FANTASTIC that Royal Ascot had the green light for Friday’s card and well done to all the Ascot team in getting everything ready for the first race with all the rail movements.

At the time of writing Saturday is forecast to be a rain free day and with the ground at Ascot drying up quickly we can hopefully look at soft going without tacky conditions. Interestingly on Friday we have seen winners like Alcohol Free cope with the going really well so we may have the same on Saturday depending how much the ground can dry up.

A fascinating afternoon of racing ahead with the Diamond Jubilee Group 1 and big handicaps like the Wokingham.

Enjoy your day at Royal Ascot 2021 and if #AtHome watch every race on ITV Racing.

Cheers

The Wine Tipster

3.05 Ascot – Jersey Stakes Group 3 (7f)

Naval Crown my Unibet each way selection at 50/1 for the 2,000 Guineas finished fourth after really running well at the head of the race. This time I think he can reward everyone with a win as the drop back to this stiff seven furlongs looks sure to suit. He is ground versatile too so conditions should be fine and let’s remember the 2,000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare has really promoted the quality of this year’s renewal.

Unibet 10/1 each way   

Unibet's 15 To Go free bet offer runs on all Royal Ascot races.

Storm Damage for Saeed bin Suroor, who won earlier in the week with Real World, has a very interesting contender here. Storm Damage has only had one career start with such an impressive victory at Kempton at the start of June when forging clear. This is a big change for a second start for this gelding by Night Of Thunder but he well worth an each way wager.

Unibet 12/1 each way

3.40 Ascot – Hardwicke Stakes Group 2 (1m 4f)

Albaflora , who I tipped for the Coronation Cup at Epsom just didn’t seem to handle the course last time out and I am giving her another chance today as we know she likes Ascot.

Her penultimate start was here at Ascot in May when Albaflora won a Listed contest on soft beating Tribal Craft (easy winner of Group 3 at York next time) by seven lengths. Last season also on soft going she just beaten by Berkshire Rocco over one mile six furlongs so today’s trip in testing conditions is no problem.

Unibet 11/2 each way

4.20 Ascot – Diamond Jubilee Stakes Group 1 (6f)

Nahaarr (nap) can reverse form with Starman from the Dante meeting at York when just beaten by a neck in a cracking race. This was another step up in form and today the softer ground conditions will work more in Nahaarr’s favour too. Nahaarr made lots of progress last year after finishing third in the Silver Wokingham, winning at Newbury beating Wukum and then was a classy victor of the Ayr Gold Cup after not handling Goodwood. Today Nahaarr can record his first Group 1 success.

Unibet 4/1 win

 Unibet's 15 To Go free bet offer runs on all Royal Ascot races.

5.00 Ascot – Wokingham Stakes Heritage Handicap (6f)

Pendleton needs some cut in the ground so conditions should be ideal for this five-year-old. He won cosily on soft last time out at York over five furlongs beating Sunday Sovereign, who is a good yardstick in these sprints. Pendelton has course and distance form, having won here last year and he finished second on seasonal debut at Ascot at the April meeting.

He is drawn in stall two and with the ground changing it will be interesting to see which side of the course it favours. A good opportunity here for Pendleton on his third start of the season, with five-year-olds winning six of the last ten renewals.

Unibet 7/1 each way 

Zargun was third to Pendleton at York in the soft and will certainly cope with the ground. His fifth to King’s Lynn at Haydock in a Listed contest last time out. He looks overpriced and can go well from stall 17.

Unibet 33/1 each way

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5.35 Ascot – Golden Gate Stakes Handicap (1m 2f)

River Alwen for Unibet Ambassadors trainer Richard Hannon and jockey Jamie Spencer keeps improving and his third in the London Cup at Newbury behind Bay Bridge and the second King Frankel (reopposes today) was a good performance. This colt won back at Newmarket in May over this trip and last season he won on good to soft at Haydock so ground should be fine.

Unibet 14/1 each way   

6.10 Ascot – Queen Alexandra Stakes (2m 5½f)

Falcon Eight for Dermot Weld is the class act and rightly deserves to be top of the market. He won the Chester Cup with plenty in hand beating The Grand Visir (reopposes today) under an exhibition ride by Frankie Dettori, coming from the back of the field to win very smoothly. That was over three furlongs shorter, however this additional trip is well within his compass and with a dry day forecast conditions should be soft, which is fine for him. Falcon Eight will only go on improving and will be a real force in staying races.

Unibet 7/2 win