Day Three Races Betting Odds - Royal Ascot 2023 Race cards - 16/06/2023

While the Royal Ascot meeting is often about horses running for trainer Aidan O’Brien, there could be another handler taking centre stage on Day Three of the 2023 Royal Ascot meeting. The narrative is set for John Gosden and Stradivarius to make history with a consecutive three-timer of Ascot Gold Cup wins, but horse racing isn’t always that straightforward!

Stradivarius Standing on the Edge of History

Many horse racing fans will remember Yeats who famously won four consecutive Gold Cups at the Royal Ascot meetings between 2006-2009, with Aidan O’Brien ensuring that the horse landed a sum total of seven Group One successes during the course of a brilliant career.

However, STRADIVARIUS is a horse that is bidding to land three consecutive Gold Cup victories, with John Gosden having successfully prepared the horse for a double win in 2018 and 2019, while the runner is strong favourite to land the 2023 title.

There might be the odd bookmaker offering even money about a horse that has shown brilliant capability over long distances, although the majority of bookies are trading even money about a six-year-old who seemed to have the ideal prep race a few days ago.

While Stradivarius didn’t win the Coronation Cup Stakes on 5 June, he ran a satisfactory race which saw the horse finish third behind Ghaiyyath and Anthony Van Dyck, with the one mile and four furlong distance clearly a good deal shorter than the horse ideally prefers.

The big question is – can the horse be beaten? It’s worth noting that KEW GARDENS triumphed against him in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, with the Aidan O’Brien-trained horse having previously played second fiddle to the champ.

Kew Gardens is a horse that has been blighted by injury although he was second in the Irish St Leger last year and the O’Brien factor along with the fact that he has toppled the favourite might provide some punters with encouragement.

TECHNICIAN is another horse that could run well and you’re also getting a cracking price about this runner if double figure odds can be landed. Martyn Meade will have this four-year-old ready to go, with a win in the Prix-Royal Oak at Longchamp last autumn marking him out to be a potential winner of this race.

Stamina is the order of the day as we reach the half way stage of this year’s Royal Ascot Festival, as Aidan O’Brien’s Order Of St George bids to become the first multiple winner of the Ascot Gold Cup since the incomparable Yeats. Here we pick out our three best betting tips for day three of this fantastic feast of flat racing.

Hampton Court Stakes: Cape Of Good Hope to win at 11/2 with Coral

Sir Michael Stoute’s Mirage Dancer ran an excellent race behind subsequent Derby runner up, Cliffs Of Moher, in the Dee Stakes last time out. The son of Frankel stayed on nicely from off the pace around Chester’s turning track, giving every impression that a stiffer test at the distance would serve him well.

We expect to see him take up a more prominent position this time around and whilst he has a few pounds to find with a few of these rivals, he would be more open to improvement than most on what will be just his third career start. The 5/1 on offer with William Hill in our odds comparison table is the standout price and one we would suggest is worth taking.

Ribblesdale Stakes: Fleeting to win at 2/1 with bet365

Alluringly and Coronet represent the Oaks form, and whilst those coming from a run in a classic are always to be respected, they don’t look to set an insurmountable standard. We suspect stamina may be the most crucial factor to success here and as such the one to be on is the John Oxx runner, Naughty Or Nice.

A winner over 1m5f at Listed level last time out, she was still green that day but the fact that she is now stepped up into Group 2 company on what will be just her third career start suggests she is making all the right noises at home.

Gold Cup: Stradivarius to win at 11/10 with bet365

It really is difficult to see past the favourite in what is the flagship staying contest of the flat racing year. Three pounds clear of the field on official ratings and three lengths to good in this very race last year. Take Order Of St George to add to Aidan O’Brien’s already excellent record in this race.

The 2015 Irish St Leger winner was good enough to finish third in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe over fully a mile shorter than this and is the undoubted class act in the field. Whilst he was beaten by Torcedor at Navan in April, that came over 1m6f and he is 5lbs better off at the weights with the Jessica Harrington runner here. Back up to this trip, we don’t see him being beaten.