Royal Ascot 2023 antepost tips: Big odds for Frankie Dettori's final Royal Meeting
Royal Ascot 2023 is just weeks away now and the fields are looking stronger with multiple Group races across the five-day festival between June 20 and 24.
talkSPORT have gone through the racecards, form, going and much more to help guide your horse racing betting choices.
Royal Ascot is unmatched when it comes to flat action, with a range of big field handicap contests and of course the best group races all across five days of unmissable racing.
Hundreds of thousands descend on the Berkshire course where its tradition and class is like nothing else on the racing calendar.
Frankie Dettori is set to have his final year at a course he has done incredibly well at and is set for a few Group 1 rides that may cap his farewell off in style.
The summer spectacle is always a must-watch and this year it's no different with big prize money, high octane performances and thrilling finishes.
Ascot antepost betting tips
2.30, Queen Anne Stakes: Modern Games 9/4 - Tuesday
This is a price that will likely be closer to evens if the field shortens slightly and Insprial, Maljoom and Native Trail remain in the field.
The Queen Anne Stakes is the Group 1 race that kicks off the British Champions Series just a couple of races in.
Modern Games, trained by Charlie Appleby has to be the preferred choice after coming back to Britain and winning Newbury's Lockinge Stakes last month.
He's a consistent Group 1 performer and is rarely out of the top two.
His stablemate, also owned by Godolphin, will also be a nice outside price and the two make a tempting exacta or forecast bet.
Native Trail came second behind Mutasaabeq last time out on his first run of the season and after a wind surgery conducted in September.
He's set to improve nicely from that and could even get ahead of Inspiral, even if the Cheveley Park Stud-owned horse bounces back to form of old.
3.40, King's Stand Stakes: Caravel 10/1
A nice each-way price as things stand, though the field of 30 will eventually be whittled down slightly ahead of Royal Ascot.
Caravel has been in fine form of late, winning four on the bounce in the US.
Forged clear ahead of Emaraaty Ana, Creative Force and Highfield Princess on his own turf at Keeneland in the Breeders' Cup.
How that form will translate being the American raider is difficult to gauge, but at this price can't be ruled out.
A safer bet would go to Highfield Princess though, who has won here before and was an incredible second on seasonal debut in York's Clipper Stakes.
To do that off top-weight and still show the speed she did was impressive and shouldn't be discounted on a course she likes.
3.40, Duke of Cambridge Stakes: Prosperous Voyage 6/1 - Wednesday
Ralph Beckett trains this four-year-old filly and she was a big winner as the NAP on Epsom's Derby Day tips and obliged with a great run from off the pace to swoop home in convincing style.
That was much more like it to what we saw of her as a three-year-old that won at Group 1 level.
It's key to keep an eye on the declarations but at this price she might be a nice each-way bet ahead of the meeting, given her potential to build on that win, under a potential ride for Dettori.
It was another hot day on Derby day and form at this time of year in difficult conditions could be something to note at Royal Ascot this year.
However, he may also be called upon to ride Laurel, Inspiral or even Grande Dame.
4.20, Prince of Wales's Stakes: Adayar 4/1
This is another Group 1 part of the British Champions Series, this time contested over 1m2f, for four-year-olds.
At this early stage, Adayar looks like a clear choice, despite trainer Charlie Appleby's and jockey William Buick's slightly poorer form to what we're accustomed to.
It doesn't always last long and the leading trainer will have a big chance of the £567,100 prize money, with the former Derby winner.
He's only been tried over 1m4f twice after winning the biggest flat race of them all, and since dropped down to 1m2f.
Where he looked like he was back to his best when beating Anmaat by over two lengths at Newmarket's Gordon Richards Stakes.
It's likely going to be dry conditions and although he might be at an advantage on softer ground to some other rivals, he will still go well on good to firm, as he did in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes in July 2021.
4.20, Gold Cup: Coltrane 7/2 - Thursday
It's rare to see a Gold Cup so open in the market and as a result the prices start off at around 7/2 for the favourite Coltrane.
Which is the pick of the field so far - this six-year-old has really developed into a strong looking type for trainer Andrew Balding.
On Oisin Murphy's comeback season he's been in incredible form and should have some success at Ascot, but this one may be the biggest.
Coltrane has always been up there in Group 1 and 2 contests - behind Kyprios, Trueshan and even Cleveland in the Chester Cup.
But after being pipped by small margins he won the Group 2 Doncaster Cup ahead of Trueshan in September and then won emphatically at Ascot over 2m in May beating Wise Eagle by nearly five lengths.
Comparably, Trueshan was seven lengths off Coltrane and is now a 20/1 outsider to win this, especially with the ground against him.
If that was a sign of more things to come it would be wise to keep him on side for the Gold Cup - and it helps that he wins well at Ascot.
4.20, Commonwealth Cup: Little Big Bear 15/8 - Friday
A big winner for Aidan O'Brien, given she bounced back from a poor run in the 2000 Guineas.
That was over a mile though and it's clear she's best suited to 6f which this Group 1 three-year-old race is contested over.
She beat Shouldvebeenaring by over a length under Dettori in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes in May, tipped as the NAP at Haydock.
That was a comfortable win for the favourite and she plugged along nicely before being asked to quicken, which she did very nicely and although that was a race where she should have won the O'Brien trained horse just looked the step above.
It's no surprise to see her at this short a price now in a race for colts and fillies.
3.40, Jubilee Stakes: Art Power 10/1 - Saturday
Saturday is rounded off incredibly well with a heap of top-class racing.
But one of the main races is another instalment of the British Champions Series, the Group 1 Jubilee Stakes over 6f.
The ante-post odds have Artorius and Highfield Princess as the leaders in the market but with 24 entries, are as high as 6/1 currently.
But there are a few 6f contests they could enter - with the latter also favourite for the King's Stand.
But Art Power is a massive price considering he's clearly come on nicely at six years of age, winning by a wide margin on his second run since being gelded.
That often prompts more success for horses but it's not always a definitive procedure for winning.
But it's clearly worked with this horse trained by Tim Easterby and the Dark Angel grey will be popular in the King Power Racing colours.
All odds correct at time of writing
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