Five Horses To Follow: Royal Ascot 2022, June 14-18

The 2022 Royal Ascot meeting is five days of top class racing, with millions of pounds in prize money across the board and Group races mixed in with some fiercely competitive handicaps that set a real puzzle for even the most experienced of punters.

Five Horses to Follow For Royal Ascot 2022

Taking place in June the ground is usually on the fast side of good, with big fields and extremely strong betting markets that astute punters can take advantage of. This year will take place between June 14th and June 18th, and all of the top stables from around the world are sure to have their very best horses primed for the most prestigious week in the turf calendar.

1 – Statuette

Aidan O’Brien always has an extremely strong hand for this meeting, with some of his owners the biggest players in the game, and this strapping filly created a very deep impression when winning on debut in May.

She towered over her rivals in the paddock there, finishing really strongly to power clear late, and really does look banker material if heading to the Albany Stakes as expected (installed a generous looking 3/1 chance for that race by the bookmakers immediately afterwards).

2 – Chateau

Andrew Balding has a typically large number of very exciting young horses this summer, and his 2-y-o showed the benefit of a considerate racecourse introduction at Salisbury when winning a valuable prize at Beverley in May.

That narrow win did not fairly reflect his superiority on the day, with his run repeatedly checked before making up five lengths in a furlong to lead right on the post. He could be overpriced at the Royal meeting as a result, with loads of improvement in the tank and plenty of 2-y-o prizes to choose from.

3 – Homeless Songs

The Irish 1000 Guineas in May produced a really top class prospect, with Dermot Weld’s filly producing an explosive turn of foot out wide to come clear from the heavily backed 11/4f Tuesday.

She remains open to plenty of improvement after just five career starts so far, and appeals as banker material for the Group 1 Coronation Stakes on Friday.

4 – Alcohol Free

Andrew Balding’s 4-y-o filly has won 5 of her 12 career starts so far, and has an excuses in warm company on both starts so far this season.

She had a wide trip racing freely behind Lights On at Sandown in the bet365 Mile (just in need of the run at a time when the yard was quiet), and realistically had little chance with the top class Baaeed in the Group 1 Locking at Newbury in May (shaped well having been dropped out in rear initially). Ascot suits her, judged on an impressive win in the Coronation Stakes in 2021, and she did not enjoy any luck in running here in 2022.

5 – Above the Curve

Joseph O’Brien’s emerging star impressed when winning a fillies Group 1 at Longchamp at the end of May, quickening up smartly under a confident ride, and could be a live contender for the Ribblesdale on Thursday.

She has loads of scope to keep on progressing after just four career starts, and her turn of foot could be a potent weapon if the ground rides on the faster side.

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