Royal Ascot Day 1 Queen Anne Stakes form, odds and free tips
ROYAL Ascot is one of the biggest racing carnivals in the world and it the prestige kicks off Tuesday night with the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes.
The Queen Anne Stakes opens the carnival with a bang and a field of 14 will take its place over the 1600m. There have been many great winners of the race, including last year’s winner Solow, and there looks to be many potential champion runners in the field.
In a truly international field, the Queen Anne Stakes betting is very even with five runners currently paying single-figure odds. The favourite is french four-year-old Ervedya which will be looking to turn around a defeat in the Group 2 Prix du Muguet last start.
Right on its heels in the market is controversial American mare Tepin, which will be running without the aid of a nasal strip and the widely-criticised drug Lasix. Tepin opened as the equal-favourite at $4.50, but has drifted out to $6.
Punters can bet on all 30 Royal Ascot races over the five days of the carnival at Sportsbet.com.au.
2016 Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes market
1. Arod – $29
2. A Shin Erwin – $67
3. Barchan – $201
4. Belardo – $5.50
5. Cougar Mountain – $29
6. Endless Drama – $7
7. Kodi Bear – $13
8. Lightning Spear – $29
9. Mondialiste – $29
10. Toormore – $17
11. Amazing Maria – $21
12. Ervedya – $5
13. Esoterique – $8
14. Tepin – $6
The big move in the market has come for the Andre Faber-trained Esoterique. The six-year-old opened at $11 and now sits at $8 after a big betting push. Drawing the inside will help this early in the day and punters are confident they can find some early value at Royal Ascot.
Most other runners have either stayed steady in the market or drifted. Tepin is the noted drifter and punters are having a hard time weighing up how the change in conditions will affect it. Ervedya has drifted out a half-point to $5 after opening at $4.50. We expect that price to stay firm throughout the betting.
Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes tips
4. Belardo – $5.50
Trainer: Roger Varian
Jockey: James Doyle
Form: 32×141
Four-year-old colt Belardo hasn’t budged in the betting throughout the week and it brings in some solid form. The son of Lope De Vega won the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes last start and in doing so it defeated race-rival and $7 chance Endless Drama.
It went eight starts without winning in 2014/2015, but it was facing some handy opposition. It finished fourth behind Gleneagles in the Irish Guineas and that form has stood up internationally. It also ran a top second behind last year’s Queen Anne Stakes winner Solow in the QEII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
It looks a top chance and we wouldn’t be surprised if it started as the favourite.
12. Ervedya – $5
Trainer: Jean-Claude Rouget
Jockey: Christophe Soumillon
Form: 1121×2
The impressive French filly is as consistent as they come. It has had 11 starts for seven wins and four placings. Among those wins include the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot this time last year.
It defeated top Aidan O’Brien runner Found on that occasion and that form should be respected on a world level. The winning experience on the tough Royal Ascot track is key and French throughbreds are built tough. It was defeated in its only start in 2016 when second behind Vadamos, but it will be better for that run under its belt.
Punters should include it for the win. It’s currently paying $2 for the place at Sportsbet and that looks a very good value bet.
14. Tepin – $6
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Julien Leparoux
Form: 1×1111
Tepin is a five-year-old mare which brings plenty of experience into this. All of its form has come in America which is concerning as it doesn’t quite stack up on the international scale, but it has won its last six starts and that should be respected.
The Breeders’ Cup Mile winner will be running without a nasal strip for the first time, and also without the prohibited drug Lasix. American horses that don’t use Lasix often find themselves flat down the stretch and whilst we respect Tepin’s form, we can’t see it taking this out and punters agree.