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Royal Ascot 2018 is less than a week away, with the annual five-day event taking place this year from Tuesday the 19th of June through to Saturday the 23rd
Each day of Ascot will see at least one Group 1 race take place, and already people are looking forward to one of the biggest and best horse racing events on the calendar. So, what is there to look forward at this year’s meeting?
King’s Stand Stakes
Well, first of all, each day is going to be packed full of plenty of great racing action. Day one will see the King’s Stand Stakes take place as the feature, in what is a 5f sprint. Battaash has already been highlighted as the early favourite in that one. Wednesday’s feature race is the Prince of Wales Stakes, with Cracksman the odds-on favourite. The Gold Cup headlines Thursday’s action, while the Commonwealth Cup and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes are being held on Friday and Saturday respectively.
Queen Anne
So, Royal Ascot once again promises to be a special event, as it has been since it was first founded by Queen Anne in 1711. The fact that Royal Ascot is steeped in tradition is what makes it something to really look forward to as a horse racing fan. There are expected to be over 300,000 people pass through the gates over the course of the five days, and these numbers will also include the Queen and members of the Royal Family.
International
With eight Group 1 races set to take place, it’s seen as the pinnacle of the British Flat season, with horses not just from the UK, but from around the world, heading to Royal Ascot to get amongst the action with over £7 million in prize-money available. It’s an event not to be missed, with all the action being broadcast live on television, online and even through mobile apps. Furthermore, it is one of the biggest sports betting events of the year, with Betpoint and all other betting sites expecting record breaking traffic; as punters place a flutter on their favourite horses, jockeys or trainers.
Battaash
When it come to the horses to watch out for, Battaash on day one has won five out of his last six races. He will go off as favourite in the King’s Stand Stakes and will take some beating. Cracksman is another horse in great form, winning five of his last five races. He’s odds on for the Prince of Wales Stakes and it’s easy to see why. Order of George lost out in the Gold Cup at Ascot last year and the Aidan O’Brien trained horse will be looking to make amends this time round.
Elsewhere, Sioux Nation is heavily fancied for the Commonwealth Cup, especially after running well in the Lacken Stakes last month and Harry Angel and Redkirk Warrior are set to do battle in the Diamond Jubilee. All in all, Royal Ascot 2018 looks to have plenty in store for racing fans around the world. There are some great races set to take place, with some interesting runners. The pinnacle of flat racing should once again turn heads, with the action beginning in less than a weeks’ time.
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Allison is the Publisher of Eclipse Magazine. She loves going to the Races and is learning to bet (despite being officially the worst bettor in the History of the Universe), there’s a lot more to learn…
