Value Scope: Each-way racing tips from Steve Jones for Royal Ascot on ITV
As Royal Ascot begins, our man believes Poker Face can be one of his trump cards and fancies Calling The Wind in the 2m Ascot Stakes
PUT on your best POKER FACE (5.35) for the Wolferton Stakes.
He only made his debut last September but he soon rattled off a hat-trick of wins without defeat.
This season, the chips have been down in Group races and, while he hasn’t been able to quite scoop the pot in either of those races, he’s been far from disgraced.
His close fourth from the front in the Group 2 Huxley Stakes at Chester’s May meeting was a cracking effort and he might well prefer getting a lead.
This Listed contest represents a drop in grade and I fancy the cards to fall right for Jamie Spencer’s mount. Have 2pts each-way at 12-1. Most bookies are paying out on four places.
READ MORE: Royal Ascot 2023: Subjectivist "can beat all" rivals if back to his best in Gold CupREAD MORE: Royal Ascot 2023: Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Javier Castellano to make debutCALLING THE WIND (5.00) likes this track and he stays marathon distances really well.
He’s yet to finish out of the first three in five visits here with two of those efforts coming in the last two runnings of the Queen Alexandra Stakes that closes the Royal meeting.
His Chester Cup sixth came despite not getting the clearest of runs. Have 2pts each-way at 12-1. Plenty of bookies are going six places.
Top hurdler Vauban might take some stopping in the Copper Horse Handicap but he’s a short price and I’d rather take a chance on GAASSEE (6.10).
He went off favourite for the Ebor last August after looking a little unlucky not to make it five wins on the bounce when third in Haydock’s Old Newton Cup.
READ MORE: FREE William Hill £2 bet every day of Royal Ascot with your Daily MirrorWilliam Haggas’ hope finished lame at York and he looked very rusty on his comeback in a Newbury Group 3 contest. That should have done him the world of good. Have 1pt each-way at 25-1 with five places up for grabs.
The meeting kicks off with the Queen Anne Stakes where BERKSHIRE SHADOW (2.30) looks over-priced.
He won the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2021 and he was only beaten a couple of lengths when sixth in the St James’s Palace Stakes 12 months ago.
His love of this track gives him claims of bettering last month’s Lockinge third. Have 1pt each-way at 33-1. A few bookies are going four places.
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