Gold Cup Day Presents a Tasty Place Only Challenge

by Roy Brindley, 22 June 2023

There are at least 14 runners in all of Thursday’s Royal Ascot’s Placepot races. With four of these contests being Group-races – and therefore coming with ‘first three’ place terms – and the 30-runner Britania Handicap being a fully-laden minefield, once again the Placepot dividend is guaranteed to be tasty.

Will Frankie Dettori make newspaper headlines following Gold Cup success on Thursday? ©GettyImages

Perming five and six horses in every race will be prohibitively expensive. And so, a few banker selections are necessary. For us, the first of those goes in the opening contest, the five-furlong Norfolk Stakes. This race is for two-year-olds only, and during the last ten years, it has been won by the US trainer Wesley Ward twice.

Ward knows what it takes to win juvenile races at Royal Ascot and, of his 12 winners at the meeting, 2016 Queen Mary winner Lady Aurelia stands out as the most spectacular winner. Hopefully, it will be a case of ‘like mother like son’ at 2.30 pm – as we are placing all our marbles on her first offspring, American Rascal.

What Is Required to Win a Placepot Bet?

Simply make one or more selections in each of the first six races of any UK or Irish meeting. If you successfully select a horse that finishes placed in all six races, you will win a share of the dividend.

The Placepot is a Tote bet that can be placed via any of the UK’s leading online betting sites. As a pool bet, the dividend can be exceptional if favourites fail to make the frame and outsiders fill place positions.

Finishing positions that constitute a place in any leg of the Placepot, are as follows:

• 2 – 4 runners = win only
• 5 – 7 runners = 1st & 2nd
• 8 – 15 runners = 1st, 2nd & 3rd
• Non-handicap races of 16 or more runners = 1st, 2nd & 3rd
• Handicap races of 16 or more runners = 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th

What Are the Best Bets for Thursday at Royal Ascot?

Leg 1. 2.30 pm. The Norfolk Stakes

American Rascal is confidently expected to kick off our Placepot on a successful note. The two-year-old was a spectacular winner on his racecourse debut in Keenland two months ago. Looking thoroughly professional there, and with a likelihood he has improved in the interim, there is no need to look for additional selections in this contest.

Leg 2. 3.05 pm. King George V Stakes

Nineteen lightly-raced three-year-olds – many impeccably bred – are chasing this prize. Previous results suggest that a high draw is advantageous – it makes Bertinelli an obvious choice. His trainer, Aidan O’Brien, recently became the most successful Royal Ascot trainer of all time, and his rider, Ryan Moore, rode three winners on the opening day of the festival.

A second suggestion is Davideo. This Ralph Beckett-trained horse made all in a Newmarket maiden race four weeks, and today’s two-furlong step up in trip looks sure to suit on breeding. Incidentally, two of Davideo’s half-brothers have won over £6 million in prizemoney racing in Hong Kong.

Leg 3. 3.40 pm. Ribblesdale Stakes

Hovering around even money to win this 12-furlong Group-2 fillies contest, Al Asifah is the obvious choice. This Frankel filly is two-from-two and was an impressive winner of a Listed race at Goodwood ten days ago. Based on that evidence, it will be difficult to keep her out of the frame.

Leg 4. 4.20 pm. The Gold Cup

One of the most open Gold Cups in years features 14 runners, and it is difficult to dismiss all but three of the field. Leaving the market leaders out of calculations, in a cluster bomb approach, we are taking five horses in this contest.

They are the unbeaten Courage Mon Ami; the Group-1 and Grade-1 placed Yibir; the aging but proven Trueshan; Dubai Gold Cup winner, Broome, and the Punchestown Mares Champion Hurdle winner Echoes In Rain.

Leg 5. 5.00 pm. The Britannia Stakes

Only one runner in this mile contest is priced under 10/1. There is no value in marking ‘fav’ in your Placepot slip at the best of times – even more so in a race of this nature – and a potential draw bias means it is cluster bomb time again.

Almost half of this field won their most recent start. So, identifying a horse with the potential to show improvement is nearly impossible. However, using a modicum of science, there are reasons to believe horses positioned two-thirds of the way down the weights might fare well.

This means Good Karma, Physique, Quantum Impact, Just An Hour, Tempered Soul and Metal Merchant are the selections. They all carry either 8-stone 12-pounds or 8-stone 13-pounds and are drawn across the track.

Leg 6. 5.35 pm. Hampton Court Stakes

Sixteen lightly-raced well-bred sorts – for the most part representing the top yards – combine to make this contest another head-scratcher. Frankie Dettori’s mount (Epictetus) is towards the top of the betting. It means he will carry a lot of Placepot tickets.

We should leave him aside but include his stablemate, Torito, under the impressive up-and-coming rider, Benoit De La Sayette. Trainer Roger Varian and owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum have already been in Royal Ascot winner’s enclosure this week – and that suggests Exoplanet is another to include.

Waipiro ran a huge race to finish sixth in the Epsom Derby. With his sights set lower and a drop back in trip, it could be prudent to also enter him into your Placepot docket.

Royal Ascot Day 2 Placepot Perm