Royal Ascot Day 2 Tips

After a fantastic day of racing on Day 1 of Royal Ascot, we head into day two of the event with high expectations for major races such as the Queen Mary Stakes, the Duke of Cambridge Stakes and the Queens Vase.

Official Royal Ascot Day 2 tips will be added underneath each race once the racecards are completed, so be sure to check back closer towards the festival for more information.

Royal Ascot Day Two: Racecard

Royal Ascot Day 2 Betting Tips

The second day of Royal Ascot puts the middle-distance horses front and centre with the feature Prince Of Wales's Stakes (16:20), but for punters it is all about the straight-course races on the card.

Auguste Rodin and Inspiral will clash in the feature, before 30 horses charge down Ascot's straight mile in the Royal Hunt Cup (17:05). Another 25 fillies and mares will go in the following Kensington Palace Stakes (17:40), making for a betting day to remember if you get it right.

There are seven races in all at Royal Ascot on Thursday and here are our selections in each of them.

14:30 - Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2, 5f)

While a draw in the middle is no bad thing at Ascot, it can create uncertainty and especially for inexperienced two-year-olds. Plenty of the market leaders are drawn there, so take a chance on high-drawn MIGHTY ERIU, who gave Tunbridge Wells a bit of a fright at the Curragh on her debut and ought to suit dropping back to five furlongs. She has since been bought privately by Qatar Racing, so she is expected to have a bright future.

Selection: Mighty Eriu @ 20/1

15:05 - Queen's Vase (Group 2, 1m6f)

Ryan Moore might have chosen wrong here, as Illinois could be eclipsed by stablemate HIGHBURY in this Group 2 that is generally seen as the first major St Leger trial. The selection has run only twice, and still looked green when winning a maiden at Leopardstown last time, but he won that race by a huge margin and the horses behind have all come out and improved since. He needs to be taken seriously stepping up in class.

Selection: Highbury @ 3/1

15:45 - Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2, 1m)

It looks worth taking a chance on DOOM improving for the conditions she will face today. She has recently been running around seven furlongs on soft ground in Ireland and France. On breeding, she wants both a mile and fast ground. Her dam had lots of form on firm in the States and her sire Dubawi is more of a stamina influence, with a great record at Ascot. In a race where none of the market leaders are solid, she appeals as a bet.

Selection: Doom @ 12/1

16:25 - Prince Of Wales's Stakes (Group 1, 1m2f)

You could not set your watch by either Auguste Rodin or Inspiral, so take a chance on HORIZON DORE who will have been well prepared for this race. He was third in the Champion Stakes over course and distance in October and has been knocking on the door in Group 1s of late. If he handles the faster ground, which visual impressions suggest he will, then he could give the big two a serious fright.

Selection: Horizon Dore @ 13/2

17:05 - Royal Hunt Cup (1m)

This time last year, PEROTTO was a serious gamble for the Hunt Cup. He was sent off 7-1, but could finish only tenth. He has since shown that he is a serious horse in mile handicaps, including at Ascot as he won at the Shergar Cup meeting here on his most recent outing. The lack of a recent run is of no great concern, given how central this race is likely to have been for his connections' plan for the season, and he remains low-mileage for his current yard.

Selection: Perotto @ 20/1

17:40 - Kensington Palace Stakes (1m)

Jamie Spencer, who rides the straight mile at Ascot so well, has opted to team up with Edward Bethell for just the third time ever to ride his unexposed filly ELIM. She was sent off favourite on her reappearance, but looked just shy of a run. She will be spot on now and is one of the most interesting in this deep field.

Selection: Elim @ 5/1

18:15 - Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed, 5f)

The Aidan O'Brien-trained TREASURE ISLE looked like an old pro on his last run at Naas. He shot out of the stalls, soon made it to the front and did not see a rival in his way all the way to the line. O'Brien tends to press on with one or two juveniles for Royal Ascot and this son of No Nay Never, who was himself a Royal Ascot winner over five furlongs at two, looks to be one of his favoured sorts this year. Expect Treasure Isle to come out quickly and lead the field for much of the way - hopefully all of the way.

Selection: Treasure Isle @ 9/2