There have been some tremendous performances at Royal Ascot this week. Ombudsman was world-class, and there’s still so much more to come. My Royal Ascot day four tips are now live, featuring some runners at bold odds as we reach the penultimate day. Look out for the Royal Ascot best bet, which comes in the opening race.
I feel by now as though I don’t just know the families these thoroughbreds come from, but more like I’m part of them! I’ve done all the pedigree analysis and read the form, all to try and offer more value with my Friday Royal Ascot best bets.
Royal Ascot Day 4 Betting Preview – My Bets at a Glance
| Bet Type | Horse/Race | Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Bet | Light Of Dawn (2:30) | 7/1 | Betfred |
| Next Best | Opportunity (3:40) | 5/1 | William Hill |
| Strong Bet | Seet (5:00) | 5/1 | 10bet |
| Value Bet | Wise Approach (3:05) | 11/1 | William Hill |
Odds correct at 12:00 BST on 18/06/26. Odds subject to change.
Three of the best horse racing bookies have priced up my Royal Ascot Friday tips – 10bet, Betfred, and William Hill. I’ve gone into a bit more depth about them below, and keep an eye out for my Friday Lucky 31 at Ascot because I’m determined to land a nice pot before the end of the week.
My Royal Ascot Best Bet
Light Of Dawn – 2:30 (Albany Stakes)
The Albany is a six-furlong Group 3 for the juvenile fillies. I reckon some major contenders in this are simply on the wrong side of the track, so that knocks out a good few for me. I’ve considered their debut runs, today’s conditions, timing of their races to date, and their trainers, all to attempt to read into their potential rates of improvement.
The one I’m backing, Light Of Dawn for the Wathnan Racing team, stood out to me. Racing manager Richard Brown said publicly that he told jockey James Doyle his main job at Carlisle was to get this filly to win as easily as possible, and he did. There is so much more to come from her than what we saw 11 days ago.
Light Of Dawn is by Showcasing, who is responsible for high-class Ascot winners Advertise, Quiet Reflection, and Soldier’s Call, as well as runners-up Tasleet and Swingalong. She’s also a half-sister to Bletchley, whose best performance was at this track. My Royal Ascot analysis tells me she has the proper pedigree for this.
She’s the Royal Ascot nap of the day, but there’s plenty more to come.
Why I’m Backing Light Of Dawn
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Given a deliberately easy debut – still won well
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Her pedigree just screams Royal Ascot
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Drawn on the right part of the track and will love the conditions
My Next Best Bet at Royal Ascot
Opportunity – 3:40 (Duke of Edinburgh Stakes)
The next of my Royal Ascot tips today comes in the Duke of Edinburgh, a valuable and competitive handicap over a mile and a half. There is a clutch of horses I don’t fancy in this because of the ground, and another bunch I see as being very closely handicapped.
Wathan Racing’s big two, Hopewell Rock and Opportunity, did stand out on that score though, which means it must have been a tough decision for James Doyle concerning who to ride.
I took speed figures specifically on very fast ground into consideration here, and when I did, I got Opportunity comfortably ahead. He had the option of this race or next week’s Northumberland Plate, but this looks the right call, and I think he will skip over the quick ground under top-class Aussie jockey James McDonald.
As a big-field handicap, you might find there are some opportunities on the exchanges in this event.
Why I’m Backing Opportunity
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Well ahead of the handicapper right now
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1m4f at Ascot on fast ground looks perfect
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James McDonald is capable of weaving through a packed field
A Strong Royal Ascot Friday Bet
Seet – 5:00 (Sandringham Stakes)
Once again, this is another huge race to attempt to handicap. These are all three-year-old fillies running over a mile, so second guessing how much each can improve and who is further ahead of the assessors is tough.
Overall, I cannot ignore the claims of Seet, who represents Shadwell and trainers John & Thady Gosden. She’s improving so quickly, loves this ground, has the right draw and, with main man Jim Crowley still sidelined, the assistance of Ryan Moore in the saddle.
All the pieces are there, and she could be tough to beat, even in a 30-runner field. Back this one with 10bet, who have one of the best horse racing betting apps.
Why I’m Backing Seet
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Bound for Group company soon enough
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Moving up the ladder very quickly
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Conditions are right in her favour
My Royal Ascot Value Bet
Wise Approach – 3:05 (Commonwealth Cup)
The last of my main Royal Ascot predictions comes in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, a six-furlong sprint for the three-year-olds.
Godolphin’s Wise Approach has been out of form in two runs this season, but it hasn’t exactly all gone to plan. He didn’t look ready for his seasonal bow at Ascot and got too far back to challenge. Next, at Newbury, he was second of seven in his group but was once again on the wrong part of the course – though he did show improvement.
Charlie Appleby knows how to target a horse at a race, and we can’t forget that Wise Approach, despite his odds, is the class act here. He was last year’s Group 1 Middle Park Stakes winner, despite stumbling at the start, and his team have certainly not given up on him yet. He may get the better of Venetian Sun up the near side.
Why I’m Backing Wise Approach
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Class act – Middle Park Stakes winner in September
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Loves a stiff six furlongs on fast ground
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Drawn in the right place and will love the quicker pace
Royal Ascot Day 4 Lucky 31
| Race | Selection |
|---|---|
| 2:30 | Light Of Dawn |
| 3:05 | Wise Approach |
| 3:40 | Opportunity |
| 5:00 | Seet |
| 5:35 | Water To Wine |
My Royal Ascot Lucky 31 naturally has to include the four horses I’m backing above, and I’ve also thrown Water To Wine in there. John Gosden’s colt is too short to back on his own at even money in the King Edward VII Stakes, but he is entered in two future Group 1’s and is clearly a class act who could be hard to beat.
I’ve placed my Lucky 31 with Betfred, who among their Ascot betting offers pay out 4x the odds on a Lucky 31 if it settles with only one leg successful.
