Royal Ascot tips: Shartash poised for strong bid in wide-open Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes

15:45 Royal Ascot: Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes  

• Race details: 6 furlongs, Group 1, 4-year-olds+
• 2023 winner: Khaadem (80/1) - Jamie Spencer (J), Charles Hills (T)
• Recent Trends: 19/21 winners had won over 6 furlongs before, none of the last 19 winners have come from stall 1 

This race was memorably won by 80/1 shot Khaadem 12 months ago, which might just be the largest-priced Group 1 winner in history, and unlikely to be beaten any time soon.

We’re certainly in for a competitive wide-open race, with the four market leaders all covered by barely a couple of betting points between 4/1 and 13/2 at the time of writing.

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One of those is George Boughey’s well-fancied filly, Believing, who ran a cracker to come fourth in the King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday, so it will be interesting to see how she copes with the favourite tag after such a quick turnaround.

All of the principals hold serious claims here, but in terms of best value we’re leaning towards four-year-old Shartash to continue his stellar start to his 2024 season.

Having endured a below-par three-year-old campaign, a change of scenery and a gelding operation appears to have the desired effect, with back-to-back seven-furlong wins at Thirsk and Haydock over the last couple of months.

Suggested bet: Shartash each-way in the 15:45 at Royal Ascot

Success over seven furlongs bodes well for any horse tackling six furlongs at Ascot, where the uphill climb towards the line can be a real test of stamina, so the manner of those two wins holds Shartash in good stead here.

New trainer Archie Watson has yet to replicate the success he enjoyed at last year’s Festival, but he might just open his account as he teams up with James Doyle, who has three wins under his belt and is not out of the running for the leading Festival jockey (Ryan Moore goes into day five with four wins).

• Tip advised by DHT Tips on Tipstrr

With the other nine starters all available at various double-digit prices, there’s clearly plenty of value to be found for the four, or even five, each-way places up for grabs, and maybe even better should any of the market leaders falter.

On the premise that lightning is unlikely to strike twice, we’re steering clear of last year’s winner Khaadem, despite the significant presence of Oisin Murphy (who also comes into the final day with three Festival wins to his name) in the saddle this time around.

We backed Quinault a few weeks back, and although he didn’t land that bet for us, we’re going to keep the faith on the basis that he has blown away enough cobwebs to recapture his stellar form of last year.

That three-year-old campaign saw Stuart William’s colt win seven of his nine outings, including a Class 2 handicap at this venue in September.

Suggested bet: Quinault each-way in the 15:45 at Royal Ascot

Pitched in at a higher level this term, he has been far from disgraced in producing mid-division finishes, and in his last outing in the John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock, his sixth-of-11 belied the fact that he was barely a length off a frame finish and less than three lengths behind the highly-rated winner, Tiber Flow.

This is the second of only two Royal Ascot entrants for the Williams yard, while Richard Kingscote will be hopeful of making his first frame finish at the 12th attempt at a frustrating meeting for the talented jockey.

• Tip advised by Irish Riches on Tipstrr

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