Royal Ascot Best Bets On Thursday: 1-2-3 Horse Racing Tips For Day Three

Elite Status bolted up at Sandown last time out in a Listed race, winning by 5 lengths, and a repeat of that run will make the Karl Burke Runner hard to beat here. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum has already seen his yellow and black-dotted silks in the winners’ enclosure this week too and this can be another.

The speedy-looking American Rascal, for American trainer Wesley Ward, is also interesting in a race his yard have won twice before, while he aptly-named His Majesty can hit the frame for the in-form Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien.

A very open race and one that trainers Charlie Appleby and Sir Michael Stoute and the Johnston yard do well in. Appleby has the likely favourite in Tagabawa and after a nice win last time at Kempton can go well.

But the pick is Perfuse for Stoute – the winner by 2 lengths at Doncaster earlier this month, but that also came over this trip, so we know he stays. The Royal runner Desert Hero can do best of those at a price now upped in trip, plus is sure to have improved for that last run off a break.

Al Asifah was supplemented for this recently and the hint should be taken. Trained by John Gosden, who has won this race 5 times over the years, she’s goes into many a notebook with wins at Haydock and Goodwood this season and this Frankel filly looks the sort to keep on progressing.

Epsom Oaks third Infinite Cosmos and the improving Aidan O’Brien filly Warm Heart are others to consider.

The Ascot Gold Cup this year looks a fairly open race but the solid performer at the head of the betting is the Andrew Balding runner Coltrane. This 6 year-old is a proven stayer having won the Ascot Stakes over course and distance last year at the meeting.

He’s improved into a decent ‘cup horse’ this season since and is now rated 19lbs higher. He returned to win the Sagaro Stakes at this track last time – beating Wise Eagle by 4 3/4 lengths – and his overall form at the Berkshire track reads 1-2-1.

Emily Dickinson can also go well – looking a typical O’Brien Gold Cup horse. Yes, she’ll need to prove himself over this longer trip, but has won over 2m in the past and looked a bit one-paced in her races to suggest the extra 4 furlongs will be within range. The 2021 winner, Subjectivist, has to be considered too having run just twice since that win.

Many chances here in this 30-runner Heritage Handicap, but a chance is taken on three. Metal Merchant gets in here with a low weight (8-12) and history says a high draw has helped. This Jack Channon runner has only had 8 career runs but has won twice and finished in the top three 4 times.

Highbank represents the Godolphin camp and despite only winning once is yet to finish out of the first three. Ramazan is the final pick for Richard Fahey – he was a close third at York on his return run in May and this has looked the target since.

Running at Epsom last time out is a fair Ascot trend when it comes to this race and one of the horses that ticks that box is Torito. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, he bolted up by 2 3/4 lengths on the Downs last time and even though he’s up 10lbs for that looks capable of making the leap into Group company.

Drumroll for Aidan O’Brien ran Tuesday’s St James’s Palace Stakes winner to 1 1/2 lengths at the Curragh in May and that form has been more than franked since. The unbeaten Bolster is the saver for the bronze.

Another tricky final race on day three but if we look back to last year’s running there are two horses that ran well that are chanced again. Firstly, Rhoscolyn, who was a length third 12 months ago but is back on a massive 10lb lower mark.

Yes, he’s 22 races without a win now but is back to a fair mark – just 3lbs higher than his last run and having been rated 100+ this time last year is interesting if being sparked back to life.

Ropey Guest was runner-up last year and is back too, while Baradar is another pick after running 6th here last time when messing up the start.