2022 Royal Ascot Tips

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2022 Royal Ascot Tips - Best bets through the card on day two

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 14 Jun 2022

Jon Vine 14 Jun 2022

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Through the card tips on day two of Royal Ascot
The Prince Of Wales's Stakes tops the billing at Ascot on Wednesday 15th June
Love Reigns is our best bet of the day in the Queen Mary Stakes
Nahanni, Sibila Spain and Dark Shift also feature in our Royal Ascot day two tips

Expired

Dark Shift will put his excellent track record on the line in the Royal Hunt Cup. (Getty)

Royal Ascot continues on Wednesday, and the attendees on day two are in for a thrilling afternoon. The Prince Of Wales's Stakes acts as the main event on the card. Viewers will also enjoy four further pattern races and two huge handicaps, including the historic Royal Hunt Cup.

Let's dive into our Royal Ascot day two selections.

Ascot Day 2 Tips

Royal Ascot Day Two Card
Race 1 - Queen Mary Stakes Tips
Race 2 - Queen's Vase Tips
Race 3 - Prince Of Wales's Stakes Tips
Race 4 - Duke Of Cambridge Stakes Tips
Race 5 - Royal Hunt Cup Tips
Race 6 - Windsor Castle Stakes Tips
Race 7 - Kensington Palace Stakes Tips

Royal Ascot Day Two Card

Time	Track
2:30pm	Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) 5f
3:05pm	Queen's Vase (Group 2) 1m6f
3:40pm	Prince Of Wales's Stakes (Group 1) 1m2f
4:20pm	Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2) 1m
5:00pm	Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) 1m
5:35pm	Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed Race) 5f
6:10pm	Kensington Palace Stakes (Handicap) 1m

Royal Ascot Day 2 Tips - Wednesday 15th June

Race 1 - Queen Mary Stakes Tips

Love Reigns2:30pm Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) 5fGET 3/1 HERE

Wesley Ward boasts a fantastic record in this Group Two. Ward first won this race with Jealous Again in 2009. In the last seven years, he's struck with Acapulco, Lady Aurelia and Campanelle, while also saddling the runner-up on three occasions.

Given her trainer's superb record, it's hard to look past LOVE REIGNS, who clocked an excellent time when winning on debut at Keeneland.

Unlike all of Ward's other Queen Mary winners, Love Reigns started out over five-and-a-half-furlongs. Love Reigns was well-backed beforehand and proceeded to bolt up under Irad Ortiz Jnr, kicking clear around the bend to win by almost ten lengths.

Lightning-fast ground on day two will certainly suit this daughter of former Middle Park and July Cup winner, U S Navy Flag. I simply have to back Love Reigns.

Lady Beano E/W2:30pm Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) 5fGET 50/1 HERE

There's plenty of scope for an each-way bet in this race too, so I'll take a gamble on LADY BEANO at a massive price.

Adrian Keatley's filly settled nicely behind a swift pace on debut at Catterick. Lady Beano was forced to muscle her way between runners to get involved, but once she found open air, Keatley's newcomer quickened up stylishly to win by a couple of lengths. Gerald Mosse takes the ride on Wednesday and I wouldn't be surprised if she outrun her odds.

Race 2 - Queen's Vase Tips

Nahanni3:05pm Queen's Vase (Group 2) 1m6fGET 4/1 HERE

I'm going to give another chance to NAHANNI, who was my each-way selection in the Epsom Derby two weeks ago. Charlie Appleby's charge won well at Kempton and Leicester earlier in the season and earned his spot in the Derby field by winning the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom back in April.

I was expecting Adam Kirby to take a prominent early position on Nahanni, who had made all the running during both his previous runs over the trip. As the gates broke open, Nahanni was the slowest away and was still out the back as the field turned for home. Kirby managed to weave his way between beaten horses and Nahanni finished the race well back in seventh, crossing the line just behind the two Ballydoyle runners.

When the horses arrived at the start in the Derby, fireworks were set off above the Epsom grandstand. Commentator, Richard Hoiles noted on two occasions that Nahanni had not taken kindly to the pyrotechnics, which would explain the unexpectedly lacklustre start that cost him any chance of contending.

Nahanni is clearly a thorough stayer, so seeing out this trip won't be a problem. William Buick and Charlie Appleby teamed up to win this with Kemari 12 months ago, and I'm hopeful that Nahanni can follow in his stablemate's footsteps.

Race 3 - Prince Of Wales's Stakes Tips

Read our full guide to the 2022 Prince Of Wales's Stakes to find out which runner we're backing in the Group One feature on day two.

If you plan on watching any of Wednesday's races via a mobile or tablet, then you'll want to check out our Prince Of Wales's Stakes Live Stream page.

