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Royal Ascot 2021: What to Expect

| June 5, 2021

This year, June 15-19 is the best week in the British flat racing calendar. Royal Ascot is the gentry’s favourite event, and it is back! Like last year, it will include 7 races per day. However, the Queen’s presence is anticipated, and the contests will be public. Royal Ascot 2021 is included in the Government’s Events Research Programme, which should determine if events with large crowds can be held safely. 

The iconic occasion is one of the most popular betting opportunities globally. Every major site around the world is gearing up for it and post reviews. This year, 12,000 spectators are expected on each of the five days, with millions of fans following online. Royal Ascot will be watched in 650 million homes! So, what can we expect from the races?

Top 5 Favorites

Here is a look at the top 5 favourites of this year’s Royal Ascot. This list is based on ante-post bets, and it reflects the bettors’ sentiment. Any of these leading horses may become the next champion this June.

1.   Stradivarius

According to betting shops and sites, Stradivarius trained by John Gosden is the biggest favourite at the moment. Most bettors expect the 7-year-old runner to win the Gold Cup. He is also known as ‘the million-pound horse’! In 2018, the champion won the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Lonsdale Cup, which landed him the gigantic bonus. 

So far, Stradivarius has won three Gold Cups in a row (2018, 2019, 2020). He also secured the Queen’s Vase 2017. This year, we will see the same legendary jockey Frankie Dettori. 

2.   Battaash

This 5-year-old trained by Charles Hills is one of the fastest flat racing contestants. In 2020, he finally won at Royal Ascot after being the Runner Up of the King’s Stand for two previous years. Now, Battaash is scheduled to defend his title in the Group One King’s Stand Stakes on an opening day. 

3.   Palace Pier

The winner of the 2020 St James’s Palace Stakes is very talented. After the event, he also won a victory in France in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois race. Trained by John Gosden, this 4-year-old has the potential to come out on top. After a long break, he may be back with a vengeance. 

4.   Campanelle

This 3-year-old is scheduled to enter the Commonwealth Cup. Trained by Wesley Ward in the United States, she has already achieved worldwide recognition. In 2020, Campanelle won the 2020 Queen Mary Stakes and a prestigious race in France.

The horse has had a break since November when she came 4th in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf race. This could prove to be a blessing. We may see a classy performance on race day. 

5.   Lord North

This 5-year-old is one of the best middle-distance performers. Last year, it won Prince Of Wales’s Stakes. This contestant trained by John Gosden has been praised for most of his career. Now, he is poised to become one of the four horses to ever win several Prince Of Wales’s Stakes titles. This achievement was last recorded in 1995. 

Despite mixed results in 2020, Lord North started off the new season on a positive note. In the appealing Dubai Turf, he claimed his victory as his favourite. His present potential is undeniable. 

The Bottom Line

Without fail, June will be a fascinating month for fans of flat racing, and Royal Ascot is bound to steal the headlines. With thousands of racegoers back on the course, excitement is guaranteed. Now, the contestants and their jockeys can finally revel in the Ascot roar once again! 

Category: International

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