Royal Ascot day 4 Placepot tips: Expert picks for Friday June 21

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Royal Ascot Tote Placepot picks – Friday predictions

Race 1: Royal Ascot, 2.30

Mountain Breeze is unbeaten in two starts and captured the same Newmarket novice that recent 1,000 Guineas winners Cachet and Mawj did in great style under a penalty last time. She makes the most appeal among those who have run more than once. Of the once-raced horses, Twafeeg is the pick for Archie Watson. Given the trainer’s strong record in the sprints at this meeting, it is surprising how much the market often underestimates his charges. Twafeeg looked a top prospect when winning a decent Doncaster event on her debut. 

Selections: No 11 Mountain Breeze, No 17 Twafeeg

Race 2: Royal Ascot, 3.05

The Commonwealth Cup does not appear to be as open as usual, with the recent defections of Bucanero Fuerte and Vandeek negatively impacting the race. First preference would be Carnarvon Stakes winner Elite Status, but trainer Karl Burke has suggested he is almost certainly going to be a non-runner. In the same ownership, Inisherin was an impressive winner of the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock last time, his first try at sprinting, and he could become a star in this division for trainer Kevin Ryan. The back-up play is Jasour for Clive Cox, who teamed up with this owner to land the race a few years ago. Jasour has nothing to prove at the track as he readily won the Pavilion Stakes to prepare for this.

Selections: No 4 Inisherin, No 5 Jasour

Race 3: Royal Ascot, 3.45

The 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket produced a bunched finish and there are reasons to fancy any one of Elmalka, Porta Fortuna and Ramatuelle. Elmalka was the least experienced heading to HQ, Porta Fortuna lacked a prep run and Ramatuelle was ridden too aggressively. However, it seems a certainty that Opera Singer will be in the three and she is banked on. She was not primed for the Irish 1,000 Guineas last time but ran well in third and can build on that promising effort.

Selection: No 5 Opera Singer

Race 4: Royal Ascot, 4.25

A wide-open handicap in which Deakin and Epic Poet stand out with high draws that are typically useful in the middle-distance races here. Deakin should be all the better for his return and represents a trainer in Joseph O’Brien whose runners often go well in the meeting’s handicaps. David O’Meara is no stranger to big handicap success and Epic Poet caught the eye on his return and stable debut. He is well treated on his French form.

Selections: No 8 Epic Poet, No 9 Deakin

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Race 5: Royal Ascot, 5.05

I’m a sucker for a handicap debutante with a Group 1 entry in the Sandringham and a couple of 91-rated fillies take the eye. Shamardal daughter Indelible is out of Arc winner Midday and outran market expectations when defying a penalty in a Doncaster novice on her return. Cat Ninja is similarly well bred for John and Thady Gosden, who landed this in 2023 with a similar type in Coppice. Cat Ninja is a half-sister to 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet and is almost certainly better than her mark.  

Selections: No 17 Indelible, No 18 Cat Ninja  

Race 6: Royal Ascot, 5.40

I’m also sweet on the Gosdens’ Theory Of Tides in the King Edward VII. Nothing can be confidently fancied – the market is open for a race of this type – and the fact he was supplemented takes the eye. The unbeaten Galileo colt looked an exceptional prospect at Nottingham and again at Yarmouth. There should be significant further improvement. The same applies to outsider Harper’s Ferry, another who has a King George entry. The Lope De Vega colt’s defeat of Poniros at Windsor looks strong.

Selections: No 6 Harper’s Ferry, No 12 Theory Of Tides

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