Royal Ascot tips: Trends suggest Wild Tiger and Regheeb hold each-way value in Royal Hunt Cup

17:05 Royal Ascot: Royal Hunt Cup Handicap (1 mile)

Our Royal Ascot week got off to a profitable start on Tuesday, with Tom Marquand steering Temporize into the each-way places with an 18/1 SP (they were still available at 25/1 earlier in the day).

Five days like that, with maybe a winner or two thrown in, and we can look forward to a productive week, kicking off with the Royal Hunt Cup on day two.

This is another huge field for us to tackle, and as usual we will use the trends below to reduce the field significantly from the 30 scheduled starters to a more manageable shortlist:

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• 20/22 – Had won over at least a mile before 
• 19/22 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old 
• 16/22 – Carried 9st-1lb or less 
• 16/22 – Unplaced favourites 
• 16/22 – Returned a double-figure price 
• 14/22 – Had run at Ascot before 
• 14/22 – Won by a 4-year-old (inc 11 of the last 14) 
• 12/22 – Had 2 or 3 previous runs that season 
•   6/22 – Won their last race 
•   2/22 – Won by trainer James Fanshawe 
•   2/22 – Won by trainer John Gosden 
•   2/22 – Won by trainer Charles Hills (2 of the last 5) 
•   1/22 – Winning favourites 
• 14/18 - came from a double-figure stall

Wild Tiger is incredibly lightly raced for a five-year-old, with just five runs to his name, of which he won all three of those within the UK. Oisin Murphy retains the ride having won on Wild Tiger at Goodwood last time. 

This is a step up in class for Saeed bin Suroor’s son of Frankel, but he has run well in decent races in Meydan and has scope to improve further and complete an impressive hat-trick.

Suggested bet (1): Wild Tiger each-way in the 17:05 at Royal Ascot

Metal Merchant has run well in his two starts this season, finishing first and second in two decent handicaps at Newbury. The stable is in great form and his trainer Jack Channon stated that the horse has flourished since being gelded. 

The four-year-old has won three of his last four races including once over course and distance, with the only disappointing run in that sequence coming on heavy going, which the horse clearly hated. The only negative is his single-figure draw, which has been a hindrance in recent years.

Daysofourlives is another course-and-distance winner and was held by Metal Merchant on their running here last season. 

Marco Botti’s stable is going through a cold patch, which is an obvious negative, and his four-year-old needs a career-best performance to win here. His draw is at least in double figures, which should see him be around the right place on the course.

Regheeb has only had seven career runs, winning a couple and placing in another two races. He has been running in lower-grade races, but his entries suggest he is highly rated by his stable.

Hollie Doyle has done well riding for Archie Watson, including at the Festival last year, and comes here in good form with a 16-percent strike rate over the last fortnight. 

Regheeb does need to improve to win in this company, but he has scope for progress, and a particularly good high draw can only enhance his chances. 

Suggested bet (2): Regheeb each-way in the 17:05 at Royal Ascot

 

 

In a race of 30 runners, it is prudent to have more than a single horse running for you, so I am suggesting an each-way bet on both Wild Tiger and Regheeb. 

As always, be sure to shop around for the best prices and extra places, which many bookmakers will be offering in a wide-open race of this nature.

READ MORE: Royal Ascot Wednesday tips: Best bets for ITV action on Day 2, June 19