£50,000 is on offer for Paddy Power Eliminator players on Wednesday. To guide you through their exciting new free-to-play game during Royal Ascot day two, Joe Napier gives his selections to try and survive all six races!
Race 1 – 2.30pm – Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2)
Zelaina is a very short-priced favourite from a betting perspective, but Karl Burke’s filly is a must include in the Eliminator after she left such an impression on debut. Similarly, Aidan O’Brien took the Coventry Stakes with an impressive juvenile winner on Tuesday, so the fact he has spoken up the chances of True Love could speak volumes.
American raider Lennilu could well prove to have the turn-of-foot for this race, while Staya was another taking debut score, trained by George Scott. It can pay to have a couple of outsiders onside for a two-year-old race at Royal Ascot and two of note are Solana Rose, who looked to have learned a lot when kicking well clear on her second start, and Social Exclusion, who was well-fancied before drifting alarmingly late at Chester. She can be forgiven a poor effort and run better here for James Owen.
Race 1 Selections
- 11. Lennilu
- 18. Social Exclusion
- 20. Solana Rose
- 22. Staya
- 23. True Love
- 25. Zelaina
Race 2 – 3.05pm – Queen’s Vase (Group 2)
It is impossible to ignore the claims of Shackleton given Aidan O’Brien has won five of the last ten Queen’s Vases, and he does have the pedigree of a potential stayer. That is less the case for stablemate Scandinavia, but he enjoyed the step up to 1m2f on his return and shaped as though he would enjoy going further and further.
Meanwhile, Francis-Henri Graffard had a three-year-old winner at Royal Ascot last season and Asmarani looks interesting as a result. Closer to home, the Navan Listed win of Carmers has not worked out well, but he did win by three lengths and it proves he stays. At bigger odds, Spinning Wheel is two from two and possibly did quite well to defy a 5lb winning penalty last time out.
Race 2 Selections
- 2. Asmarani
- 3. Carmers
- 9. Scandinavia
- 10. Shackleton
- 11. Spinning Wheel
Race 3 – 3.40pm – Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2)
Half the field can be claimed here. The improving Cinderella’s Dream is on the up and Ascot’s stiff mile round the bend should suit, while Fallen Angel likely needed the run in the Lockinge and was brilliant second time out last season.
Running Lion won this race last season having stepped up massively on her previous form, so leaving her out would seem risky despite two defeats this term. Lastly, Soprano was a Royal Ascot winner over this trip on the straight course in 2024, and her win on seasonal return has been franked.
Race 3 Selections
- 1. Cinderella’s Dream
- 4. Fallen Angel
- 6. Running Lion
- 7. Soprano
Race 4 – 4.20pm – Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1)
Using completely different racing styles, Los Angeles and Anmaat are the two standard-bearers of this division so far this season. The former stays further and will be tough to pass, though the latter’s turn-of-foot could prove to be a weapon late.
Of the rest, See The Fire is preferred after setting the Knavesmire alight at York last time out. She was beating a far inferior Group 2 field that day, but she did it by 12 lengths, and should prove up to challenging at this level.
Race 4 Selections
- 1. Anmaat
- 5. Los Angeles
- 9. See The Fire
Race 5 – 5.35pm – Kensington Palace Stakes
A huge field in which he only have two shots at finding the winner. Preference is for Serialise, who was travelling like the winner for much of the latter stages at the Curragh most recently despite being 3lb out of the handicap. With slightly more restraint, and now back 3lb in the weights given she is in the handicap here, she could well have enough to go one better. Arisaig was unlucky not to win above handicap level two starts back and may be able to overturn form with favourite Rainbow’s Edge.
Race 5 Selections
- 4. Arisaig
- 17. Serialise
Race 6 – 6.10pm – Windsor Castle Stakes
The final race of the day looks to be one of the more competitive juvenile races. However, although few may have showed their hand fully, the best form on paper belongs to Rogue Legend, to enough of an extent that he is worth backing to get the job done for Paddy Twomey. Both of his victories were secured by decent margins, suggesting he is up to at least this level.
Race 6 Selections
- 17. Rogue Legend
