigger price than Tom Morley’s filly here. On the other hand, she didn’t look as sharp as we have come to expect of a Wesley Ward runner first time up, and improved markedly to make all at Churchill Downs next time.
That run is a better gauge of her ability and Ward knows exactly how to win this race, having done so four times already. She’s drawn to blaze a trail close to the stands rail and looks overpriced at 33/1 in the circumstances.
15:40 - Duke Of Cambridge Stakes
Punters may need reminding that the two fillies’ races at this trip have swapped starts with this Group 2 now on the round course and the Kensington Palace on the straight track. The draw should have less impact here, but as usual, hold-up horses on the rail need luck in running.
One who can make her own luck is CATALINA DELCARPIO, who was a good third in the Ribblesdale here a year ago, but has shown herself better over shorter since (hit the front going best in that race before being outstayed) and while a mile is her minimum, the pace here is likely to be strong and she can sit just off it before delivering a telling turn of foot in the short home straight.
It remains to be seen if the incident that saw Friendly Soul pulled up at Haydock last time has had any lasting effect on her, but she will relish the return to a right-handed track and appeals as the one to give the selection most to fear.
16:20 - Prince Of Wales's Stakes
Ooh, this has caused a ruck this morning. Here's Rory's take on the race...
Daryz was well behind Ombudsman in the International Stakes at York last year, with Francis-Henri Graffard’s charge seeming to find the step up to Group 1 company too much after wins in four lesser races since a belated debut in April last year. That appears to hand the initiative here to last year’s winner, but that would be to avoid how things have developed since.
Daryz’s was beaten again by Croix du Nord in the Group 3 Prix du Prince d’Orange at Longchamp in September, but rather than underline what happened at York, it was clear that the fast-finishing Daryz would have won in a couple more strides and supporters had plenty to cheer about when a more battle-hardened Daryz turned up for the Arc and turned the tables in no uncertain terms to show himself to be a genuine superstar, catching Minnie Hauk with a strong late run and pulling 5½ lengths clear of the field as the pair battled it out.
That improvement could have been put down to the emphasis on stamina given it was his first try at 1½m, so it’s been noteworthy that he has won the Prix Ganay (1m2½f) and the Prix Aga Khan IV (Prix d’Ispahan) dropped to an extended 1m1f last time, looking very comfortable with the increased emphasis on speed. I was impressed with the ease of his wins in the Ganay and the Ispahan where he was able to unleash a telling turn of foot to win by a wide margin each time.
Despite theories bandied about in the autumn, he’s neither a one-dimensional stayer nor a mudlark – the going was good for his Ganay win and only a little slower for the Ispahan, and he is only the second horse to win Arc/Ganay/Ispahan treble in succession after the great Sagace 40 years ago.
It’s been suggested that he needs ground softer than good, but French going descriptions are to be taken with a pinch of salt and he might prove even better on quick ground – that is certainly the case for stablemate Calandagan despite that horse’s early wins coming on softer, while Daryz’s half-brother Dariyan won the Prix Ganay on ground that Timeform described as good-to-firm. Their dam, Daryakana, also gained her biggest success on a sound surface in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase, so I’m not at all concerned about quick ground for this brilliant colt.
Now my take...
I am more slightly concerned about the ground for Daryz than he is, but more concerning again is how he's going to behave himself pre-race, having got himself into a bit of a tizz before the Juddmonte, pulled too hard and ran himself into the ground, finishing last of the six runners behind Ombudsman.
It worries me he might not be a traveller, and whilst the Juddmonte was only one race, it's still a concern for me. So basically, we'll settle this one like gentlemen used to, namely in Car Park 2 after the Windsor Castle. Tickets not available anywhere.
17:00 - Royal Hunt Cup
If high is the place to be, and it looks that way, then SHOUT looks a solid call in the Hunt Cup having fared well in stall 26. Simon & Ed Crisford’s gelding fared best of those to race on the pace when a fine third to Maybe Not and he can go close if stepping up at all on that effort.
A C&D winner in September where he had the reliable EBT’s Guard back in third, he ran at least as well when fourth to Crown of Oaks in the Balmoral Handicap here on Champions Day (EBT’s Guard dead-heating for second), and a return to Ascot looks very much in his favour.
Shout is 6lb better off with his old rival when taking Jack Callan’s claim into consideration and can reverse latest course form, for all EBT’s Guard remains an obvious contender for forecasts and tricasts. Checkandchallenge is something of an underachiever in his career but should be suited by a big-field handicap having been raced almost exclusively in Group races and he is another drawn high with tempting credentials.
17:35 - Kensington Palace Stakes
Zgharta and OOLONG POOBONG are another pair I’ve pulled up from the file marked “2025 Royal Ascot eyecatchers” with both running really well against a strong bias when finishing fourth and seventh of 25 respectively in the Sandringham Handicap 12 months ago.
That was Zgharta’s handicap debut and the first time she had raced in a double-figure field, and her inexperience told in the early stages, leaving her poorly placed, but she did some sterling late work to be beaten 3½ lengths (winner and third came from stalls 1 and 2 with the second from stall 6) despite being drawn in stall 25.
Oolong Poobong was always handy in the Sandringham, leading briefly two furlongs out from stall 21 but unable to repel the low-drawn trio who beat her. Both fillies have been lightly raced since, with Oolong Poobong absent until finishing a promising fifth at Thirsk four weeks ago, and that run should put her straight for another Ascot bid.
Zgharta has been unplaced in four subsequent starts but none of those have got to the bottom of her and she is likely to be suited by a cavalry charge at this trip having shown she stays a little further.
Preview posted at 09:30 BST on 17/06/26
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