Race 4 - Duke Of Cambridge Stakes Tips

Sibila Spain E/W4:20pm Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2) 1mGET 15/2 HERE

Two Group One winners top the betting for this excellent renewal of the Duke Of Cambridge. I, however, am prepared to take both Saffron Beach and Mother Earth on, and the one who appeals most to me is the French raider, SIBILA SPAIN.

Generally, I only back French runners when there's plenty of juice in the ground. Yet, Sibila Spain isn't your typical French raider.

Christopher Head's filly has a quick-ground pedigree, being by Frankel and out of a Listed winner who's best performances came on good ground. Both of Sibila Spain's pattern victories have come when good has appeared in the going description, including that narrow Group Two win at Saint-Cloud last time out.

Aurelien Lemaitre timed his late challenge from the rear to perfection in the Prix du Muguet, where Sibila Spain saw off a classy field including Dilawar, Hurricane Dream and Duhail. Lemaitre should have plenty of early pace to aim for on Wednesday and Sibila Spain - who was only beaten a length in two 10-furlong Group Ones last season - proved she possessed enough finishing speed to contend over this eight-furlong trip.

Race 5 - Royal Hunt Cup Tips

Dark Shift E/W5:00pm Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) 1mGET 10/1 HERE

Real World powered down the inside rail to claim a stunning victory in this handicap last year. That performance is somewhat of an anomaly, though, as 12 of the past 15 winners of this handicap came from a double-figure stall.

Often, the stand's side is the best place to be on the straight mile at Ascot, so I'm going to back two runners drawn high, the first being DARK SHIFT, who won here at Ascot on debut and twice as a three-year-old last season.

After a poor run on his return in the Victoria Cup, where Charlie Hills' grey was drawn miles away from the pace in stall four, Dark Shift returned to form with a superb victory at Nottingham last month. William Buick's mount will carry a five-pound penalty for that win, but he's due to go up to 98, so Dark Shift is two pounds well-in at the weights. He looks like a leading contender.

Fantastic Fox E/W5:00pm Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) 1mGET 25/1 HERE

Drawn six stalls higher in gate 21 we find FANTASTIC FOX, who caught the eye when finishing third behind Totally Charming at Epsom last time out. Roger Varian's charge gave himself plenty to do that day and stayed on well just to finish third, picking up again after hitting traffic a furlong from home.

Fantastic Fox will run off the same mark of 98, despite clocking an RPR of 104 at Epsom. David Egan's mount was beaten less than a length in the Porsche Handicap over this course-and-distance last season and the most impressive win of his career so far came on fast ground.

Race 6 - Windsor Castle Stakes Tips

Mehmar E/W5:35pm Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed Race) 5fGET 22/1 HERE

I never get too involved in the Windsor Castle, as I find it extremely difficult to predict. I do, however, think Michael O'Callaghan's maiden, MEHMAR has been overlooked in the market.

Leigh Roche's mount was beaten narrowly on debut by The Antarctic, who tops the betting for the Norfolk Stakes later in the week. After struggling to see out six furlongs behind Blackbeard on his second start at Group Three level, Mehmar bounced back to form over the minimum distance at Tipperary, where O'Callaghan's juvenile finished well from a wide position to push the talented Lady Tilbury all the way to the line.

Stall five isn't ideal, but Mehmar has got some decent runners on his side of the track, like Little Big Bear and Chateau, so I'm hoping he won't be inconvenienced by that low draw. He could break his duck on the grandest of stages.

Race 7 - Kensington Palace Stakes Tips

Angel Power E/W6:10pm Kensington Palace Stakes (Handicap) 1mGET 16/1 HERE

Over this trip on the round course at Ascot, the bend into the straight arrives very quickly. Therefore, a low draw can be an advantage, as runners attempt to slot in from the wider stalls. Last year, Lola Showgirl and Ffion were first and second going into the turn and remained in that order through the line, as the rest of the field failed to peg back David Loughnane's bottom weights.

Well-backed favourite, Haziya likes to be ridden prominently, so she could be drawn perfectly down in stall three. At the prices, though, I'd rather back the top-weight ANGEL POWER - drawn in stall four - who's dropped down to an appealing handicap mark.

Roger Varian's mare reached a rating of 108 at the end of the 2020 season, following wins in the Darley Stakes and a Group Two out in Italy. Angel Power only ran three times last season, two of which came at Saint-Cloud during October, where she finished a very close second in the Listed Prix Dahlia.

Varian's five-year-old was well-beaten by the dominant My Astra last time out, but was only beaten a length in another Listed race on her reappearance at Nottingham. A run of five defeats see Angel Power enter this handicap with a mark of 101 and top conditional, Harry Davies takes five valuable pounds off her back.